Shoresh Nishmat was originally inspired by the rather esoteric concept of descending into the world of Kelippot (absence of light in Kabbalah). The musical building blocks are mainly Jewish melodies of a Hasidic origin. These are disguised in the course of the rather abstract first movement, but gradually come to light in a more rhythmical landscape, during the second movement.

Towards its second half, the piece becomes more and more tonal until reaching its climax in an almost overly romantic expression. It ends with a slow, meditative Chorale and Coda, suggesting a lyrical conclusion as a personal means of finding one's own "shoresh", one's truest, inner self.

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Mátti Kovler