Bloch composed the Suite hébraïque in 1951 as a gift for the organizers of a festival celebrating his seventieth birthday in Chicago.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Ernest Bloch believed his music would be accepted 35 years after his death, and he never conformed to common fashion, always remaining true to himself.
Composition History
Bloch dedicated three of his symphonies—Israel, Helvetia, and America—to his Jewish-Swiss-American heritage.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Bloch hoped the anthem concluding his America symphony would become widely known, encouraging audiences to sing along and become an active part of its message of faith and hope.
Compositional Technique
Bloch's America symphony is unique for describing history and events through sound, incorporating folk music motifs and even an automobile horn to depict the future.
Composition History
Bloch's America, an Epic Rhapsody, won a national competition sponsored by Musical America magazine in 1927.
Composer Biography
Ernest Bloch, a Swiss-born composer, became an American citizen in 1924 and gained a particular reputation as a Jewish composer.
