André Hajdu ( hu, Hajdú András; he, אנדרה היידו; 5 March 1932 – 1 August 2016) was a Hungarian-born Israeli

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and Defi ...

and

ethnomusicologist Ethnomusicology is the study of music from the cultural and social aspects of the people who make it. It encompasses distinct theoretical and methodical approaches that emphasize cultural, social, material, cognitive, biological, and other dim ...

Biography

Hajdu studied at the

Franz Liszt Academy of Music The Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music ( hu, Liszt Ferenc Zeneművészeti Egyetem, often abbreviated as ''Zeneakadémia'', "Liszt Academy") is a music university and a concert hall in Budapest, Hungary, founded on November 14, 1875. It is home to the ...

in Budapest with

Endre Szervánszky Endre Szervánszky (December 27, 1911June 25, 1977) was a Hungarian composer. Biography Szervánszky was born in Kistétény and studied the clarinet at the Budapest Academy of Music (1922–7). He played in various orchestras before returni ...

and Ferenc Szabó (composition), Erno Szégedi (piano), and Zoltán Kodály (ethnomusicology). As a Kodály disciple, he was involved for two years in research about Gypsy musical culture and published several articles on this subject. After the Hungarian Revolution of 1956, Hajdu escaped to Paris and continued his studies at the Paris Conservatoire with Darius Milhaud (composition) and

Olivier Messiaen Olivier Eugène Prosper Charles Messiaen (, ; ; 10 December 1908 – 27 April 1992) was a French composer, organist, and ornithologist who was one of the major composers of the 20th century. His music is rhythmically complex; harmonically ...

(philosophy of music), obtaining the 1st prize in the discipline. Among his class mates were Gilbert Amy, William Bolcom,

Philip Corner Philip Lionel Corner (born April 10, 1933; name sometimes given as Phil Corner) is an American composer, trombonist, alphornist, vocalist, pianist, music theorist, music educator, and visual artist. Biography After The High School of Music & Ar ...

and

Paul Méfano Paul Méfano (March 6, 1937 – September 15, 2020), was a French composer and conductor. Biography Paul Méfano was born in Basra, Iraq. He pursued musical studies at the École Normale de Musique de Paris, and then later at the Paris Conservat ...

. In Paris he met a variety of stimulating people from the playwright

Samuel Beckett Samuel Barclay Beckett (; 13 April 1906 – 22 December 1989) was an Irish novelist, dramatist, short story writer, theatre director, poet, and literary translator. His literary and theatrical work features bleak, impersonal and tragicomic expe ...

to Prof. Israel Adler of the

Hebrew University The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJI; he, הַאוּנִיבֶרְסִיטָה הַעִבְרִית בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם) is a public research university based in Jerusalem, Israel. Co-founded by Albert Einstein and Dr. Chaim Weiz ...

, who brought him on his first visit to Israel in 1966. Mira Zakai, Andre Hajdu - cropped

Hajdu took up residence in Jerusalem in 1966. He taught at the Tel Aviv Music Academy from 1966 to 1991 and at Bar-Ilan University since 1970. He served as chairman in the Music Department there and founded a composition department. His notable students have included

Aharon Razel Aharon Razel ( he, אהרן רזאל) is an Israeli musician. His music explores topics such as the Torah, Orthodox Judaism and living in Israel. Biography Born in New York City in 1974, Razel came to Israel with his family when he was one month ...

Gil Shohat Gil Shohat ( he, גיל שוחט, born 7 September 1973) is an Israeli classical music composer, Conducting, conductor, pianist and lecturer. Biography Gil Shohat was born in Tel Aviv. His mother is ''Ha'aretz'' theatre critic Tzipora (Tzipi) Shoh ...

, Yonatan Razel, Yoni Rechter,

Matti Kovler Matti may refer to: * Matti (given name), people with the given name * Matti (surname), people with the surname * Matti, Karnataka, a village in India * ''Matti: Hell Is for Heroes'', a 2006 film about Matti Nykänen See also

* Masa (disamb ...

and Matan Porat. Hajdu composed many pedagogical works, particularly for piano and theory through a creative approach (involving the player to the process of composing) e.g. Milky Way, Art of Piano-playing, Book of Challenges, Concerto for 10 young pianists. All this is connected with the practice of creative teaching in the Israel Arts & Science Academy in Jerusalem, an experimental school for a new approach to music teaching. He also studied Jewish Klezmer and Hassidic repertories and published several articles on this subject. He was deeply involved in Jewish topics, not only on the usual folkloristic or liturgical levels, but also confronted more abstract subjects of Jewish thought (Oral Law, philosophical books of the Bible) as well as Jewish History. In 2005 he received the title of Doctor Honoris Causa of Jerusalem Hebrew University. Hajdu died in Jerusalem at age 84.

