Moshe Vilenski
Moshe Vilenski | |
---|---|
Moshe Vilenski playing piano, entertaining people in DP camps in Cyprus (ca. 1947–48) | |
Born |
April 17, 1910 Warsaw, Poland |
Died | January 2, 1997 |
Nationality |
Polish later Israeli |
Alma mater | Warsaw Conservatory |
Notable work | Songs: "Kalaniyot" ("Anemones"), "Hayu Zmanim" ("In Those Times)", "Autumn," "Ring Twice and Wait," "Each Day I Lose," "The Last Battle", and "Mul Har Sinai" ("Opposite Mt. Sinai") |
Religion | Jewish |
Awards | Israel Prize |
Moshe Vilenski (Hebrew: משה וילנסקי, also, "Vilensky" and "Wilensky"; April 17, 1910 – January 2, 1997) was a Polish-Israeli composer, lyricist, and pianist.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8] He is considered a "pioneer of Israeli song", and one of Israel's leading composers, and was a winner of the Israel Prize, the state's highest honor.[9][10]
Early life
Vilenski, who was Jewish, was born in Warsaw, Poland, the son of Zelig and Henia (née Liebman).[1][11][12] He studied music at the Warsaw Conservatory in Warsaw, specializing in conducting and composition, and immigrated to Palestine in 1932.[1][4][11] He married Bertha Yakimovska in 1939.[12]
Music career
Vilenski worked in theaters as a pianist. He became a composer and lyricist for theaters and for musical troupes of the Israel Defense Forces, including the Nahal choir in the 1950s.[13] He also composed for films, plays, hora dances, cabaret songs, and nursery children's tunes.[1][3][4][14][15] He was in charge of the Israel Radio orchestra, and wrote nearly 1,500 songs from the 1930s through the 1980s.[1][4]
Vilenski's music combines Slavic music and Eastern music.[1] Many of Natan Alterman's poems were set to his music.[1] He is known especially for his work with Shoshana Damari.[1][2][4][5] Among his songs are "Kalaniyot" ("Anemones"), "Hayu Zmanim" ("In Those Times)", "Autumn," "Ring Twice and Wait," "Each Day I Lose," "The Last Battle", and "Mul Har Sinai" ("Opposite Mt. Sinai").[1][2][10][16][17][18]
In 1962, Israeli Esther Reichstadt won second prize at the Polish international song festival with Vilenski's song "Autumn".[19]
In 1983, Vilenski was awarded the Israel Prize, for Hebrew song (melody).[1][20] In 1990, a special concert in honor of his 80th birthday was given by the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.[10] In 1998, the Israel Association of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ACUM) named its Song of the Year Award the "Moshe Wilensky Prize".[21]
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 "Moshe Vilensky". Jewishvirtuallibrary.org. Retrieved July 31, 2011.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Dan Baron (February 23, 2006). "Shoshana Damari, 83". The Jewish Exponent. Retrieved July 31, 2011.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Penn, Lea (July 22, 2011). "All keyed up". Haaretz. Retrieved July 31, 2011.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Hirschfeld, Ariel (July 30, 2010). "All hail the king". Haaretz. Retrieved July 31, 2011.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 R. P. (April 14, 1952). "ISRAELI SINGER HEARD BY 1,500 AT TOWN HALL". The New York Times. Retrieved July 31, 2011.
- ↑ "Zionists Plan Cultural Fete". The Miami News. November 24, 1951. Retrieved July 31, 2011.
- ↑ Jascha Nemtsov (2009). Der Zionismus in der Musik: Jüdische Musik und nationale Idee. Retrieved July 31, 2011.
- ↑ P. Mamut (1965). Who's who, Israel. Retrieved August 1, 2011.
- ↑ Schweitzer, Erez (July 22, 2011). "And the twain shall meet". Haaretz. Retrieved July 31, 2011.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Michael Ajsenstadt (January 5, 2000). "Moshe Wilensky – shaping the national soul". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved July 31, 2011.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Marsha Bryan Edelman (2003). Discovering Jewish music. Retrieved July 31, 2011.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Harry Schneiderman, Itzhak J. Carmin (1978). Who's who in world Jewry. Retrieved August 1, 2011.
- ↑ Handelzalts, Michael (July 22, 2011). "In the shadow of the cannons". Haaretz. Retrieved July 31, 2011.
- ↑ Amy Kronish, Costel Safirman (2003). Israeli film: a reference guide. Retrieved July 31, 2011.
- ↑ Oliver Leaman (2001). Companion encyclopedia of Middle Eastern and North African film. Retrieved July 31, 2011.
- ↑ Selwyn Ilan Troen, Noah Lucas (1995). Israel: the first decade of independence. Retrieved July 31, 2011.
- ↑ Zohar, Itamar (August 20, 2010). "Sublime experience". Haaretz. Retrieved July 31, 2011.
- ↑ Jack Gottlieb (2004). Funny, it doesn't sound Jewish: how Yiddish songs and synagogue melodies influenced Tin Pan Alley, Broadway, and Hollywood. SUNY Press. Retrieved July 31, 2011.
- ↑ Handelzalts, Michael (June 7, 2007). "Comfortable in her own skin". Haaretz. Retrieved July 31, 2011.
- ↑ "Israel Prize Official Site – Recipients in 1983 (in Hebrew)".
- ↑ Helen Kaye (January 1, 1998). "And the winners are ...". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved July 31, 2011.