List of compositions by Josef Tal

This is a List of compositions by Josef Tal.

OPERAS[1]
Year Composed WORK DETAILS PARTICIPANTS PREMIERE
1958 Amnon and Tamar libretto: Recha Freier, after Samuel II, 13 soloists, men's choir and orchestra Heinz Freudenthal 1961 Jerusalem
1969 Ashmedai libretto: Israel Eliraz soloists, choir, orchestra & electronic music Gary Bertini / Leopold Lindtberg 1971 Hamburg
1972 Massada 967 libretto: Israel Eliraz soloists, choir, & electronic music Gary Bertini / Leonard Schach 1973 Jerusalem
1974 The Temptation libretto: Israel Eliraz soloists, choir, orchestra & electronic music Gary Bertini / Götz Friedrich 1976 München
1983 The Tower libretto: Hans Keller soloists, choir, orchestra & electronic music Ádám Fischer / Siegfried Schoenbohm 1987 Berlin
1987 The Garden libretto: Israel Eliraz soloists & ensemble Peter Löscher / Irmgard Schleier 1988 Hamburg
1993 Joseph libretto: Israel Eliraz soloists, choir, orchestra David Alden / Gary Bertini 1995 Tel Aviv
KEYBOARD
Year Composed WORK DETAILS PREMIERE
1931 Pieces for piano 4-hands [2]
1936 Chaconne for piano [2]
1937 Three Pieces for piano Grünthal 1939 Jerusalem
1945 Cum Mortuis In Lingua Mortua 7 Variations for piano on a theme by Moussorgsky Grünthal 1945 Jerusalem
1946 Six Sonnets for piano Grünthal 1948 Tel Aviv
1949 Sonata for piano [3][4][5][6][7][8] Grünthal 1950 Tel Aviv
1951 A Little Walk for piano 4-hands [2]
1956 Five Inventions for Piano Lengyel(?) 1961
1962 Dodecaphonic Episodes for piano Tal 1963 Tel Aviv
1962 Concerto No. 4 for piano & magnetic tape [9] Tal 1962 Jerusalem
1964 Concerto No. 5 for piano & electronic music Gerty Blacher-Herzog 1964 Berlin
1964 (Rev. 1977) Concerto for harpsichord & electronic music Frank Pelleg 1964 Tel Aviv
1970 Concerto No. 6 for piano & electronic music [10] Tal 1970 Jerusalem
1975 Five Densities for piano Arnan Wiesel 1990 Tel Aviv
1983 Salva venia for organ Oscar Gottlieb Blarr 1984 Düsseldorf
1986 Essay I for piano [3] Alan Sternfeld 1987 Israel
1988 A Tale in Four Parts for piano 4-hands [2]
1988 Essay II for piano ?
1989 Essay III for piano Alan Sternfeld 1990 Jerusalem
1997 Essay IV for piano Jeffrey Burns 1998 Düsseldorf
1988 Essay V for piano ?
ORCHESTRAL / ENSEMBLE / INSTRUMENTAL SOLO
Year Composed WORK DETAILS PREMIERE
1934 By the Rivers of Babylon for cello & harp [11][12] Weissgerber / Szarvas 19?? (?)
1937 Suite for cello Hillel Zori 2010 Tel Aviv
1937 Sonata for cello Hillel Zori 2010 Tel Aviv
1939 Prelude for chamber orchestra, flute & fagott Grünthal 1939 Jerusalem
(before 1940[13]) Trois Novelettes for symphony orchestra [10] [2]
