Bach in the White City

In Tel Aviv, emigrated Jewish architects from Germany such as Arieh Sharon adapted the principles of Bauhaus design to the extremes of the climate. White and Light colors and small recessed windows served as protection against the heat and glare of the desert. Generous shaded balconies were incorporated into the buildings so that residents could catch the breeze from the sea. Hundreds of these buildings came to define the character of the growing metropolis in the 1930's and 1940s. In 2003, Tel Aviv "White City" became an UNESCO World Heritage Site as the world's largest still existing collection of Bauhaus style buildings. It is this place that inspired mandolin player Aon Sariel and pianist Michael Tsalka to record this album with music from J.S. Bach and Yehezkel Braun.