Awards

* In 1955, Hajdu won the first prize with his Gypsy Cantata at the competition of the World Festival of Youth in Warsaw. * In 1997, he was awarded the

Israel Prize The Israel Prize ( he, פרס ישראל; ''pras israél'') is an award bestowed by the State of Israel, and regarded as the state's highest cultural honor. History The Israel Prize is awarded annually, on Israeli Independence Day, in a state cer ...

, for music.

Selected works

;For the Stage * ''Ludus Paschalis'', a medieval passover play (1970) * ''The Story of Jonas'', Opera for children's choir (1985–1987) * ''Koheleth (Ecclesiaste)'', a biblical recitation with 4 celli ;Orchestral * ''Petit enfer'' (1959) * ''The Unbearable Intensity of Youth'' (1976) * ''Bashful Serenades'' for clarinet and orchestra (1979) * ''On Light and Depth'' (1983–1984) * ''Concerto for an Ending Century'' for piano and orchestra (1990) * ''Continuum'' for 15 players and piano (1995) ;Strings * ''Truath Melech (Rhapsody on Jewish Themes)'' for clarinet and string orchestra (1974) * ''The False Prophet'' for narrator and string orchestra (1977) * ''Divertimento'' (1988) * ''Overture in Form of a Kite'' (1985) ;Chamber * ''5 Sketches in Sentimental Mood'' for piano quartet (1976) * ''Instants suspendus'' for violin, viola or cello solo (1978) * ''Sonatine à la française'' (Sonatina in French Style) for flute and cello (1990) * ''Variations'' for string quartet (1997) * ''Birth of a Niggun'' for flute, clarinet and piano (1998) * ''Mishna-Variations'' for string quartet (1998) * ''Music for Three'' for violin, cello and piano (1999) ;Piano * ''Plasmas'' (1957) * ''Diary from Sidi-Bou Said'' (1960) * ''Journey around My Piano'' (1963) * ''Noir sur blanc'' (1988) * ''Metamorphoses'' (1997) * ''5 Inventions'' for piano 4-hands (1983) ;Songs * ''The Floating Tower'' (Mishnayoth) (1972–1973) * ''Bestiary'' (Ted Hughes) (1993) * ''Merry Feet'' (1998) * ''Nursery Songs'' ;Vocal-orchestral * ''Cycles of Life'', Cantata (1985) * ''Dreams of Spain'' (1991); about the expulsion of the Jews from Spain * ''Job and His Comforters'', Biblical and Historical Oratorio (1995) ;Choral * ''House of Shaul'' for mixed chorus (1974) * ''The Question of the Sons'' (1974) * ''Bitzinioth Nov'' (Song of the Sea) (1973) * ''Mishnayoth'' (1972–1973) * ''Proverbs of Solomon'' for choir and percussion (1978)

Discography

* On Light and Depth. I.M.I. (Israel)
Ecclesiaste
R.C.A. Victor (France)
Dreams of Spain
- Hungaroton (Budapest)
Concerto for an ending century
- Hungaroton (Budapest) * Truath Melech. Plane (Germany)
Book of Challenges
(Israel)
Retro-Portrait
(Israel)
Music For Chamber Ensembles
(Israel)

References

Sources

*Kennedy, Michael (2006). ''The Oxford Dictionary of Music'', second edition. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press. *Schleifer, Eliyahu (2001). "Hajdu, André". ''The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians'', second edition, edited by

Stanley Sadie Stanley John Sadie (; 30 October 1930 – 21 March 2005) was an influential and prolific British musicologist, music critic, and editor. He was editor of the sixth edition of the '' Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians'' (1980), which was publ ...

and John Tyrrell. London: Macmillan Publishers.

External links

Official Andre Hajdu website

Andre Hajdu page from Bar-Ilan University site

Andre Hajdu at the Israel Composers' League

Ha'Oman Hai Ensemble on Facebook

Ha'Oman Hai Ensemble: Kulmus Ha-Nefesh