1940 Suite for viola Gideon Roehr 1946 Jerusalem
1940 Theme and Variations for 2 pianos & percussion Grünthal / Kaplan/ Liebenthal 1940 Jerusalem
1945 Concerto No. 1 for piano & orchestra Grünthal / Schlesinger 1945 Jerusalem
1947 Lament for cello & harp [12] Josef Weissgerber / Klari Szarvas 19?? (?)
1949 Festive Prelude for cello [11] Thelma Yellin 19?? (?)
1949 Hora for cello & harp [12] [10] Josef Weissgerber / Klari Szarvas 19?? (?)
1950 Reflections for string orchestra [14] Michael Taube 1950 Tel Aviv
1951 (Rev. 1952) Sonata for violin & piano [3] Goren / Stanfield 1951 Jerusalem
1952 Sonata for oboe & piano Haas / Tal 1954 (?)
1952 Symphony No. 1 [3] Artur Gelbrun 1955 Bruxelles
1953 Concerto No. 2 for piano & orchestra Tal / Singer 1953 Jerusalem
1953 Duo for 2 flutes Hanoch Tel-Oren / Sharona Tel-Oren 1953 Israel
1953 Concerto for viola & orchestra Gideon Röhr / Heinz Freudenthal 1954 Haifa
1954 String Quartet No. 1 Alexander Tal / Yuval / Binyamini / Mense 1959 Tel Aviv
1957 Festive Vision for symphony orchestra Izler Solomon 1958 Jerusalem
1959 Intrada for harp Contestants of First Int. Harp Contest 1959 Jerusalem
1960 Symphony No. 2 [3] Shalom Ronli-Riklis 1961 Jerusalem
1960 Sonata for viola & piano Ödön Pártos / Tal 1960 Tel Aviv
1960 Concerto for cello & string orchestra [3][4] Uzi Wiesel / Shalom Ronli-Riklis 1961 Jerusalem
1961 Structure for harp Klari Szarvas 1962 Israel
1963 String Quartet No. 2 New Israeli Quartet 1965 Tel Aviv
1965 Duo for viola & piano (?) 1965 Hamburg
1966 Woodwind Quintet Danzi Quintet 1968 Amsterdam
1966 Three Compositions for recorder & harpsichord [10] [2]
1968 Fanfare for 3 trumpets & 3 trombones  ?
1969 Double Concerto for violin, cello & chamber orchestra Gary Bertini / Pinchas Zukerman / Uzi Wiesel 1970 Ein Gev
1971 (Rev. 1980) Concerto for harp & electronic music Nicanor Zabaleta 1971 Johannesburg
1973 Treatise for cello Uzi Wiesel 1974 Tel Aviv
1973 Trio for violin, cello & piano  ?
1975 Shape for chamber ensemble Ralph Shapey 1976 Chicago
1976 Concerto for flute & chamber orchestra Aurèle Nicolet / Mendi Rodan 1977 Jerusalem
1976 (Rev 1987) String Quartet No. 3 [3][4] ?
1977 Backyard for chamber ensemble & tape (for choreography) [2]
1978 Symphony No. 3 [3][4] Zubin Mehta 1979 Jerusalem
1979 Double Concerto for 2 pianos & orchestra Gary Bertini / Eden / Tamir 1981 Jerusalem
1980 Concerto for clarinet & orchestra Bertini / Walter Boeykens 1984 Jerusalem
1980 Movement for tuba & piano Margulies / Garten 1982 USA
1981 (Rev. 1986) Dance of the Events for orchestra Gary Bertini 1982 Jerusalem
1982 Piano Quartet for violin, viola, cello & piano Cantilena Quartet 1982 New York
1982 Imago for chamber orchestra Arthur Weisberg 1983 Washington
1982 Chamber Music for s-recorder, marimba & harpsichord Manuela Christen / Hans-Peter Achberger / Urte Lucht 1987 Hamburg
