David D'Or (; born David Nehaisi on October 2, 1965) is an
Israeli singer, composer, and songwriter. A
countertenor
A countertenor (also contra tenor) is a type of classical male singing voice whose vocal range is equivalent to that of the female contralto or mezzo-soprano voice types, generally extending from around G3 to D5 or E5, although a sopranist (a ...
with a
vocal range
Vocal range is the range of pitches that a human voice can phonate. A common application is within the context of singing, where it is used as a defining characteristic for classifying singing voices into voice types. It is also a topic of stud ...
of more than four
octaves
In music, an octave (: eighth) or perfect octave (sometimes called the diapason) is an interval between two notes, one having twice the frequency of vibration of the other. The octave relationship is a natural phenomenon that has been referr ...
, he is a three-time winner of the Israeli "Singer of the Year" and "Best Vocal Performer" awards.
He was also chosen to represent Israel in the
2004 Eurovision Song Contest, at which he placed 11th in the semi-final.
By February 2008, nine of his albums had gone
platinum
Platinum is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a density, dense, malleable, ductility, ductile, highly unreactive, precious metal, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name origina ...
.
D'Or performs a wide variety of music, including pop, rock, dance, folk
Folk or Folks may refer to:
Sociology
*Nation
*People
* Folklore
** Folk art
** Folk dance
** Folk hero
** Folk horror
** Folk music
*** Folk metal
*** Folk punk
*** Folk rock
** Folk religion
* Folk taxonomy
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Fo ...
, klezmer
Klezmer ( or ) is an instrumental musical tradition of the Ashkenazi Jews of Central and Eastern Europe. The essential elements of the tradition include dance tunes, ritual melodies, and virtuosic improvisations played for listening; these wou ...
, Yemenite prayers, holy music, ancient chant
A chant (from French ', from Latin ', "to sing") is the iterative speaking or singing of words or sounds, often primarily on one or two main pitches called reciting tones. Chants may range from a simple melody involving a limited set of no ...
s, classical, opera, and baroque
The Baroque ( , , ) is a Western Style (visual arts), style of Baroque architecture, architecture, Baroque music, music, Baroque dance, dance, Baroque painting, painting, Baroque sculpture, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished from ...
aria
In music, an aria (, ; : , ; ''arias'' in common usage; diminutive form: arietta, ; : ariette; in English simply air (music), air) is a self-contained piece for one voice, with or without instrument (music), instrumental or orchestral accompan ...
s (in the original Italian).
Biography
David D'Or was born in Holon, Israel.[ He is a descendant of Libyan Jews, His great-grandfather was a prominent Libyan ]rabbi
A rabbi (; ) is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi—known as ''semikha''—following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form of t ...
, and his father brought the family from Libya to Israel.[ His brother is Yaniv d'Or, who is also a singer.
When he was young, D'Or's parents encouraged him to become a lawyer or a doctor, but he simply loved to sing.] When his voice began to change, he worked to retain his ability to sing notes in a high range. For a while he was quite shy about singing using his high range, as it was unusual in Israel—which he explains used to be "quite a macho
Machismo (; ; ; ) is the sense of being " manly" and self-reliant, a concept associated with "a strong sense of masculine pride: an exaggerated masculinity". Machismo is a term originating in the early 1940s and 1950s and its use more wi ...
istic country—for someone to sing with such a high voice, and he had no one to imitate as no Israeli men sang in such a high voice, but he says that now it is "part of me." " was like using nlypart of me", he said. "I could sing low and I could sing high; 's like using only one hand...you have two hands, and you're using only your right hand."[
During his three years of military service, D'Or served as a singer in the Israeli Military Band, and in 1985–86 he was in the ]Israeli Army
The Israeli Ground Forces () are the Army, ground forces of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). The commander is the GOC Army Headquarters, General Officer Commanding with the rank of major general, the ''Mazi'', subordinate to the Chief of the Gen ...
Central Command troops entertainment group, and took part in the record ''Be'sha'araikh Yerikho''. Though thankful for the opportunity, and sensitive to Israel's need to have an army to defend itself, D'Or felt that music and the army didn't mesh well together, and viewed his years in the army as a difficult period in terms of his musical development.
D'Or is married to Pazit, formerly a jewelry designer and now his manager. They met as high school students in Bat Yam
Bat Yam ( ) is a city on Israel's Mediterranean Sea coast, on the Central Coastal Plain just south of Tel Aviv. It is part of the Gush Dan metropolitan area and the Tel Aviv District. In , it had a population of .
History
British Mandate
Bat Y ...
. They have two children and reside in the Israeli town of Savyon near Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv-Yafo ( or , ; ), sometimes rendered as Tel Aviv-Jaffa, and usually referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the Gush Dan metropolitan area of Israel. Located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline and with a popula ...
.[
]
Music career
After his army service, D'Or and two army colleagues (Benny Nadler and Rivi Ben-Basht) formed a trio named ''HaShlishiya'' (the "Threesome"), but it disbanded after just one single. A few months later he formed another group, named ''Kav 4'' ("Fourth Chord"), but it disbanded before completing its inaugural album. At the same time he was invited by the Israeli National Theater (" Habima Theater") to be in various performances, among them "Blood Marriage", "Cabaret
Cabaret is a form of theatrical entertainment featuring music song, dance, recitation, or drama. The performance venue might be a pub, casino, hotel, restaurant, or nightclub with a stage for performances. The audience, often dining or drinking, ...
