Achron's "Hebrew Melody" was rapturously received at the Czar's 'ball-concert' in 1912 and became his most popular work after Jascha Heifetz took it into his repertoire.
Composition History
Achron's "Hebrew Melody," Op. 33, was composed in just half an hour after he met Salomon Rosovsky, president of the Society for Jewish Folk Music.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Achron became an advocate for a new Jewish musical style that would integrate traditional elements into a sophisticated overall synthesis, an aesthetic evident in many of his works.
Critical Reception
Arnold Schoenberg, a friend of Achron's, declared at his memorial concert in 1945 that Joseph Achron was "one of the most underestimated of modern composers."
Composer Biography
Achron studied at the St. Petersburg Academy with the legendary Leopold Auer, who also taught famous violinists like Elman, Zimbalist, Milstein, and Heifetz.
Composition History
The "Stempenyu Suite" was originally incidental music for a 1929 production of Sholem Aleichem's play "Jewish Daughters," adapted from his novel "Stempenyu."
Composer Biography
Joseph Achron, one of the most creative 20th-century virtuoso violinist-composers, began violin studies at age five and composed his first piece, "Lullaby," at age seven.