1985 Symphony No. 4 Zubin Mehta 1987 Tel Aviv
1985 In Memoriam of a Dear Friend for cello Kaganovski 1986 Jerusalem
1986 Symphonic Fanfare Houston Symphony Orchestra 1987 Houston
1989 Duo for trombone & harp Nitzan Har-Oz / Adina Har-Oz 1991 Israel
1989 Dispute for harp Contestants in the 11th International Harp Contest 1991 Jerusalem
1991 Symphony No. 5 Daniel Barenboim 1992 Berlin
1991 Symphony No. 6 Wolf-Dieter Hauschild 1992 Eschede (Germany)
1992 Duo for oboe & English horn [2]
1994 Quartet for t-saxophone, violin, viola & cello  ?
1996 Perspective for viola Tabea Zimmermann 1996 Berlin
2005 Good Night for 2 recorders Manuela Christen / Eveline Lorandi 2010 Amriswil, Switzerland
UNACCOMPANIED SOLO
Year Composed WORK DETAILS PREMIERE
1978 (Rev. 1982) Scene monodrama for soprano or tenor (to be acted). Text from Franz Kafka's diaries Christine Anderson 1981 Cincinnati
1997 Schlichtheit for baritone. Text: Jorge Luis Borges Matteo de Monti 1997 Vienna
2000 Sonett an Orfeus for baritone. Text: Rainer Maria Rilke (Sonett XXIX) Matteo de Monti 2000 Jerusalem
SOLO VOICE WITH ONE INSTRUMENT OR ENSEMBLE
Year Composed WORK DETAILS PREMIERE
1936 Drei Lieder der Ruhe (Three Songs of Serenity) for soprano & piano. Texts: Paul Verlaine, Georg Heym, Christian Morgenstern Hede Türk / Grünthal 1938 Jerusalem
1950 Festive Prologue for narrator & 2 pianos. Text: Rachel Bluwstein [2]
1955 Three Songs for soprano & piano. Texts: Rachel Bluwstein[10] Hilde Zadek / Tal 1955 (?)
1971 Song for baritone or alto & ensemble. Texts: Heinrich Heine Heljä Angervo 1972 Berlin
1975 My Child for soprano & clarinet. Text: Natan Yonatan Adi Etzion / Richard Lesser 1975 Tel Aviv
1975 Else – Hommage chamber scene for mezzo-soprano, narrator & ensemble. Text: Israel Eliraz Adi Etzion 1975 Tel Aviv
1987 Die Hand dramatic Scene for soprano & cello. Text: Israel Eliraz Catherine Gayer / Uzi Wiesel 1989 Jerusalem
1991 Wars Swept Through Here for baritone & ensemble. Text: Israel Eliraz Matteo de Monti / Helmut Keller 1992 Kassel
1991 Bitter Line for baritone & ensemble. Text: Israel Eliraz Friedrich Goldmann / Georg Christoph Biller 1991 Berlin
1993 Mein blaues Klavier (My Blue Piano( for mezzo-soprano & piano. Text: Else Lasker-Schüler Ursula Hesse / Axel Bauni 1994 Berlin
SOLO / VOICE(S) WITH ORCHESTRA
Year Composed WORK DETAILS PREMIERE
1946 Exodus symphonic poem for baritone & orchestra. Text: Exodus, Psalms [9] Bernardino Molinari 1947 Tel Aviv
1955 Saul at Ein Dor opera concertante for soloists & orchestra. Text: Books of Samuel I, 28: 3-25 Michael Taube 1955 Tel Aviv
1956 Concerto No. 3 for tenor, piano & orchestra. Text: Eleazar Kalir Taube / Tal 1956 Jerusalem
CHORAL MUSIC A CAPPELLA / WITH ORCHESTRA
Year Composed WORK DETAILS PREMIERE
1936 On the Way for 4 women voices. Texts: Rachel Bluwstein [2]
1949 The Mother Rejoices symphonic cantata. Text: Book of Maccabees [9] Freudenthal 1953 Jerusalem
1952 3 Songs on Yemenite Themes for choir. Texts: Song of Songs, Shalom Shabazi [3] Tal 1953 Jerusalem
1954 Aleinu Leshabe'ach for 3 voices women choir, tenor & piano (organ). Text: Siddur, Shalom Shabazi Max Helfman 1949 New York
1955 Succot Cantata for soloists, mixed choir & orchestra. Text: Shacharit, Eleazar Kalir Tal 1955 Jerusalem
