Marc Lavry and his compositions present a plethora of research topics for academics. Below are a few we’d like to propose. To further discuss any topic, or to develop your own, feel free to reach out to us at music@marclavry.org. We may be able to help with references and material.
Marc Lavry: Documentary Music
Practically every major event in the State of Israel between the years 1935-1967 was documented in music by composer Marc Lavry, who was considered the National Composer. A significant portion of his musical work documented events, illustrated landscapes and demonstrated the Israeli experience.
Suggestion for research structure:
- Israel According to the works of Marc Lavry:
- 1935-1947: early years of Israel, prior to the formation of the state
- 1948: Declaration of Independence, and the first year of the State of Israel
- 1949-1967: The young State of Israel
- The Israeli Experience in Lavry’s work:
- Lavry outlined a new Israeli style In the melody, rhythms and harmonies so unique to him. He studied the local folklore and created a new musical style that became the cornerstone of Israeli music.
- Marc Lavry – the National Composer
- Lavry was well-known and active figure in the Israeli community. He was charismatic, extremely productive and focused on both his music and civil duties.
- Active in the Haganah Defence Forces (the predecessor to the Israel Defense Forces/IDF)
- Director and Conductor of the Israeli Folk Opera (later known as the Israeli Opera)
- Director of ACUM, a non-profit organization that administers the copyrights of authors, composers and music publishers in Israel
- Founder of the Kol Zion Lagola (The Broadcasting Service to the Diaspora) radio station
- Established the Kol Zion Lagola and Ronenei HaCarmel Choirs
- Was on the Mapai political party roster for election to the Knesset (house of representatives)
- Conducted every single orchestra in the country
- He was considered the National Composer among Jewish communities around the world:
- Was invited as a conductor by many communities (e.g. Vienna, Mexico)
- Many works were commissioned by Jewish communities abroad (e.g. Sacred Service, Oratorio Esther, Opera Tamar)
- Community leaders recognized Lavry as the house composer and commissioned him to compose for for every occasion:
- Events
- Celebrations and special occasions
- Lavry was well-known and active figure in the Israeli community. He was charismatic, extremely productive and focused on both his music and civil duties.
- Lavry, a musical illustrator of the landscapes of Israel:
- Symphonic works
- Songs
Bibliography:
Relevant compositions:
- Dan Hashomer, Opera, Opus 158 (1941-2) – the opera tells the story of the lives and feelings of the pioneers in Israel
- Symphony No. 1 (“The Tragic Symphony”), Opus 171 (1943) – dedicated to the Warsaw Ghetto and Holocaust Events
- Symphony No. 2 (“The Independence Symphony”), Opus 233 (1950) – tribute to the Events of the Establishment of Israel
- Alei Dvai, Cantata, Opus 238 (1951) – lament for the convoy of 35
- Negev, Symphonic Poem, Opus 251 (1954) – with the retirement of David Ben-Gurion who settled in Kibbutz Sde Boker
- Cantata Mivtza Kadesh (the text of the order of the day) (1957)
- Chayei Adam (Life Cycle), Suite Grotesque, Opus 290 (1959)
Landscapes:
- Symphonic Works:
- Emek, Symphonic Poem, Opus 45 (1937)
- Pictures from Jerusalem, Suite for Orchestra, Opus 293 (1960)
- Al Mordot Hacarmel (On the Slopes of Mount Carmel), Symphonic Poem for Orchestra, Alto and Choir, Opus 335 (1963)
- Daliat El Carmel, Rhapsody, Opus 314 (1961)
- Kineret (Sea of Galilee), Symphonic Poem (1951)
- Negev, Symphonic Poem, Opus 251 (1954)
- Galil, Suite for a Small Orchestra, Opus 62 (1938)
- Songs:
- Emek, Song, Opus 40 (1935)
- Hanita from the Opera Dan Hashomer, Opus 158 (1942)
- Kineret, Song, Opus 89 (1939)
- Shir Le’Eilat (Song for Eilat), Song, Opus 320 (1962)
- At Moledet (You, My Homeland), Song, Opus 77 (1938)
- Im Eshkachech Yerushalayim (If I forget thee, O Jerusalem), Song, Opus 256 (1954)
- Zot Admati (This is my Land), Song, Opus 207 (1947)
- Me’arat Hatishbi (Elijah’s Cave), Song, Opus 316 (1962)
- Zemer (Tune), Song, Opus 225 No. 1 (1950)
Celebrations and special events: For any ceremony, celebration or jubilee, the national composer, Marc Lavry, was asked to write a song to mark the occasion.