", " Cry the Beloved Country (music by Kurt Weill
Kurt Julian Weill (; ; March 2, 1900April 3, 1950) was a German-born American composer active from the 1920s in his native country, and in his later years in the United States. He was a leading composer for the stage who was best known for hi ...
)", and "Tartuffe
''Tartuffe, or The Impostor, or The Hypocrite'' (; , ), first performed in 1664, is a theatrical comedy (or more specifically, a farce) by Molière. The characters of Tartuffe, Elmire, and Orgon are considered among the greatest classical theat ...
(music by Giya Kancheli)." D’Or performed at the Habima Theater for four years, during which time he received outstanding reviews, such as ''Maariv
''Maariv'' or ''Maʿariv'' (, ), also known as ''Arvit'', or ''Arbit'' (, ), is a Jewish prayer service held in the evening or at night. It consists primarily of the evening '' Shema'' and ''Amidah''.
The service will often begin with two ...
s review of Cry the Beloved Country: "D'or's outstanding voice is meant for great parts. His voice and presence embraces the audience, who showed their appreciation by a lengthy standing ovation". He was at the same time professionally trained, and tutored by Soprano
A soprano () is a type of classical singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261 Hertz, Hz to A5 in Choir, choral ...
Miriam Melzer, from 1987 to 1990 at the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance, from which he graduated.
In 1991, D'Or was accepted into and enrolled in the classical music department of the Jerusalem Conservatory.[ That year D'Or also began his musical career as a classical ]tenor
A tenor is a type of male singing voice whose vocal range lies between the countertenor and baritone voice types. It is the highest male chest voice type. Composers typically write music for this voice in the range from the second B below m ...
. Zubin Mehta
Zubin Mehta (born 29 April 1936) is an Indian conductor of Western classical music. He is music director emeritus of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (IPO) and conductor :wikt:emeritus, emeritus of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
Mehta's father ...
, music director of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra
The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (abbreviation IPO; Hebrew: התזמורת הפילהרמונית הישראלית, ''ha-Tizmoret ha-Filharmonit ha-Yisra'elit'') is a major Israeli symphony orchestra based in Tel Aviv. Its principal concert ...
, heard D'Or sing and invited him to perform as soloist in "Carmina Burana
''Carmina Burana'' (, Latin for "Songs from Benediktbeuern" 'Buria'' in Latin is a manuscript of 254 poems and dramatic texts mostly from the 11th or 12th century, although some are from the 13th century. The pieces are mostly bawdy, irreveren ...
" by Carl Orff
Carl Heinrich Maria Orff (; 10 July 1895 – 29 March 1982) was a German composer and music educator, who composed the cantata ''Carmina Burana (Orff), Carmina Burana'' (1937). The concepts of his Orff Schulwerk, Schulwerk were influential for ...
, performing in a series of concerts all over the country.[ '' Yediot Achronot'' reviewed his performance, writing: "David D’Or is a contra tenor with tone, colour and exceptional style well beyond other soloists".][
]
1992–99: Early years
In 1992, D’Or released his first album entitled ''David D'Or''.[ It included hit song "Yad Anuga", also known as "Yad Agunah" ("Gentle Hand", or "Tender Hand"), which was remixed by Nelson "Paradise" Roman and Bump, produced by Ofer Meiri and Yehudit Ravitz, released as a vinyl ]12-inch single
The twelve-inch single (often written as 12-inch or 12) is a type of vinyl ( polyvinyl chloride or PVC) gramophone record that has wider groove spacing and shorter playing time with a "single" or a few related sound tracks on each surface, compa ...
by Big Beat Records and Magnet Records, and reached # 3 in the most frequently played charts in Great Britain.[
His second album, ''Be'govah Mishtane'' ("''Changing Altitudes"'', or "''Changing Heights''"), released January 1, 1993,] included the song "Ani Af" ("I Fly", or "I am Flying"), and what was to become an iconic Israeli song, "Tishmor al HaOlam Yeled" ("Watch Over the World, Child", or "Protect Our World, Child"). The latter song was subsequently covered
Cover or covers may refer to:
Packaging
* Another name for a lid
* Cover (philately), generic term for envelope or package
* Album cover, the front of the packaging
* Book cover or magazine cover
** Book design
** Back cover copy, part of ...
by Liel Kolet
Liel Kolet () is an Israeli singer-songwriter and a peace advocate. Biography
Liel Kolet is an international singer, songwriter and a peace advocate. Born on 11 July 1989 to Jewish Israeli parents on Kibbutz Kinneret, she was raised in an idyll ...
and Scorpions
Scorpions are predatory arachnids of the Order (biology), order Scorpiones. They have eight legs and are easily recognized by a pair of Chela (organ), grasping pincers and a narrow, segmented tail, often carried in a characteristic forward cur ...