1967 The Death of Moses requiem for soloists, mixed choir, orchestra & electronic music. Text: Yehuda Ya'ari[3][4] Bertini 1967 Jerusalem
1968 Parade of the Fallen (Misdar Ha'Noflim) cantata for soloists, choir & orchestra. Text: Haim Hefer Mendi Rodan 1969 Jerusalem
1975 Death Came to the Wooden Horse Michael for soloists, mixed choir & electronic music. Text: Nathan Zach Avner Itai 1979 Jerusalem
1978 With All Thy Soul cantata for soloists, equal voices boys' choir, mixed choir & ensemble. Text: 1 Maccabees (Apocrypha), Sefer Ha'Agada Bertini 1978 Jerusalem
1985 Dream of the Circles for baritone, choir & ensemble. Text: Nachman of Breslov Avner Itai 1985 Tel Aviv
1987 Touch a Place for solo voice & choir. Text: Israel Eliraz Arnon Meroz 1987 Jerusalem
? God Full of Mercy for mixed choir. Text: Yehuda Amichai [2]
ELECTRONIC MUSIC (unaccompanied)
Year Composed WORK DETAILS
1956 Exodus (II) for choreography
1959 The Tale of the Shadow for a radio play
1963 Ranges of Energy for choreography [15]
1964 I Called Upon The Lord in Distress for choreography
1970 Variations for choreography
1972 Frequencies 440–462
1976 The Emigrants for the theater play
1979 Shikaron Sinai for a TV documentary
1981 L'Atelier for the theater play [4]
1990 Rays of Energy Talmark Notation Project[16]
1992 Coincidentia Oppositorum Talmark Notation Project[16]

Notes

  1. ^ Historical Text and Pretext in the Works of an Israeli Composer, in Fontes Artis Musicae, Vol XXII, 1975/1-2 pp 43-47 (with Israel Eliraz)
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k not yet performed
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Ron, Yohanan: (2000) The Music of Josef Tal – Selected Writings, The Israeli Music Archive, Tel Aviv University, Department of Musicology
  4. ^ a b c d e Ron, Yohanan: The Instrumental Music of Josef Tal: Style and Artistic Concepts – Ph.D. Thesis, Bar-Ilan University (1990) (Hebrew)
  5. ^ The Sonata for Piano is included in the repertoire of the 13th Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Master Competition (2011) [1]
  6. ^ Espiedra, aviva: Josef Tal, Sonata for Piano, in: A critical study of four piano sonatas by Israeli composers, 1950-1979, Doctor of Musical Arts dissertation in Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University, 1992 pp 15-78
  7. ^ [2] Kotaro Fukuma performs the Sonata for piano at the Arthur Rubinstein Piano Master Competition, May 2011 in Tel Aviv
  8. ^ [3] Dmitri Levkovich performs the Sonata for piano (partial) at the Arthur Rubinstein Piano Master Competition, May 2011 in Tel Aviv
  9. ^ a b c publication revoked according to composer's wish
  10. ^ a b c d e published posthumously
  11. ^ a b Score lost
  12. ^ a b c "Lamerntation", "Hora" and "By the Rivers of Babylon" performed by Klara Szarvas (harp) and Joseph Weissgerber (Cello)] on Archive.org
  13. ^ according to additional documents
  14. ^ Leichtling, Avrohom: Josef Tal, Reflections. in: Musikproduktion Höflich Repertuar and Opera Explorer (2005)http://www.musikmph.de/musical_scores/vorworte/413.html
  15. ^ Electronic source lost
  16. ^ a b Markel, Shlomo,: On Notation for Electro Acoustic Music and Interactive Environment for Composition, PhD. Thesis submitted to the "Technion", Haifa, January 1993