- Kitatenu Balayla Tsoedet (Our Squad Marches at Night), Song, Opus 213 (1948)
- Hamaccabiah Tsoedet (The Maccabiah Marches), Song, Opus 234 (1950)
- Shir Hashririm (The Muscles Song), Song, Opus 307 (1961) – Hapoel Conference
- Student Day Anthem, Opus 261.4 (1956)
- Fanfare for the President, Opus 263 (1956)
- The Flowers Symphony Opus 338 (1964)
- Tanin (Crocodile), Polka and Rahav (Splendor), Waltz (1960) – the launch of the first submarines
- Pardes Hanna, Song (1954) – for the 50th anniversary
- Zichron Yaacov, Opus 248 (1952) – for the 70th anniversary of the town
- Petah Tikva, Opus 215 (1948) – 70th anniversary
- Karmiel, Song (1964) – for the founding of the city
Events:
- Cantata Mivtza Kadesh (the text of the order of the day) (1957)
- Negev, Symphonic Poem, Opus 251 (1954) – with the retirement of David Ben-Gurion who settled in Kibbutz Sde Boker
- Tanin (Crocodile), Polka and Rahav (Splendor), Waltz (1960) – the launch of the first submarines
- Songs:
The Bible in Lavry’s Work
Marc Lavry has always been connected to Judaism. During the rise of the Nazis, he wrote many works with Jewish subjects. His affinity for Judaism started at a young age. He used to tell that he remembered Hassidic melodies that his father had chanted. Although his connection with Judaism was strong, his interest in the Bible started only after he immigrated to Israel, in 1935. His wife, Helena Lavry, who was a journalist and a wordsmith, was the one who exposed him to the Bible. She selected, read and explained the texts to him. Lavry was fascinated with the lyrics, the stories and the drama that ignited his imagination and inspired his work. His Bible was always placed on his piano.
Suggestion for research structure:
Part I: The uniqueness of Lavry’s biblical works is expressed first and foremost in his Israeli style.
- Rhythms and the “Hora” dance: Lavry applied his familiar musical characteristics, folk melodies and enthusiastic rhythmic patterns, to his biblical works. The Israeli composer, Paul Ben-Haim, wrote: Lavry’s symphonic poem Emek, Opus 45 was the first example of the Hora penetration into concert music. By doing so, Lavry tightened the connection between folk music and artistic music “- Wikipedia. Examples:
- Lavry’s rhythms: In the oratorio Sacred Service, Opus 254 the sections of “Lecha Dodi (Come my beloved)”, “Yismechu (Rejoice)”, and in the Intermezzo of “Hallelujah”.
- Israeli folk style: The arias “Return, return O Shulamit”, and “What is thy beloved more than another beloved” in the oratorio Song of Songs, Opus 137 are sung by the women in a popular – folkloristic style.
- The combination of folk music and rhythmic dance: oratorio Queen Esther, Opus 279 – the Finale “And the city of Shushan rejoiced”
- Telling events from an Israeli perspective: Lavry described the biblical stories based on his Israeli experience.
- Example: In the opera Tamar, Opus 276, Lavry depicted the joy of the shepherds at the ”shearing festival” through Israeli dances. In the second act, scene 9, one can hear the bleating sheep and the ecstasy of the participants in the festivities.
Part II: A dramaturge (playwright) in music: Lavry possessed a rare talent for expressing the drama in the musical composition and presenting its main elements. Even his concert biblical compositions were written as if intended for a stage and actors.
- Depiction of characters: Unlike the majority of biblical compositions in history, Lavry excelled in characterizing the figures in the biblical story and elevated his compositions to drama:
- In the oratorio Queen Esther, Opus 279 the characteristics of evil Haman and foolish King Ahasuerus are clearly heard in the music. (Anecdote: The singer who sang the part of Haman in the performance in San Francisco, initially refused to sing the role because, he said, the music of his role was too mean. He relented at the end…)
- In the oratorio Queen Esther, Opus 279 a proclamation was issued: “to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day” (Book of Esther chapter 3 verse 13). Lavry created the drama by composing the verse for two choirs singing simultaneously. The first choir assertively announces the words of the proclamation and the other, the Jewish choir, repeats the same text in fear and mourning.
