ISSN 2047-2234 IEBS NEWSLETTER The International Society iebs newsletter issue 5 winter 2012

President: Steven Isserlis CBE ‡ Chairman: Malcolm Troup ‡ Secretary: J. Audrey Ellison The 3rd Ernest Bloch Music Competition, London 20111 gave a strident account of the Nigun, though one missed some supple expressivity required of the style, and intonation was occasionally shaky. Canadian flautist Lindsay Bryden showed mature musicianship in her balanced and evocative account of the Suite Modale (1956), her tender tone finely Canadian flautist Lindsay Bryden won supported by the accomplished second prize with her balanced and evocative account of the Suite Modale accompanist. Each movement flowed with delicacy the lively second song Les Fleurs, third movement followed impassioned third, evocative by a compelling finale. The Ronde fourth and playful 16-year old French cellist fifth, with its sober framing Raphael Unger impressed sections, and equally dancelike with a polished and heartfelt Complainte sixth song, performance of Nigun in the melding into a more plangent Winner Ayaka Tanimoto who crowned the evening with a superb rendition of cello version, producing a sweet expression. Historiettes au Crepuscule. and impassioned tone. Yet it At the Award ceremony, ompetition finals Sagi Hartov, who presided was the rich and rounded vocal Sagi Hartov thanked the RCM frequently attract over a distinguished Jury projection of Japanese mezzo- for hosting the event, and the Caudiences since the level comprising Professor Malcolm soprano Ayaka Tanimoto who competition sponsor, Rabbi of focus and concentration Troup, Chairman of the IEBS, crowned the evening with a Norman Solomon of the surpasses many regular international concert pianist superb rendition of Historiettes International Ernest Bloch concerts. Such was the Daniel Adni, violinist Paul au Crepuscule., six songs Society, for the Bloch prizes. impressively high standard of de Keyser, composer Julian composed in 1903-4 to poems First prize was awarded to artistry at the Royal College Dawes, singer Teresa Cahill and by Camille Mauclair which Ayaka Tanimoto and second of Music on 14 July 2011, arts administrator Ken Gould, merge idioms of Debussy and prize to Lindsay Bryden. where young talented soloists Director of the Jewish Music Ravel, characteristic of Bloch’s However, all four finalists performed in the finals of the Festival in Holland. Compere ‘Paris’ period. Ayaka Tanimoto showed immense promise and Third Ernest Bloch Music for the evening was Cantor brought contrasts of character one awaits the chance to see Competition and the Fourth Jeremy Burko. to each song with engaging and hear their performances Israeli Music Competition. There were four finalists for inflections shaping a direction at future competitions and The event was organized the Bloch competition. Polish from the slow lyrical opening concerts. by the enterprising cellist violinist Magdalena Filipczak song Legendes, the brighter Malcolm Miller © 2011, London UK

Our President

ir internationally distinguished Swas a towering figure in cellist, Steven Isserlis CBE, British musical life and we long an admirer and performer were delighted when he agreed of Bloch’s works, has accepted to become the first President our invitation to succeed Sir of the revived International Charles and become our new Ernest Bloch Society. His President. The cello was the death has been a great loss to instrument chosen by Bloch the world of music, to many for some of his most renowned musical organisations and compositions including to our Society in particular. Schelomo and From Jewish

However, we are pleased and Life both of which have been Steven Isserlis enjoys a distinguished career as a soloist, chamber privileged to announce that the recorded by Steven Isserlis. musician and educator. An unknown recording by a Bloch pioneer – Sir Studying Bloch’s music