' singer Klaus Meine, as well as by Shuly Nathan
Shuli Natan (; born March 16, 1947) is an Israelis, Israeli singer. She is best known for her rendition of "Jerusalem of Gold" (''Yerushalayim Shel Zahav''), written by Naomi Shemer. Biography
Shulamit ("Shuli) Nathan was born in London. She aliy ...
. The CD consisting mostly of songs composed by D'Or was even more successful than its predecessor and went platinum. ''Globus'' reviewed the album and wrote the following: "In an age in which it seems that a good voice is not particularly necessary to be a singer, David D'Or comes along and reminds anyone who had forgotten that not only can things be different, they need to be different. Simply put, D'Or sings beautifully and knows how to choose songs that fit his unique voice...One has to credit him for fulfilling his mission with bravura; his voice on stage sounds as good and convincing as it does in the recording studio. The wide variety of styles that he incorporates in his music, along with his superb vocal ability, allows him to appeal to adults and youths alike."[ Later in 1993, D'Or participated in the televised competition to represent Israel in the ]Eurovision Song Contest
The Eurovision Song Contest (), often known simply as Eurovision, is an international Music competition, song competition organised annually by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) among its members since 1956. Each participating broadcaster ...
(''Kdam Erovizion''), with his song "Parpar," and came in fourth place.
Side by side with his classical education, D'Or was drawn to ethnic music. This interest led him in 1995 to record with Moroccan Israeli Shlomo Bar and the band "Habrera Hativit" ("The Natural Gathering", "Natural Choice", or "Natural Selection"; composed of ethnic musicians) and release a popular new album, ''David & Shlomo'' (also known as ''David and Salomon''). ''Maariv'' reviewed the album, writing: "The Duet of David and Shlomo is wonderful and stunning."[ He also joined Dudu Fisher, Meir Banai, and Eran Zur in the song "Lisa" on the 1994 album "''Radio Blah-Blah''" by the Israeli band " The Friends of Natasha".
In 1995, as Israel and the ]Holy See
The Holy See (, ; ), also called the See of Rome, the Petrine See or the Apostolic See, is the central governing body of the Catholic Church and Vatican City. It encompasses the office of the pope as the Bishops in the Catholic Church, bishop ...
had just established political relations, D'Or also received an invitation from the Vatican
Vatican may refer to:
Geography
* Vatican City, an independent city-state surrounded by Rome, Italy
* Vatican Hill, in Rome, namesake of Vatican City
* Ager Vaticanus, an alluvial plain in Rome
* Vatican, an unincorporated community in the ...
to perform for Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II (born Karol Józef Wojtyła; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 16 October 1978 until Death and funeral of Pope John Paul II, his death in 2005.
In his you ...
.[ His repertoire at this concert, which was broadcast worldwide and received enthusiastic reviews, united original ethnic music with European classics, and included a song D'Or composed specifically for the Pope in both Hebrew and Italian.] He was the first Israeli singer to sing in Hebrew
Hebrew (; ''ʿÎbrit'') is a Northwest Semitic languages, Northwest Semitic language within the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family. A regional dialect of the Canaanite languages, it was natively spoken by the Israelites and ...
for the Pope. After he performed for the Pope ("He held my hand and gave me his blessing", D'Or said. "I just kept thinking: 'Here I am, little David from Israel, singing in Hebrew...It was a very powerful thing.'"),[ D'Or was invited to perform in Italy, where he appeared on TV shows such as '']Maurizio Costanzo
Maurizio Costanzo (28 August 1938 – 24 February 2023) was an Italian television host, journalist, screenwriter, and film director.
Biography
Costanzo began his career as a journalist, first as a contributing writer to '' Paese Sera'' and the ...
'' on Channel 1, and ''Paulo Limiti'' on Channel 2.[ The Italian press, such as '']Corriere della Sera
(; ) is an Italian daily newspaper published in Milan with an average circulation of 246,278 copies in May 2023. First published on 5 March 1876, is one of Italy's oldest newspapers and is Italy's most read newspaper. Its masthead has remain ...
'' and ''La Repubblica
(; English: "the Republic") is an Italian daily general-interest newspaper with an average circulation of 151,309 copies in May 2023. It was founded in 1976 in Rome by Gruppo Editoriale L'Espresso (now known as GEDI Gruppo Editoriale) and l ...
'', gave D'Or positive reviews.[
In 1997, D'Or released his fourth album, ''David D’Or & Etti Ankri'', with Etti Ankri, which included them singing a duet of Ankri's hit "Lolita".] That year as well the Ra'anana
Ra'anana () is an affluent city in the southern Sharon, Israel, Sharon Plain of the Central District (Israel), Central District of Israel. It was founded in 1922 as an American-Jewish settlement, 1 km south of the village of Tabsur, where a ...
Symphony Orchestra commissioned an original work, a small cantata
A cantata (; ; literally "sung", past participle feminine singular of the Italian language, Italian verb ''cantare'', "to sing") is a vocal music, vocal Musical composition, composition with an musical instrument, instrumental accompaniment, ty ...
, specially written for D'Or, entitled "The Children of God" ("Yeldai Ha Elohim").[ The lyrics consist of sentences that appear in the Jewish, ]Muslim
Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...
