Israeliana, Suite

A live recording from a concert at the YMCA music hall in Jerusalem (year unknown):
Shimon Mishori, Violin
Heinz Freudental, Conductor
Kol Israel Symphony Orchestra (The Broadcasting Service Orchestra)

Prelude – Flocks – Feast Dance – Hamsin (Heatwave) – Ancient Oriental Dance – Druze Dance

Note: Israliana was written for:

• Symphonic Orchestra
• Violin and Orchestra
• Violin and Piano
• Piano Solo

Publisher: The Marc Lavry Heritage Society

Synopsis:

Lavry wrote about his composition (translated from Hebrew):

I named my suite “Israeliana” because every part of it is connected in some way to the land of Israel. It is a non-pretentious album of impressions and pictures of the country. The suite is divided in the following way:

• Andante Maestoso – Prelude: A choral in a ethnic rhythm, kind of a slow Hora.
• Allegretto – Flocks: A picture of the flocks on the Galilee mountains and a shepherds’ dance.
• Allegretto – Feast Dance: Allegretto in six-eighth meter.
• Andante – Hamsin (Heatwave): Monotonous andante.
• Andante – Ancient Oriental Song: An arrangement of an ancient song I heard sung by Bracha Zfira.
• Allegro – Druze Dance: A Debka as I saw it being danced by young Druz men, masculine and war-like. The dance always excited me and I found that arranging it was emotionally cathartic.