by shostakovich » Fri Jan 05, 2001 1:57 am
I thought I'd combine the mystery people under one heading. Most will, of course be composers. Let's start with a man whose ancestors showed no special affinity for music. However, he was so drawn to the subject, that he wrote down a vow to become a composer, and then performed a ritual burning of the vow. He was 11.<BR>His father, a Jewish clock dealer in Geneva, expected him to go into the family business, but young _________ received musical training in Geneva, Brussels, Frankfurt, and Munich. From the ages of about 25 to 35, he lived in Switzerland, teaching, composing, and conducting. At age approximately 30 he began to slant his music in the direction for which he is best known, referred to as "Hebraicism". As he said later, he was moved by<P>"the freshness and naivety of the Patriarchs; the violence of the Prophetic Books; the Jew's savage love of justice; the despair of Ecclesiastes; the sensuality of the Song of Songs ------- It is all this that I endeavor to hear in myself, and transcribe into music: the sacred emotion of the race that slumbers far down in our soul". <P> At about age 35 he came to the United States, with his family, as conductor for Maude Allan's dance company. The tour was not successful, but he was able to conduct some of his own works with several orchestras including the Boston Symphony. His music was well received. At age 40 he became director of the Cleveland Institute of Music. Five years later he was at the San Francisco Conservatory. In between he wrote a work for his adopted country. It was later dedicated to Franklin Roosevelt. Five years after coming to San Francisco he returned to Switzerland where he wrote his most important choral work. At the age of about 60 he returned to the US, and settled in Oregon, where he remained for the rest of his life. <BR>Of his total output, only one third is Hebraic, but that is what sets him apart from all other composers. If he is too much of a mystery I will list additional clues every few days. I think much of his music is well worth knowing. Good luck.<BR>Shos.
<p>[This message has been edited by JasonK (edited 01-24-2001).]