, and Christian religions, emphasizing the message of "love your neighbor." The work was composed by Georgian-born Israeli composer Josef Bardanashvilli, subsequently opened in a series of concerts of the orchestra in Israel and throughout the US, and was a great success.
2000s: Singer of the Year and Eurovision
His fifth album entitled ''Baneshama'' ("''In the Soul"'') was released on March 31, 2001, with 11 of the 12 tracks written by D'Or.
In 2001, D'Or was named Israel's ''Singer of the Year'' and ''Best Vocal Performer''.
In 2002, he was again named Israel's ''Singer of the Year'' (receiving the Tamuz Prize) and ''Best Vocal Performer'', and also received the award for ''Best Song'' for "Kol HaCochavim" at the Israel Music Awards.[ After ]9/11
The September 11 attacks, also known as 9/11, were four coordinated Islamist terrorist suicide attacks by al-Qaeda against the United States in 2001. Nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners, crashing the first two into ...
D'Or and Etti Ankri, Zehava Ben, Arkady Duchin, and other Israeli singers recorded the title song "Yesh Od Tikvah" ("Our Hope Endures"), for which D'Or wrote the music and lyrics, on the CD ''Yesh Od Tikvah/You've Got a Friend''. The CD released by Hed Arzi in 2002 benefited Israeli terror victims, with all proceeds going to "NATAL": the "Israel Trauma center
A trauma center, or trauma centre, is a hospital equipped and staffed to provide care for patients suffering from major traumatic injuries such as falls, motor vehicle collisions, or gunshot wounds. The term "trauma center" may be used incorr ...
for Victims of Terror and War".
D’Or then released ''David D’Or & the Philharmonic; Live Concert'' on April 1, 2003,[ ] which successfully broke traditional barriers as it combined a medley of pop, classical, and opera which he sang, backed by the 120-member Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. The album, which included among other pieces "Agnus Dei
is the Latin name under which the "Lamb of God" is honoured within Christian liturgies descending from the historic Latin liturgical tradition, including those of Roman Catholicism, Lutheranism and Anglicanism. It is the name given to a spec ...
", " Orfeo", " Let Me Cry", and "The Phantom of the Opera The Phantom of the Opera may refer to:
Novel
* The Phantom of the Opera (novel), ''The Phantom of the Opera'' (novel), 1910 novel by Gaston Leroux
Characters
* Erik (The Phantom of the Opera), Erik (''The Phantom of the Opera''), the title char ...
" reached gold status in just two weeks. The newspaper '' Yediot Achronot'' reviewed the CD in its opera section and wrote the following: "D’Or excelled...with his fantastic counter tenor voice...in a most exciting performance. All in all, this is a very moving CD."[ That year D'Or also released the CD "''Shma Israel''"]
and "The Hidden Gate: Jewish Music from Around the World" was released by Rounder Records
Rounder Records is an independent record label founded in 1970 in Somerville, Massachusetts, by Marian Leighton Levy, Ken Irwin, and Bill Nowlin. Focused on American roots music, Rounder's catalogue of more than 3000 titles includes records by A ...
on July 1, featuring what ''The Independent
''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...
'' described as "haunting stuff" from David D'Or.
In November 2003, the Israel Broadcasting Authority
The Israel Broadcasting Authority (IBA; ) was Israel's public broadcaster from 1948 to 2017, succeeded by the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation.
History
The Israel Broadcasting Authority was an outgrowth of the radio station '' Kol Yi ...
(the "IBA") chose D'Or to represent the country in the 2004 Eurovision Song Contest.[ D'Or represented Israel in the contest in ]Istanbul
Istanbul is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. With Demographics of Istanbul, a population over , it is home to 18% of the Demographics ...
, with the song " Leha'amin" (To Believe), which he co-wrote with Ehud Manor. The song was chosen on February 5, 2004, in voting during the program "Israel Selects a Song", held during a break in a televised Maccabi Tel Aviv Euroleague
The EuroLeague is a European men's professional basketball club competition. The league is widely recognised as the top-tier and the most prestigious men's basketball league in Europe. The league consists of 20 teams, of which 16 are given lon ...
basketball game in Tel Aviv at which videos of four songs sung by D'Or were shown. The vote was by both a special IBA Eurovision Committee (including prior Israeli entrants Lior Narkis and Gali Atari
Gali Atari (; born 29 December 1953) is an Israeli singer and actress. Atari won the Eurovision Song Contest 1979 which was held in Jerusalem, as part of Milk and Honey.
Early life
Atari was born as Abigail Atari (Hebrew: אביגיל עטרי) ...
), which accounted for 40% of the vote, and a televote by viewers, who accounted for the remaining 60% of the vote. The basketball game attracted 13.7% of Israeli TV viewers. The song won 60% of the jury's vote, and 66% of the viewers' televotes.
