Paul Ben-Haim: Music for Strings

Featuring

Gabriel Adorján
Bettina Aust
Christine Steinbrecher
Talia Or
Bayerische Kammerphilharmonie
Paul Ben-Haim

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Composer Biography

Paul Ben-Haim, born Paul Frankenburger in Munich, fled Nazi persecution in 1933 due to his Jewish heritage and settled in Palestine, changing his surname to Ben-Haim ('Son of Henry').

Composition History

The Concerto for Strings, completed in 1947, contains direct autobiographical allusions to Ben-Haim's time in Germany, including a musical motif from his oratorio Joram, written in 1933.

Performer Biography

The bayerische kammerphilharmonie, the orchestra on this album, frequently performs without a conductor and has a long-standing commitment to featuring music by forgotten Jewish composers.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Ben-Haim developed a personal style that blended West European 'art music' with Oriental influences, integrating Jewish and Arabic elements into his compositions after moving to Palestine.

Composition History

The Three Songs Without Words were a result of Ben-Haim's collaboration with Yemenite Jewish singer Bracha Zefira, who introduced him to a wide range of Middle Eastern folklore.

Compositional Technique

Ben-Haim referred to the string orchestra as 'the most noble among all instruments' in the foreword to his Concerto for Strings, exploring its full range of possibilities in the work.