- In the oratorio Song of Songs, Opus 137, Lavry matched the music to each persona. For example:
- Shulamit, the young shepherdess, was described by the composer through lyrical and light melodies (O my love behold he comes). But in Shulamit’s ballad, as she flees the palace in search of her lover, her struggle and distress are expressed by the drama and accelerando (Now I will rise and will go about the city into the streets and into the roads).
- The shepherd in love is depicted by an innocent and tranquil tune (Rise up, O my love, fairest one and come away).
- King Solomon is depicted by assertive, arrogant and majestic music, usually in forte (Unto a steed in the chariots of Pharaoh).
- Scene Atmosphere: Lavry, who was known as a musical illustrator of events, used this ability to tell biblical stories in music.
- Opera Tamar, Opus 276: in the meeting between Tamar, who disguises herself as Kdesha (prostitute), and Yehuda the music is sensual (second act, at the end of the seventh picture, letter J). One can hear the sexual tension between them even without the text.
- Oratorio Queen Esther, Opus 279: the listener is exposed to the exotic country of Persia through the opening theme based on an ancient Persian melody. Lavry leads the listener into the atmosphere of the period.
- In the oratorio Sacred Service, Opus 254: the aria “Tree of Life”, which is a silent prayer, sets a heavenly (etheric) atmosphere through the use of delicate orchestration and high and soft notes.
Bibliography:
- Oratorios:
- Song of Songs, Oratorio, Opus 137 (1940)
- Queen Esther, Oratorio, Opus 279 (1959)
- Gideon, Oratorio, Opus 277 (1962)
- Sacred Service, Oratorio, Opus 254 (1954)
- From the Sabbath Eve and Sabbath morning prayers:
- A psalm. A song.
- And thou shalt love
- Who is like you
- Lift up your heads
- The Ten Commandments
- Hear, O Israel
- The law of the lord is perfect
- Tree of Life
- Hallelujah
- From the Sabbath Eve and Sabbath morning prayers:
- Operas:
- Tamar, Opera, Opus 276 (1958)
- Cantata:
- Eich Naflu Giborim (How the Mighty have Fallen), Cantata – Version I , Opus 41 (1937) – 2nd Shmuel 1:19
- Eich Naflu Giborim (How the Mighty have Fallen), Cantata – Version II, Opus 340 (1965) – 2nd Shmuel 1:19
- Songs:
- Oved Admato (He that Tills His Land), Opus 255 (1954) Proverbs 19:19
- Im Eshkachech Yerushalayim (If I forget thee, O Jerusalem), Opus 256 (1954) Psalms 137:5
- Shechora Ani (I am Black) for Soprano and Piano (From Song of Songs), Opus 137 (1940) Song of Songs 1:5
- Tsror Hamor (A Sachet of Myrrh) for Soprano and Piano (From Song of Songs), Opus 137 No. 9 (1940) Song of Songs 1:13
- Ma Tovu (How Goodly), Opus 218 (1948) Numbers 24:5
Marc Lavry’s European Period
The style of Composer Marc Lavry’s compositions prior to immigrating to Israel is inherently different from that of his quintessential Israeli style. Anecdote: Musicologist Efrat Lavry, the composer’s daughter, shares that she can recognize any work her father wrote in Israel, but when she hears a composition he composed before immigrating to Israel, she has difficulty recognizing it as her father’s work.
Suggestion for research structure:
1. Stylistic analysis Composer Marc Lavry studied composition at the most well-known institutes in Europe (the prestigious Leipzig Conservatory and the Stern Conservatory in Berlin) and studied under Prof. Joseph Vitol of Riga, Paul Garner in Leipzig and Alexander Glazonov in Berlin. Lavry, who was still young, was mostly influenced by the European styles that surrounded him.
Stylistic characteristics:
- A comparison between the style of the composer’s European and Israeli periods
- Harmonic analyses of compositions from his European period, contrasted with compositions from his Israeli period
2. Genres in Lavry’s compositions from his European period Genres:
- Orchestral music – Lavry composed music for the orchestras he conducted
- Music for ballet – he wrote many compositions for ballet while serving as the musical director and conductor of the Rudolf von Laban’s dance theater
- Music for the theater – he wrote the music for stage productions at Max Rinehart’s Theater
- Movie soundtracks – Lavry composed music for films for the European branch of Universal Studios
- Experimental music – he wrote a piano concerto for the launch of the new “Bachstein-Moore” piano with two keyboards
Themes:
- Latvian and Russian Themes – Lavry was an active member of the Center for Russian Culture of Berlin consisting of Russian musicians (Mittelpunkt der Berliner Russischen Kulturszen) whose charter was to promote and perform musical work of contemporary Russian composers. He served as head of the instrumental music department and was the conductor of the association’s orchestra. During this time he composed compositions with Latvian and Russian themes.