During Eurovision rehearsal week, D'Or left Istanbul to be with his father who was suffering from diabetes
Diabetes mellitus, commonly known as diabetes, is a group of common endocrine diseases characterized by sustained high blood sugar levels. Diabetes is due to either the pancreas not producing enough of the hormone insulin, or the cells of th ...
and had been rushed to a hospital where one of his legs had to be amputated. D'Or then returned to Istanbul to perform on May 12, 2004,[ and placed 11th in the semi-final failing to qualify to the final, while 19% of Israeli viewers watched on television.] His father has since died.[
On June 1, 2004, he released the CD entitled ''Le Haamin'' ("''To Believe"'').] His performance of the song was also on the official Eurovision compilation CD, ''Eurovision Song Contest: Istanbul 2004'', released that year by CMC Entertainment
In 2004, he also collaborated with Sarit Hadad to record the DVD "''Pets in Tunes''
His year was capped by his being awarded the titles of Israeli 2004 "Singer of the Year" and "Best Vocal Performer".
In January 2005, he released a clubby, English Electronic music, electronic house
A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air c ...
vinyl 12" single of George Michael
George Michael (born Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou; 25 June 1963 – 25 December 2016) was an English singer-songwriter and record producer. Regarded as a pop culture icon, he is one of the List of best-selling music artists, best-selling rec ...
's "Careless Whisper
"Careless Whisper" is a song recorded by English singer-songwriter George Michael. Released as the second single from Wham!'s second studio album ''Make It Big'' (1984), it was written by Michael and Andrew Ridgeley, with Michael producing the ...
" on the 3 Lanka and Hed Arzi labels, produced and mixed by DJ Amiad, with remixes by Future Funk and Michi Lang
ref name=CW> The track attracted international interest.[
On March 27, 2006, D'Or released ''Kmo HaRuach'' (''"Like the Wind"''), which included ]duet
A duet (italian language, Italian: ''duo'') is a musical composition for two Performing arts, performers in which the performers have equal importance to the piece, often a composition involving two singers or two pianists. It differs from a har ...
s with Israeli singers Arkadi Duchin, Arik Einstein, Shlomi Shabat, and Ehud Banai, and the song "Zman Ahava" ("Time for Love") with Ehud Banai. D'Or composed all the songs on the album, combining world music
"World music" is an English phrase for styles of music from non-English speaking countries, including quasi-traditional, Cross-cultural communication, intercultural, and traditional music. World music's broad nature and elasticity as a musical ...
with jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...
, Thai, and Indian elements. In 2006, D'Or also collaborated with rapper
Rapping (also rhyming, flowing, spitting, emceeing, or MCing) is an artistic form of vocal delivery and emotive expression that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and ommonlystreet vernacular". It is usually performed over a backing ...
Subliminal for the song "Ten Koah" ("Give Me Strength") on Subliminal's hip hop
Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hip- ...
album, ''Just When You Thought it Was Over''. He also joined Shlomo Bar in a duet of "Atzlano Kafar Todrah" for the CD ''The Rough Guide to the Music of Israel'' released on February 17, 2006, and sang the song "Travelling North" or "Heading North" ("Nose'a Tzafonah") on the 2006 CD ''To the North with Love'' ("''Latsafon Be'ahava''")
On May 19, 2007, D’Or performed with soprano Seiko Lee in the world premier performance of the 40-minute ten- movement "peace cantata
A cantata (; ; literally "sung", past participle feminine singular of the Italian language, Italian verb ''cantare'', "to sing") is a vocal music, vocal Musical composition, composition with an musical instrument, instrumental accompaniment, ty ...
", "Halelu—Songs of David", in Belgrade, Serbia
Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
. The concert was televised to six other Eastern European
Eastern Europe is a subregion of the European continent. As a largely ambiguous term, it has a wide range of geopolitical, geographical, ethnic, cultural and socio-economic connotations. Its eastern boundary is marked by the Ural Mountains, and ...
countries. The composition for solo voices, chorus
Chorus may refer to:
Music
* Chorus (song), the part of a song that is repeated several times, usually after each verse
* Chorus effect, the perception of similar sounds from multiple sources as a single, richer sound
* Chorus form, song in whic ...
, and orchestra, was a collaborative effort of D’Or and American composer/conductor David Eaton, music director of the New York City Symphony, who conducted the combined Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra and the 120-voice choir of the Academic Cultural Artistic Society. Halelu is sung in English, Hebrew
Hebrew (; ''ʿÎbrit'') is a Northwest Semitic languages, Northwest Semitic language within the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family. A regional dialect of the Canaanite languages, it was natively spoken by the Israelites and ...
, Arabic
Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...
, and Latin
Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...
, with greetings of peace of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam
Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...
figuring prominently in the lyrical content of several movements, and with Psalm
The Book of Psalms ( , ; ; ; ; , in Islam also called Zabur, ), also known as the Psalter, is the first book of the third section of the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible) called ('Writings'), and a book of the Old Testament.
The book is an anthology of H ...
113 (sung in Hebrew by D’Or) as the basis of the 4th movement. He then released ''Halelu—Songs of David; Cantata for Peace'' (2007), in which he was accompanied by Lee, the Ra'anana
Ra'anana () is an affluent city in the southern Sharon, Israel, Sharon Plain of the Central District (Israel), Central District of Israel. It was founded in 1922 as an American-Jewish settlement, 1 km south of the village of Tabsur, where a ...