erhaps there should be a ne of Britain’s leading authorities on the life and work Pquestion mark relating Oof Ernest Bloch is the musician and musicologist Dr to the word unknown in the Alexander Knapp, Research Associate at the School of above title. When Bloch Oriental and African Studies of London University. Lecturing visited London in October internationally, he has built up an incredible portfolio 1949 his Royal Albert Hall complemented by audio-visual presentations. concert included three works – Schelomo, Sacred Service The following is a list of titles:- and Suite Symphonique. 1. General Context: A Brief Introduction to Jewish Art Music The last of these had been in the “Diaspora” from the French Revolution to the Present composed as recently as 1944 Day but this was not its first British performance. 2. Swiss, Jewish, American, Chinese In October 1946 Sir Adrian • Helvetia - Israel - America: Identity in Bloch’s Life and Work Boult conducted the BBC • The Influence of Chinese Elements upon Selected symphony orchestra in a Works by Bloch concert of what was then Poster for the 1949 concert at • Ernest Bloch: Swiss-American Composer and Educator The Albert Hall with The London modern music. I suspect the Philharmonic Orchestra conducted • Ernest Bloch in the USA highlight was Berg’s Violin by Ernest Bloch. concerto with Szigetti as 3. Jewish Music soloist, but the programme performance. It is a moving • The Life and Music of Bloch: Problems and Paradoxes also included the Suite piece with purposeful playing. • The Jewishness of Bloch: Subconscious or Conscious? Symphonique. Fast forward Whether and on what basis it • Ernest Bloch Reconsidered: an assessment of his “Jewish and the editor of this might ever be possible for this Works” newsletter is on the way to a to be released is one question, • From Geneva to New York: radical changes in Bloch’s view of meeting of the International but at least I can report that himself as a “Jewish Composer” during the period 1916-1919 Ernest Bloch Society the recording is now saved! • The Life and Music of the Celebrated Oregonian Composer committee when he espies Claude Torres’ website devoted Ernest Bloch: a Jewish Perspective a second hand shop selling to Bloch recordings lists four • Bloch and Bruch and the Cello as Cantor recordings of all eras. versions: Boult’s would be a Amongst the old 78rpm fifth unpublished as yet, but no 4. Instrumental-Vocal repertoires and Specific Works discs are a set of transcription longer unknown! • The Complete Songs of Bloch records of that very SH • The Piano Music of Bloch • Bloch’s Chamber Music: an overview • Bloch’s Chamber Music in the 1920s: the “Academic Period” Bloch on the web • Musical Style in Bloch’s “Agate Beach” Works • Bloch’s Symphony in C sharp minor newsletter). The heart of the • “Macbeth’s line is a gigantic crescendo; Lady Macbeth’s line is discography is a detailed entry a diminuendo”: the fusion of music and psychology in Ernest for every recording known to Bloch’s opera of 1910 the compiler – and I frankly • The Shtetl and Ghetto through Bloch’s Eyes: Baal Shem Suite very much doubt that any are and From Jewish Life missing. The covers of the • Bloch’s Sacred Service recordings have also been • Ernest Bloch at Agate Beach, with special reference to the beautifully reproduced. Concerto Grosso no.2 These individual entries can • Numerous articles for CD liner notes and programme notes be accessed by three different concerning specific compositions: routes – alphabetical by the • Israel Symphony, Viola Suite (1919), Suite Hébraïque, Piano name of the work; by date of Quintets nos.1 and 2 he internet offers much composition; and the nature • Quatuor à Cordes (1896), String Quartet no.3, Night, Tinvaluable material about of the work in question - Paysages (Landscapes), Prélude Ernest Bloch. An obvious keyboard, orchestral, chamber, • (Recueillement), In the Mountains (Haute-Savoie), starting point is Claude Torres’ vocal. Finally the most recent Two Pieces for String Quartet, Violin Sonatas nos.1 discography of recordings recordings – those from 2008 and 2, Mélodie, Nuit exotique, Abodah, Two Suites for of Bloch’s music. The first onwards - can also be accessed unaccompanied Violin feature is that the contents by date of issue. are bi-lingual – French and As discographies go, this is a 5. Bloch Festivals English. Introductory sections model of its kind and it is a joy Ernest Bloch Music Festivals in Newport, Oregon offer biography, bibliography to read. It is hard to imagine Four Pre-concert Lectures on Music by Bloch: and links to other sites (some any publication of greater (i) Two-piano works; (ii) Solo piano works; (iii)String quartets; of which will be featured value to Bloch enthusiasts. (iv) string orchestra works in future issues of this SH CD Review – Galatea Quartet

