Menachem Avidom

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Menachem Avidom (b. Stanislaviv, Ukraine, January 6, 1908 - d. Tel Aviv, August 5, 1995) was an Israeli composer.

His original name was Mendel Mahler-Kalkstein. Avidom emigrated to Palestine in 1925 and soon after went to Beirut to study at the American University there (1926-1928). After further studies at the Paris Conservatory (1928-1931), he moved to Tel Aviv, where he taught music theory. From 1945 he served as general secretary of the Israeli Philharmonic; in 1955 he was named director of ACUM, the Israeli Performing Rights Society. Avidom was awarded the Israel State Prize for the opera Alexandra ha'Hashmonait.

[edit] Works

Vocal
  • In Every Generation, opera, 1955
  • Alexandra ha'Hashmonait, opera, 1961
  • The Farewell, opera, 1971
  • The First Sin, opera, 1980
  • Me'Arat Yodfat, opera
  • 4 other operas
  • Kantatat t'hilim, cantata, 1955
  • 12 Hills, cantata, 1976
Instrumental
  • Symphony No. 3: Yam tichonit, 1952
  • 9 other symphonies
  • Flute Concerto
  • Concertino for violin and orchestra
  • Suite on B-A-C-H, chamber ensemble, 1964
  • Brass Quintet, 1969

[edit] References

  • Don Randel. The Harvard Biographical Dictionary of Music. Harvard, 1996, p. 32.