Symphony Orchestra, and members of the Philharmonia Chorus of Israel.[
D'Or sang for Martin Luther King III at a Middle East Peace Initiative (MEPI) Conference in the summer of 2007 in ]Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv-Yafo ( or , ; ), sometimes rendered as Tel Aviv-Jaffa, and usually referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the Gush Dan metropolitan area of Israel. Located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline and with a popula ...
. King was in tears as D'Or finished his rendition of " Summertime", and the crowd was on its feet cheering. King was so moved that he extended an invitation to D'Or to sing at the 2008 "Realize the Dream" celebration honoring King's birthday at the Covenant Avenue Baptist Church
Baptists are a denomination within Protestant Christianity distinguished by baptizing only professing Christian believers ( believer's baptism) and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches generally subscribe to the doctrines of ...
in Harlem, New York
Harlem is a neighborhood in Upper Manhattan, New York City. It is bounded roughly by the Hudson River on the west; the Harlem River and 155th Street (Manhattan), 155th Street on the north; Fifth Avenue on the east; and 110th Street (Manhattan ...
– the last church in New York City that Martin Luther King Jr.
Martin Luther King Jr. (born Michael King Jr.; January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American Baptist minister, civil and political rights, civil rights activist and political philosopher who was a leader of the civil rights move ...
, spoke at prior to his 1968 assassination. D'Or obliged with a performance of "Amazing Grace
"Amazing Grace" is a Christian hymn written in 1772 and published in 1779 by English Anglican clergyman and poet John Newton (1725–1807). It is possibly the most sung and most recorded hymn in the world, and especially popular in the Unit ...
" before a crowd including former President Bill Clinton
William Jefferson Clinton (né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician and lawyer who was the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, ...
and Dr. King who was reduced to tears.[
He also performed in the 2007 ]WOMAD
WOMAD ( ; World of Music, Arts and Dance) is an international arts festival. The central aim of WOMAD is to celebrate the world's many forms of music, arts and dance.
History
WOMAD was founded in 1980 by English rock musician Peter Gabriel, w ...
(World of Music, Arts and Dance) festival concert, and in reviewing his performance ''BBC Radio
BBC Radio is an operational business division and service of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a royal charter since 1927. The service provides national radio stations cove ...
'' referred to his voice as "sensational". D'Or described an experience that he had singing at the festival as follows: "I had a concert in the Canary Islands...in the WOMAD Festival in front of something like 20,000 people, and then I saw just in front of me, a group of Palestinian young people with a huge Palestinian flag. And at the beginning I was very tense because I didn't know what their intentions were. I closed my eyes and said 'Look, you speak always about the power of music and how music can get people close to each other', and I was like aiming to their heart, and I'm singing especially for them, and then when I opened my eyes and I saw those people dancing with the Palestinian flag and singing with me together, and it was for me like an amazing sight, because this is something that I don't think ever happened before. I don't know why this world...is choosing...always...war and hate, because things are much easier to solve if you just want to solve them, that's what I feel. And maybe it's naïve, but this is my belief."[
On December 11, 2007, D'Or released ''Live Concert''.] D'Or composed most of the songs on the album, which included "Kiss from a Rose" (in English), "Sri Lanka" (instrumental), and an Arabic
Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...
song.[
In 2008, D'Or also released ''Shirat Rabim'' (''"Prayers"'', or ''"Songs of the Many"—"A World Prayer; The Jewish Project of David D'Or and Patric Sabag"''), a collection of prayers that he had originally heard from his father, and which he focused on when he started attending synagogue to say ]kaddish
The Kaddish (, 'holy' or 'sanctification'), also transliterated as Qaddish, is a hymn praising God that is recited during Jewish prayer services. The central theme of the Kaddish is the magnification and sanctification of God's name. In the lit ...
after his father's death. The album went gold in just three weeks. He also performed in all the 2008 WOMAD festival concerts, including in London with Peter Gabriel
Peter Brian Gabriel (born 13 February 1950) is an English singer, songwriter, musician, and human rights activist. He came to prominence as the original frontman of the rock band Genesis. He left the band in 1975 and launched a solo career wit ...
, the founder of the world music festival, and won the WOMAD "Favorite of the Audience" Award,[
][ though one reviewer wrote that "his reverb-drenched voice can sound bombastic, even when he is praying for peace. He is more successful when...in dance-pop".] His performance of the song " Lecha D'odi" is featured on the compilation album ''Womad New Zealand 2008'', which was released on June 2, 2008, by Shock Records. The year was capped when D'Or became an Israel Cultural Excellence Foundation ("IcExcellence") chosen artist in 2008, receiving one of Israel's highest recognitions for excellence in the arts.
In 2008 and 2009, D'Or performed in a series of "Voice of Love" charity concerts for the Tzu Chi Foundation in the United States (New York, San Francisco, San Jose, Pasadena, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, New Jersey, and Washington, D.C.) and Asia (the Philippines and Taiwan), and recorded a CD and DVD by the same name, donating all of the profits to charity. The CD has since gone platinum. The foundation works to improve social and community services, medical care, education, and humanism
Humanism is a philosophy, philosophical stance that emphasizes the individual and social potential, and Agency (philosophy), agency of human beings, whom it considers the starting point for serious moral and philosophical inquiry.
