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

Performance by the Haifa Symphony Orchestra at the Israeli Music Festival, 20 September, 2023
Yael Barolsky, Violin
Bar Avni, Conductor

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 with a folk rhythm, kind of a slow Hora.
• Allegretto – Flocks: A picture of the flocks on the mountains of the Galilee 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 from singer Bracha Zfira.
• Allegro – Druze Dance: A Debka dance as I saw it performed by young Druz men, masculine and warlike. The dance always excited me and I found an emotional outlet in arranging it.

For research purposes:
(Translated from Hebrew)

I consider myself as an Israeli composer and I believe I am also considered as one by others. That’s why I am often asked ”does Israeli music exist at all?”

I once asked a well-known critic in New York who defined my composition “Emek” as Israeli music: “How do you know that this is Israeli music?” He answered: “This music is not German, not Russian, not Spanish or Japanese and since you are Israeli I assume that it is Israeli music.”

This was, of course, in humor, but like any joke, there is some truth in it. It can be said that Israeli music is music written only by composers who reside in Israel.

When I attempt to analyze the compositions of my fellow composers as well as my own, I conclude that only few of us could have avoided the influence of our country — its way of life, the landscape, the unique culture and folklore of the various sectors and sects, and most important is the influence of the language — the biblical as well as the modern Hebrew. And although each one goes their own way and creates music according to their views and talents, there is already a common undertone in compositions of Israeli composers — something we could not have produced has we not lived in Israel — something we call “Israeli music”.

I, myself, never deliberately tried to write in an Israeli style, I did not want to impose any other views on myself after coming to Israel. However, as soon as the influence of the country seeped into me, when I felt myself a part of it and when I acquired the language, I very naturally began to write in the same style in which I continue to write to this day.

I have written many compositions and it seems to me that most of them are connected in some way to the country, its experiences, its events, its problems and its special atmosphere. I wrote many compositions for specific purposes and some were even commissioned, for plays, events and radio broadcasts. I did not create “abstract” music at all, even when I wrote a symphony or a quartet and did not highlight its content; the inspiration would come from a certain experience or an event that happened.

I write for the audience and I want to be understood by the audience. I want my music to evoke in the listeners the same feelings, ideas and impressions that gave me the inspiration to write the piece. That’s why I usually choose a simple and understandable musical language. I do not particularly try to provide material for analysis by musicologists or researchers.

I am interested in all the innovations and all the quests for new ways of expression and technique, and if it suits my purposes I use the newest technique, but I do not appreciate music without a melody, although a melody can be very modern.

In creating “organized noise” I feel bad for the artists, the instruments and the audience. It can be achieved with technical tools, and there is no reason to call it music. I think that in all periods there were attempts of this kind, but I do not believe that non-melodic music will ever conquer humanity.

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:

First part: Opening – A choral with a folk rhythm, kind of a slow Hora..

Second part: Flocks: A picture of the flocks on the mountains of the Galilee and a shepherds’ dance.

Part three: Feast Dance: Allegretto in six-eighth meter.

Fourth part: Hamsin (Heatwave): Monotonous andante.

Part five: Ancient Oriental Song: An arrangement of an ancient song I heard from singer Bracha Zfira.

Part six: Druze Dance: A Debka dance as I saw it performed by young Druz men, masculine and warlike. The dance always excited me and I found an emotional outlet in arranging it.