Jewish Suite

Allegro — Andante — Vivace (Chassidischer Tanz)

A recording from October 11, 2015 at the Israel Conservatory of Music, Tel Aviv:
The Tel Aviv Soloists Ensemble
Barak Tal, conductor

Publisher: The Marc Lavry Heritage Society

Synopsis:
Marc Lavry was always connected to his Jewish roots and the music he heard at home. His father would hum Jewish tunes and prayers and the composer internalized them and even used some in his compositions.

It is interesting to note that during his last years in Germany, 1929-1932, Lavry wrote several compositions influenced by his Jewish heritage:

• Jewish Folk Songs for String Quartet, Op. 14 (1929)
• Jewish Suite for String Orchestra or String Quartet, Op. 17 (1929)
• Andante for Orchestra – Tefilah (Prayer), Op. 21 (1931)
• Hassidic Dance for Orchestra, Op. 22 (1930)
• Ahasver (The Wandering Jew), Symphonic Poem, Op. 23 (1931)

Jewish Suite consists of three movements:

1. Allegro: a lively melody with a Jewish flare
2. Andante: a lyrical and intimate melody
3. Vivace (Chassidischer Tanz): Hasidic dance. Years later, Lavry used this Hassidic dance in his opera Dan Hashomer, for the scene where the elders reminisce about the “Simchat Torah” holiday celebration in their old town, back home in the diaspora.

Performances:
Berlin, April 1931
Radio Symphony Orchestra of Palestine, 1936
Chassidischer Tanz (third movement) alone was performed by the Radio Symphony Orchestra of Palestine on December 12, 1937