The me ...
in Taiwan and around the world. By helping others, D’Or said, the foundation, while Buddhist
Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...
and not Jewish, is involved in the spirit of the Jewish concept of '' tikun olam'', or "repairing the world". "We believe that all humanity is connected in a way", said D'Or.
D'Or sang a medley including "Amazing Grace" and a rendition of the traditional Hebrew melody "''Avinu Malkeinu
Avinu Malkeinu (; "Our Father, Our King") is a Jewish
Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They als ...
''" at New York's Apollo Theater
The Apollo Theater (formerly the Hurtig & Seamon's New Theatre; also Apollo Theatre or 125th Street Apollo Theatre) is a multi-use Theater (structure), theater at 253 125th Street (Manhattan), West 125th Street in the Harlem neighborhood of U ...
in Harlem on April 28, 2009, with three New York gospel choirs.
In May 2009 D'Or sang, along with Dudu Fisher and the "Arab-Jewish Girl's Choir", for Pope Benedict XVI
Pope BenedictXVI (born Joseph Alois Ratzinger; 16 April 1927 – 31 December 2022) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 19 April 2005 until his resignation on 28 February 2013. Benedict's election as p ...
in Jerusalem
Jerusalem is a city in the Southern Levant, on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest cities in the world, and ...
at the home of Israeli President Shimon Peres
Shimon Peres ( ; ; born Szymon Perski, ; 2 August 1923 – 28 September 2016) was an Israeli politician and statesman who served as the prime minister of Israel from 1984 to 1986 and from 1995 to 1996 and as the president of Israel from 2007 t ...
as the Pope visited Israel.
Vocal style
D'Or's voice has a range (or " diapason") of more than four octaves. His vocal range in head voice is from G3 in scientific pitch notation
Scientific pitch notation (SPN), also known as American standard pitch notation (ASPN) and international pitch notation (IPN), is a method of specifying musical Pitch (music), pitch by combining a musical Note (music), note name (with accidental ( ...
, up to a well-defined G5 (as heard in one of the final notes in the " Phantom of the Opera" track in his album ''David D'Or and the Philharmonic''), thus making him a "mezzo-soprano
A mezzo-soprano (, ), or mezzo ( ), is a type of classical music, classical female singing human voice, voice whose vocal range lies between the soprano and the contralto voice types. The mezzo-soprano's vocal range usually extends from the A bel ...
" type of countertenor
A countertenor (also contra tenor) is a type of classical male singing voice whose vocal range is equivalent to that of the female contralto or mezzo-soprano voice types, generally extending from around G3 to D5 or E5, although a sopranist (a ...
.
D'Or's voice is unusually versatile and flexible,[ and notable for its unique tone and color, and for having a very recognizable sound. His voice is characterized by powerful fullness and richness, making it seem as though it is his natural singing voice, created without use of the ]falsetto
Falsetto ( , ; Italian language, Italian diminutive of , "false") is the vocal register occupying the frequency range just above the modal voice register and overlapping with it by approximately one octave.
It is produced by the vibration of the ...
technique. However, despite its richness his voice cannot be compared to the color of a contralto
A contralto () is a classical music, classical female singing human voice, voice whose vocal range is the lowest of their voice type, voice types.
The contralto's vocal range is fairly rare, similar to the mezzo-soprano, and almost identical to ...
, unlike singers such as David Daniels, given that D'Or has a unique, male-sounding timbre
In music, timbre (), also known as tone color or tone quality (from psychoacoustics), is the perceived sound of a musical note, sound or tone. Timbre distinguishes sounds according to their source, such as choir voices and musical instrument ...
. When he sings in modern fashion, he employs his speaking—or chest—voice, instead of his singing, alto
The musical term alto, meaning "high" in Italian (Latin: '' altus''), historically refers to the contrapuntal part higher than the tenor and its associated vocal range. In four-part voice leading alto is the second-highest part, sung in ch ...
voice.[ D'Or has been compared to Italian ]tenor
A tenor is a type of male singing voice whose vocal range lies between the countertenor and baritone voice types. It is the highest male chest voice type. Composers typically write music for this voice in the range from the second B below m ...
Andrea Bocelli
Andrea Bocelli (; born 22 September 1958) is an Italian tenor. He rose to fame in 1994 after winning the newcomers' section of the 44th Sanremo Music Festival performing " Il mare calmo della sera".
Since 1994, Bocelli has recorded 15 solo st ...
( but with a Middle Eastern flavor), and his voice has been described as having the smoothness of Jack Johnson overlaid with the falsetto style of Jeff Buckley
Jeffrey Scott Buckley (raised as Scott Moorhead; November 17, 1966 – May 29, 1997) was an American musician. After a decade as a session guitarist in Los Angeles, he attracted a cult following in the early 1990s performing at venues in ...
.
Performances
In addition to singing for two Popes, D'Or has also sung for Israeli President Shimon Peres
Shimon Peres ( ; ; born Szymon Perski, ; 2 August 1923 – 28 September 2016) was an Israeli politician and statesman who served as the prime minister of Israel from 1984 to 1986 and from 1995 to 1996 and as the president of Israel from 2007 t ...
