Composer’s Note:

Eshet Hayil is the third of three songs in composer Francine Tresters “Neshot Hayil” (Women of Valor). The cycle was commissioned by saxophonist Kenneth Radnofsky and is a piece based on Jewish texts that honor women. Violet Gilboa Radnofsky, curator of the Harvard Judaica Division at Harvard University Library, chose the three texts of “Neshot Hayil.” In the program notes from the premiere performance, Radnofsky writes: Eshet Hayil was written by King Solomon in the Book of Proverbs about 3000 years agoperhaps the first text about feminism and honoring women. All three poems have been sung or chanted in prayers around the world by Jews (both Ashkenazim and Sephardim) from the time they were written and up through today.