t is useful to have Bloch’s Bloch – String Quartet in G (1896); Prelude (Recueillement); Ishort pieces for string Landscapes (Paysages); From Jewish Life – Prayer*; quartet gathered together; Deux Pièces; Night (Nuit); In the Mountains (Haute Savoie), but the main news must be Two Sketches the first recording – perhaps the first performance – of the Jens Peter Maintz, solo cello*; Galatea Quartet (Yuka Tsuboi & student quartet he wrote aged Sarah Kilchenmann, violins; David Schneebeli, viola; 15. The title page, reproduced Julien Kilchenmann, cello) in the interesting booklet, says ‘Quatuor á Cordes I’, so the Sony 88697 95024 2 teenager already contemplated a series of such works. In the the beginning, we fast-forward nicely played by the German live concerts by the London event he waited 20 years before virtually three decades to the cellist Jens Peter Maintz. String Quartet, including a giving us his official First slow fugal Prelude of 1925, a The Two Pieces were 1950 performance of a suite Quartet. beautiful piece which Bloch written for Bloch’s devoted consisting of Prelude, North, As a violinist, Bloch knew described as ‘intensely Jewish’. interpreters the Griller Tongataboo, Alpestre and the string medium well, even The three Landscapes (1923) Quartet, the first in 1938, the Rustic Dance. By slightly at 15. The first movement, highlight Bloch’s taste for rather jolly second in 1950, slowing down the first, second in sonata form, is jolly and the exotic. North, inspired by although annotator Alexander and fourth pieces, the LSQ Haydnesque, although multiple Flaherty’s filmNanook of the Knapp thinks they were makes much more of them. stopping gives some passages North, evokes the atmosphere based on earlier material. Similarly, the Griller Quartet’s a more orchestral sound than of frozen wastes; Alpestre is Night, from 1923, and the 1947 recording of Night Haydn would contemplate. The an impression of the Alps; first of the Two Sketches, (Dutton CDBP 9713) is both Scherzo is almost like a Minuet and Tongataboo takes us Dusk, use ostinato to create slower and infinitely more but its slower Trio has a more to the island of Tongatapu a crepuscular atmosphere atmospheric than the Galatea modern feeling. The lovely in the Tongan archipelago: and are very evocative. Rustic version, also making it clearer Romance looks beyond Haydn amid dancing rhythms, the Dance, the second Sketch, that the strings are muted. I to early Beethoven; and the instruments make percussive does exactly what its title wish the Galatea players had sonata form Finale, beginning sounds including pizzicato. suggests. lived longer with some of in zippy style, offers plenty of The familiar Prayer, originally The performances, superbly these pieces before recording thematic contrast before the for cello and piano, has been recorded in a German studio, them, but in their brighter, Haydnesque surprise ending. adapted for string quartet are well played by the Zurich- more youthful way they do This enjoyable work ends accompaniment by the cellist based ensemble. However, well enough. the programme. Going back to of the Galatea Quartet. It is Music & Arts has issued some Tully Potter

Bloch and the concept of ‘Jewish’ music Many commentators have differentiated Bloch’s ‘Jewish’ cycle from the rest of his very substantial oeuvre. In this context it is interesting to turn to Bloch’s own assessment of his work

1. Extracts from a letter There’ll be Jewish rhapsodies this power has chosen me, one two things are not the same, written by Ernest Bloch to for orchestra, Jewish poems, who is outwardly so remote and I think that is where many Edmond Fleg (written as above all dramas; poems for from all that’s Jewish.” [Bloch composers get confused about he prepared to compose voice, for which I don’t have to Edmond Fleg, Satigny, near the real issue. A man does not the Jewish Cycle (1911-16): any words but for which I’d Geneva, Sunday 16 July 1911. have to label a composition “Here and there, I’m noting like Hebrew. A whole musical See Joseph Lewinski and ‘American’ or ‘German’ or down some themes, mostly Bible will come; and I would Emmanuelle Dijon, Ernest ‘Italian’, but he does have to be Jewish without my willing it, like to allow “ancient tunes” Bloch: Sa vie et sa pensée, an American, German, Italian and which seem to crystallize to sing within me; in these the Tome I: Les années de galères or even Jewish at the bottom gradually and show me the entire Jewish soul - profoundly (1880-1916), Editions Slatkine, of his heart if he expects path that I’m instinctively and national and profoundly Geneva, 1998, p.543, translated to produce any real music. consciously to follow. I feel a human - will reverberate. from the French by Alexander I, for instance, am a Jew, complete flowering developing New forms - free and pure, yet Knapp] and I aspire to write Jewish within me. I’m not pushing it; clear and magnificent - would music; not for the sake of self- I’m not producing anything; have to be created. I sense 2. Section on Bloch in Gdal advertisement, but because I and I’m not seeking to give them intuitively without as Saleski’s Great Musicians of am certain this is the only way form to these sketches for the yet seeing them in front of a Wandering Race (1927) and in which I can produce music moment. But I feel that the me. I believe that one day I’ll the enlarged second edition of vitality and significance if I hour will come; and I await compose chants to be sung in re-titled Great Musicians of can do such a thing at all”. it with confidence, and with the synagogue, partly by the Jewish Origin(1949): SH due deference to the present Minister, partly by the faithful. “Nationalism is not essential (N.B. Saleski actually gives more stillness that is determined It’s really strange that all this in music, but I think that space to Bloch than to Mahler, by all-knowing natural laws. is emerging slowly, and that racial consciousness is. The Mendelssohn or Meyerbeer) Newsletter edited by Professor Stanley Henig, email:[email protected] — letters, comments and offers of articles should be sent to the editor Layout by [email protected]  J. Audrey Ellison, Secretary of the International Ernest Bloch Society can be contacted at 135, Stevenage Rd; London SW6 6PB, email: [email protected]  Information about the society, membership details etc can be obtained from the secretary. complete with lettersto an complete with on adayvirtually today basis coverage of Bloch’s entire life they contain an exhaustive total of around 3,500pages: Its four volumes toa run an be Englishcourse edition. indue therehopefully will Switzerland isin French: p Bloch; savieetepens Emmanuelle Dijon T ublished by Slatkine, Genève, playing vinyl and records re-issuedbeen on long work, ithas subsequently first recording very of the shellac78rpm records. The originally double onsided six studiosthe for Decca release two days was at recorded and the during subsequent broadcast live on the BBC was asconductor Bloch with was that hisperformance Rothmuller’s claim tofame as cantor, of butapart singers had performed Ferrier. Many important later ateacher of Kathleen RoyBristol with Henderson, were inBirmingham and in1938 back performances the USA; the first English and inEurope performed already extensively been overdue. The work had Service Avodath Hakodesh 13th1949of Bloch’sOctober London on performance cantor first inthe very T Rothm in seeking todefine leaves abit of aconundrum thatfact he was Jewish, this Yugoslavia. Apart from the and subsequently of part Austro-Hungarian Empire in1908itwasback inthe the capital of Croatia.But in 1908Zagreb now Rothm CDs. MARKO ROTHM Books about Ernest Bloch Books So who was Marko Joseph and Lewinski he major work by Dr Rothm he baritoneMarko ü ü . The event was long ller’s nationality ller? He was born ü ller was the Ernest Ernest or Sacred Sacred ée