, Italian President Giorgio Napolitano
Giorgio Napolitano (; 29 June 1925 – 22 September 2023) was an Italian politician who served as President of Italy from 2006 to 2015, the first to be re-elected to the office. In office for 8 years and 244 days, he was the longest-serving pre ...
, King Bhumibol Adulyadej
Bhumibol Adulyadej (5 December 192713 October 2016), titled Rama IX, was King of Thailand from 1946 until Death and funeral of Bhumibol Adulyadej, his death in 2016. His reign of 70 years and 126 days is the longest of any List of Thai mo ...
of Thailand, the King and Queen of Sweden at the Swedish Royal Palace in Stockholm
Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...
, Nelson Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela ( , ; born Rolihlahla Mandela; 18 July 1918 – 5 December 2013) was a South African Internal resistance to apartheid, anti-apartheid activist and politician who served as the first president of South Africa f ...
, Tony Blair
Sir Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born 6 May 1953) is a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party (UK), Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007. He was Leader ...
, and Bill Clinton
William Jefferson Clinton (né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician and lawyer who was the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, ...
.[
D’Or has performed with the ]Israel Philharmonic Orchestra
The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (abbreviation IPO; Hebrew: התזמורת הפילהרמונית הישראלית, ''ha-Tizmoret ha-Filharmonit ha-Yisra'elit'') is a major Israeli symphony orchestra based in Tel Aviv. Its principal concert ...
, the Jerusalem
Jerusalem is a city in the Southern Levant, on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest cities in the world, and ...
Symphony Orchestra, the Rome Philharmonic, the London Symphony,[ the ]Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
Vienna Philharmonic (VPO; ) is an orchestra that was founded in 1842 and is considered to be one of the finest in the world.
The Vienna Philharmonic is based at the Musikverein in Vienna, Austria. Its members are selected from the orchestra of ...
, the Budapest
Budapest is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns of Hungary, most populous city of Hungary. It is the List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, tenth-largest city in the European Union by popul ...
Philharmonic, the China Philharmonic Orchestra, the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra,[ the ]New York Symphony Orchestra
The New York Symphony Orchestra was founded as the New York Symphony Society in New York City by Leopold Damrosch in 1878. For many years it was a rival to the older Philharmonic Symphony Society of New York. It was supported by Andrew Carnegie, w ...
, the Las Vegas Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) is an American symphony orchestra based in Baltimore, Maryland. The Baltimore SO has its principal residence at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, where it performs more than 130 concerts a year. In 2005, ...
.[
D'Or has performed across the world, including in the United States, England, the ]Canary Islands
The Canary Islands (; ) or Canaries are an archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean and the southernmost Autonomous communities of Spain, Autonomous Community of Spain. They are located in the northwest of Africa, with the closest point to the cont ...
, Sweden, Germany, Poland, Austria, Hungary, Serbia
, image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg
, national_motto =
, image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg
, national_anthem = ()
, image_map =
, map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...
, Italy, Turkey
Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
, India, Thailand
Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...
, Australia, China, Taiwan
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...
, Singapore, the Philippines
The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...
, Morocco
Morocco, officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It has coastlines on the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to Algeria–Morocc ...
, and Israel. He sang before audiences of 55,000 people in Trafalgar Square
Trafalgar Square ( ) is a public square in the City of Westminster in Central London. It was established in the early-19th century around the area formerly known as Charing Cross. Its name commemorates the Battle of Trafalgar, the Royal Navy, ...
in London, and 40,000 in Paris.
Pseudonym meaning
D'Or means "golden" or "of gold" in French, and in Francophone countries he is referred to as "golden David" or "David of gold".
Discography
Albums
See also
*Music of Israel
The music of Israel is a combination of Jewish and non-Jewish music traditions that have come together over the course of a century to create a distinctive musical culture. For almost 150 years, musicians have sought original stylistic elements ...
References
External links
David D'Or's official site
* http://mooma.mako.co.il/Biography.asp?ArtistId=1533
David D'Or bio at E! Online
*
Cattan, Olivia, "Rencontre avec David d’Or; «Il faut essayer de modifier la vision que les Français ont d’Israël et la musique est un bon moyen de le faire»" Interview with David D'Or, ''Communauté On Line''
* ttp://www.abc.net.au/rn/spiritofthings/stories/2008/2166422.htm Kohn, Rachel, "The Spirit of Things: Singing the Tradition" David D'Or interview, ABC Radio National – 2/24/08
Pavey, Sasha, "David D'Or interview; WOMADelaide Festival 2008"
SBS World View Program – 6/13/08
{{DEFAULTSORT:D'or, David
1965 births
Living people
People from Holon
Countertenors
English-language singers from Israel
Israeli composers
21st-century Israeli male singers
20th-century Israeli male singers
Israeli people of Libyan-Jewish descent
Israeli pop singers
Jewish composers
Jewish singers
Jewish songwriters
Israeli male singer-songwriters
Israeli singer-songwriters
Eurovision Song Contest entrants