Menachem Avidom ( he, מנחם אבידום) (January 6, 1908 – August 5, 1995) was an Israeli composer. His Hebrew surname is the combination of the names of his daughters Daniella and Miriam (Avi - the father of; D - for Daniella; O - and; M - for Miriam).

Biography

Avidom was born Mendel Mahler-Kalkstein in

Stanislaviv Ivano-Frankivsk ( uk, Іва́но-Франкі́вськ, translit=Iváno-Frankívśk ), formerly Stanyslaviv ( pl, Stanisławów ; german: Stanislau), is a city located in Western Ukraine. It is the administrative centre of Ivano-Frankivsk Obl ...

Austria-Hungary Austria-Hungary, often referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire,, the Dual Monarchy, or Austria, was a constitutional monarchy and great power in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. It was formed with the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of ...

on January 6, 1908. This put him in Poland after World War I. He

emigrated Emigration is the act of leaving a resident country or place of residence with the intent to settle elsewhere (to permanently leave a country). Conversely, immigration describes the movement of people into one country from another (to permanentl ...

to Mandate Palestine in 1925 and, soon after, went to study at the

American University of Beirut The American University of Beirut (AUB) ( ar, الجامعة الأميركية في بيروت) is a private, non-sectarian, and independent university chartered in New York with its campus in Beirut, Lebanon. AUB is governed by a private, aut ...

(from 1926 to 1928). After further studies at the Paris Conservatory (from 1928 to 1931) with

Henri Rabaud Henri Benjamin Rabaud (10 November 187311 September 1949) was a French conductor, composer and pedagogue, who held important posts in the French musical establishment and upheld mainly conservative trends in French music in the first half of t ...

, he moved to

Tel Aviv Tel Aviv-Yafo ( he, תֵּל־אָבִיב-יָפוֹ, translit=Tēl-ʾĀvīv-Yāfō ; ar, تَلّ أَبِيب – يَافَا, translit=Tall ʾAbīb-Yāfā, links=no), often referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the G ...

, where he taught music theory. From 1945 through 1952 he served as general secretary of the Israeli Philharmonic. In 1955 he was named director of the Society of Authors, Composers and Music Publishers in Israel (ACUM); a post he remained in for twenty five years. He was also chair of the Israel Composer's League from 1958 through 1971. He died in

Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...

, on August 5, 1995.

Awards

* In 1961, Avidom 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, in recognition of his opera ''Alexandra ha'Hashmonait''.

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 ;Orchestral *''Symphony No. 3: Yam tichonit'', 1952 *9 other symphonies *''Flute Concerto'' *''Concertino'' for violin and orchestra ;Chamber music *''Suite on B-A-C-H'', chamber ensemble, 1964 *''Brass Quintet'', 1969 *Sonata for unaccompanied viola, 1984

Biography

Awards

Works

See also

References

Further reading