Ü LLER –aprofile then torefer tothe appropriate twelve months –making iteasy thehappened during next we have of asummary what of the materialfor each year much else. At the beginning of hismusic, programmes and of himself, Bloch performers a huge number of illustrations inBloch’speople life. There are notes about all the important of the detailed biographical invaluable feature consists enormous range ofOne people. which repertoire his operatic Rothm andin Zurich thiswas where on account of illness. seemingly only appeared once for the 1939season but himself was at Covent Garden inNewopera York. Rothm mainstay of the Metropolitan who would shortly a become Milanovalongside Zinka him singing in in my shows collection own operas. An extant programme roles particularly in Verdi he sang of avariety major birth. There land of his adult inthe stay asan prolonged – probably hisonly company there the opera years with spent two where he to Zagreb returned He Germany! Nazi be would soon in what Jewish artist moment for a an auspicious 1932 –hardly near Hamburg in companyOpera in Altona obtained acontract from the much later inlife. Rothm prior tohissettling inthe USA The war years were spent ü ller really developed IlTrovatore perhaps theknown. best but among themBloch's Rothmüller made relatively few recordings ü ü

ller ller Sacred Service Sacred Berg! He also made hisfirst to 96roles –from Gluckto would ultimately extend published by the Greenwood BlochCompanion The Ernest isDavid Z.Kushnerbook and definitive. and research, thisisexhaustive work of immense scholarship of all Bloch’s compositions. A final volume adetailed listing end of each volume and inthe There index isapeople at the are covered inall countries. Performances of Bloch’s works place for more information. of the Universityfaculty already joined the music New York. Rothm roles at the Metropolitan in careeer heon took some small At end of thehisoperatic very at the Colon inBuenos Aires. New York, New Orleans and he success inParis, sang with Covent Garden. Further afield EdinburghGlyndebourne, and Theatre and subsequently at seasons at London’s Cambridge UK he appeared inopera at the In Opera. the 65performances career with launch atruly international Another extremely useful recordings including one of the earliest versions has an almost of Schubert’s is in total desolation song cycle journey endingjourney Wintereise a long winter Given focuses on focuses what was ü cycle which happening of asong in Europe performance performance time, this at the 1946 could 1946 could Only from quality. haunting Rothm ller had Die ü . ller

conducted byconducted the composer. and itisof the course version of output hisrecorded known Service Sacred the recording ofI suspect subsequently reissued. been at the time and have also a reasonable circulation red label. priced They enjoyed label rather than the higher by HMV on their mauve more shellac issued records London there were afew reissued on CD. Later in happily they have been in original form,although limitedcirculation had very Switzerland the during war songs and in liederrecorded few studio recordings. The of theJews his ‘magnum opus’ completed he capacity latter musician and author inwhich of Indiana: asateacher, SH recommended. excellent bibliography. Highly some illustrations and an at the end of each chapter, There are many footnotes analyzesbook Bloch’s work. life chronologically the artist. Moving through his the man and the Bloch Bloch relationship between on thescale, thisfocuses USA. Much shorter in Press, Westport, Connecticut, welcomed!) Contributions present. Bloch’s music,pastand of interpreters important about be thefirst in aseries onRothm article this note:hopefully (editor’s SH reply ifany! have no knowledge of the would interested? he be We title role suit hisvoice and his opera to Marko Rothm 18 anything else? On January Could there have been Rothm th 1950 Ernest Bloch wrote 1950Ernest wrote Bloch ü Macbeth ller made relatively . isthe best ü ü ller about ller will ller . Might the The Music