Marc Lavry
Encyclopedia
Marc Lavry (December 22, 1903, Riga
– March 24, 1967, Haifa
) was an Israel
i composer
and conductor.
Marc Lavry was a most prolific composer who belonged to an exclusive group of artists who formulated what is known today as Israeli music.
His legacy consists of a remarkable number of works – over 400 musical works, many of which have yet to be published and exist in manuscript form only. Lavry wrote a wide variety of compositions from grand operas and symphonies to chamber music and popular songs.
Lavry began his musical studies in Riga and continued at Leipzig Conservatory. He also studied with Alexander Glazunov
, Russian composer and music teacher. In 1926 he moved to Berlin
and worked for the Theater. From 1929 to 1932 he served as a conductor of the Berlin Symphonic Orchestra. The rise
of Nazism
caused him to return to Latvia in 1933, where he worked at the Riga Opera
. In 1934 he moved to Stockholm
, Sweden
and in 1935 emigrated to Israel (Palestine
at that time). He immediately became enchanted with the country – its landscape, the language and life in the nascent state. He was inspired by its history, poetry and heritage, and many of his compositions were driven by events of the time.
In 1936, one year after his arrival he composed the first Israeli symphonic poem
Valley – one of his most popular pieces. It represented an Israeli music in the first world tour of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra
.
Lavry's works, including operas, oratorio
, and symphonic poems, are influenced by oriental folk music
and Jewish cantillation
. Together with choreographer Gertrud Kraus
, Lavry developed the art of dance and Israel ballet. The oratorio "Song of Songs" has been performed many times and Lavry's choral music and arias have become part of the repertoire of choirs and singers in Israel and abroad. Lavry was not only a prolific composer in all spheres of vocal and instrumental music but also a gifted conductor, who performed with all the orchestras in the country during that period.
At mayor Abba Hushi
's invitation, Lavry moved to Haifa in 1962 and served as the Haifa Symphonic Orchestra conductor.
He died in Haifa on 24 March, 1967.
Riga
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
– March 24, 1967, Haifa
Haifa
Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
) was an Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and conductor.
Marc Lavry was a most prolific composer who belonged to an exclusive group of artists who formulated what is known today as Israeli music.
His legacy consists of a remarkable number of works – over 400 musical works, many of which have yet to be published and exist in manuscript form only. Lavry wrote a wide variety of compositions from grand operas and symphonies to chamber music and popular songs.
Lavry began his musical studies in Riga and continued at Leipzig Conservatory. He also studied with Alexander Glazunov
Alexander Glazunov
Alexander Konstantinovich Glazunov was a Russian composer of the late Russian Romantic period, music teacher and conductor...
, Russian composer and music teacher. In 1926 he moved to Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
and worked for the Theater. From 1929 to 1932 he served as a conductor of the Berlin Symphonic Orchestra. The rise
Hitler's rise to power
Adolf Hitler's rise to power began in Germany in September 1919 when Hitler joined the political party that was known as the Deutsche Arbeiterpartei . This political party was formed and developed during the post-World War I era...
of Nazism
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
caused him to return to Latvia in 1933, where he worked at the Riga Opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
. In 1934 he moved to Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
and in 1935 emigrated to Israel (Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
at that time). He immediately became enchanted with the country – its landscape, the language and life in the nascent state. He was inspired by its history, poetry and heritage, and many of his compositions were driven by events of the time.
In 1936, one year after his arrival he composed the first Israeli symphonic poem
Symphonic poem
A symphonic poem or tone poem is a piece of orchestral music in a single continuous section in which the content of a poem, a story or novel, a painting, a landscape or another source is illustrated or evoked. The term was first applied by Hungarian composer Franz Liszt to his 13 works in this vein...
Valley – one of his most popular pieces. It represented an Israeli music in the first world tour of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra
Israel Philharmonic Orchestra
The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra is the leading symphony orchestra in Israel. It was originally known as the Palestine Orchestra, and in Hebrew as התזמורת הסימפונית הארץ ישראלית The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (abbreviation IPO; Hebrew: התזמורת הפילהרמונית הישראלית, ha-Tizmoret ha-Filharmonit...
.
Lavry's works, including operas, oratorio
Oratorio
An oratorio is a large musical composition including an orchestra, a choir, and soloists. Like an opera, an oratorio includes the use of a choir, soloists, an ensemble, various distinguishable characters, and arias...
, and symphonic poems, are influenced by oriental folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
and Jewish cantillation
Cantillation
Cantillation is the ritual chanting of readings from the Hebrew Bible in synagogue services. The chants are written and notated in accordance with the special signs or marks printed in the Masoretic text of the Hebrew Bible to complement the letters and vowel points...
. Together with choreographer Gertrud Kraus
Gertrud Kraus
-Biography:Gertrud Kraus was born in 1901 in Vienna, Austria-Hungary. Her father, Leopold Kraus, and her mother, Olga , married in Prague in 1899. They had four children: Robert , Gertrud , Margarethe and Victor ....
, Lavry developed the art of dance and Israel ballet. The oratorio "Song of Songs" has been performed many times and Lavry's choral music and arias have become part of the repertoire of choirs and singers in Israel and abroad. Lavry was not only a prolific composer in all spheres of vocal and instrumental music but also a gifted conductor, who performed with all the orchestras in the country during that period.
At mayor Abba Hushi
Abba Hushi
Abba Hushi was an Israeli politician who served as mayor of Haifa for eighteen years between 1951 to 1969. Hushi was one of the founders and activists of Hashomer Hatzair movement in Poland. In July 1920, he immigrated to Palestine with a group of 130 Jewish pioneers. In Palestine, he took the...
's invitation, Lavry moved to Haifa in 1962 and served as the Haifa Symphonic Orchestra conductor.
He died in Haifa on 24 March, 1967.
External links
- Biography – at the Marc Lavry Heritage Foundation web site.
- List of Works – published by the Marc Lavry Heritage Foundation
- Personal Archive – at the Jewish National Library web site.
- Freedman Catalog – list of works (probably, partial)
- The Jewish Choral Music Database – partial list of choral works
- Israel Music Institute – short biography