- Jewish themes – With the rise of the anti-semitism in Europe, Lavry found himself drawn to his roots. He wrote about Jewish topics and drew from melodies and prayers he heard growing up.
The Jewish context he had during this period was limited to Eastern European Jewish styles.
Bibliography: Note on locating music from the European period: Not all sheet music has been preserved and we know of some of his works only from Lavry’s opus notebook. There is also a handful of compositions that do not appear in the composer’s opus book but information can be found in articles and reviews. Lavry was not detailed in documenting his compositions. In some cases he wrote the name of the composition without the year, and at most he documented the year of the first performance of said composition. When he remembered a composition he had written but not entered into his book, he added it in a non-chronological order; for example, in 1946 he added to the opus book compositions he wrote between the years 1929-1939 which he did not previously document.
Resources:
- The composer’s opus book. The opus book begins in 1927 and there are no records of earlier works
- Articles and reviews from the press in Germany and Riga
- Interviews with Marc Lavry
- The National Library of Israel – The manuscripts that are at the National Library of Israel are marked in the bibliography list below, and can be found at the library’s database with ISSN (International Standard Serial Numbers) that start with MUS 0118
Orchestral Music:
- Fantastische Suite (Fantastic Suite) for Orchestra, Opus 9 (1930)
- Variations and Fugue for Piano, Opus 12 (1931)
- General Balodis Parade March, Opus 18 (1933)
- Vidzeme Polka March (Military March), Opus 19 (~1932)
- Two preludes for String Orchestra, Opus 24 (1931)
Music for Ballet:
- Romantic Suite for Orchestra (Romantische Suite) – Repertoire de Ballet, Opus 1 (1927)
- Grotesque (Groteske) for Orchestra – Repertoire de Ballet, Opus 2 (1927)
- Three Burlesques, Opus 3 (1927)
- The Blockade of Brest – Belagerung von Brest (Taras Bulba), Opus 7 (1930)
- Ukranian Night Feast for Orchestra, Opus 7a (1930)
- Dances for the Laban’s Dance Company (Tanze fur di Tanzübung Laban) for Piano, Opus 5 (1929)
- Tennis – Dance Match, Opus 8 (1931)
Music for the theater:
- Overture for Turandot for Symphony Orchestra, Opus 4 (1929) – play by Schiller
- Jazz & Love (Jazz und Liebe), Operetta, Opus 6 (1930)
- Prelude No. 2 – Vorspiel zu Drama (Prelude to Drama), Opus 24b (1931)
Movie Soundtracks:
- Tautas Dels (The Son of the People), Opus 25 (1934) – Film Music
Experimental Music:
- Concerto for Piano and Orchestra, Opus 10 (1931) – written for Bechstein-Moor grand piano
Latvian and Russian Themes:
- Variations on a Latvian Folk Motif for Orchestra, Opus 11 (1931)
- Variations on a Latvian Song by Fahn Zalit, Opus 15 (1931) – variationen uber ein Lettisches Lied von Fahn Zalit
- Latvian Songs for Voice and Orchestra, Opus 20 (~1932)
- Variations on a Russian Song for Choir and Orchestra, Opus 13 (1930) – Sheet music has not yet been located
- Two Russian Songs for String Quartet, Opus 16 (1932) – Sheet music has not yet been located
Jewish Themes:
- Jewish Folk Songs (Jüdische Volkslieder) for String Quartet, Opus 14 (1931)
- Jewish Suite for String Orchestra or String Quartet, Opus 17 (1929)
- Andante for Orchestra – Tefilah (Prayer), Orchestral Movement, Opus 21 (1931)
- Hassidic Dance (Chassidische Tanz for Orchestra), Opus 22 (1930)
- Ahasver (The Wandering Jew), Symphonic Poem, Opus 23 (1931)
- Lullaby (Wiegenlied) for Cello and String Orchestra, Opus 35 (1933) – written for the Jewish Theater in Riga
