Ernest Bloch: The man and his music; Episode 5 of 15

Riverside radio presents the fifth in a series of 15 programs. Ernest Bloch the man and his music the commentator for these programs is Suzanne block. The composer's daughter and a member of the faculty at The Juilliard School of Music on this week's program you hear this week for flute and strings for violin performed by Hyman Bres and the Israel symphony sung in English. And now here is Suzanne block after having written during the 1950s eights orchestral and chamber music works. BLOCK then 76 years of age composed a work totally different from anything he'd ever done before this is not the tormented voice of a symphonic music and the prophetic block of the Jewish cycle. Now the violence and bitterness of his chamber music. This expresses a serene song of an old man who was brought by the freshness of his youth their loses and dreams of earlier years in this work. There is a role model such as a one in the Swiss Alps before sunset. This reads conceived while he already was

quite ill three years before his death was written at first a flute in piano and it. It was traded for string orchestra the music as a title defines his model but not as a pastiche of old music. In fact when my father played it for me the first time I was shocked by typical unmoral cadence with obvious dominant seventh chord I would never expect this in the early morning music. But I did not say anything to him for he hated pedanticism and my remark would have sound exactly that which to him the more is used in the work of following the Greek nomenclature Jorian and hyper Dorian and their work is dedicated to the flute as Elaine Shaffer. Their work has four movements. You will hear Mary punnets flutist and the Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Eugene Ormandy. When.

You. Could. Do it. Sure.

Sure. Sure. Man.

Good. Good. Good. Good. Wow so. Yeah. OK. The old.

Blue eh. Eh eh eh out. The back. Oh. Oh OK. You. Know. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Oh. Yeah. Have. You.

Who.

Who. Are. You. Sweet model for flute and strings with soloist Moray palettes Eugene Ormandy directing

the Philadelphia Orchestra. Once again Suzanne. Why living in San Francisco block met a seven year old boy Valen if his playing moved him to tears not for his technique are just depends for his age but for the deaf expression and musicality that seem almost unreal for so young a child. This was your hoodie Menuhin whose friendship began then and lasted faithfully until Block's death 30 years later. Your block was in charge of the hoodie. He also was as impressed by the two sisters whose intellects and comprehensions and subtleties of language already made him that such prodigies charming and so full of humor were also natural and not self-conscious. Amazed him. Years later Yahoo did Minu and said that if a block was a first composer who ever wrote a piece for me that was his arrangement for Violin and Piano that he would pray I bore down. He dedicated to me when I was seven and the last piece he ever wrote. The two

unaccompanied violin fanatism those two dedicated to me. Means God's worship. It is a simple touching piece in which Bloch put his whole Hoth to express what he felt about the miracle for the little boy of seven who played the violin as if God had spoken through him. You will hear for Vaananen piano played about himon breath. Who would believe.

You. B.

During the opening.

I mean rest is performed for solo violin of Ernest Bloch. And here again is Suzanne block block began to read it is a real symphony in 1900 and 12 right he was trying to make a living by giving lectures and courses at the Geneva conservatory. He also was doing some guest conducting and helping to run the largest store of Swiss novelties his

mother had in Geneva. At first intended to name the work said to Reve Jewish festivals but in 1916 the great friend writer and Nobel Prize winner I met a law one of the first to champion block visits a Didn't he hadn't paid their work and suggested the title is right. The composition had its world premiere in 1917 in New York. The special concert devoted to his works. This was given by the side to the friends of music. This concert was event that brought blocks name to the fore in the musical world. It was also responsible in making it possible for a block to leave Switzerland and come back to America with his family and settle their bloc dedicated Israel to Harriette live near the gathering force of the friends of music. Her admiration for block and her great friendship lasted throughout her life. His original plan for the work had been to add another movement to it. Kid even written to his friend the Jewish poet

Edmund flag that in its last section he wanted to envision the return of the Jews to Palestine and express rejoicing over the redemption of the Jews. But later he gave up the idea here in 1917. Mrs. Lanier gave the following facts about this decision. This is what she said after the war was over and the real horrors the more degradation of the world was exposed to humanity. Buck's whole nature revolted at the hypocrisy the greed and mental degradation from which the Vidocq been taught on the second part has never been written he tells me and never will be. Block her the time of composing and immediately after. Never seem to have any statements describing his music magically to give some explanation of this work. In 1943 he would differ Long-Nose to author reagents key was to conduct Israel back year.

When I composed this work one thousand twelve to nine hundred sixteen. The world was in about the same predicament as presently brucella memory shows. Humanity does not change very much indeed. A few more additions to so-called progress more speed more inventions new bombers robot bombs more devilish weapons it is true and morally more aggression also the same hypocrisy prevails the same fallacies and probably the same vain hopes for a better world. But this refers more to Shalom Oh the ecclesiastic Vanity of vanities all is vanity. Then to Israel or the three Jewish poems. When I composed them 30 years ago I had no conscious program in mind. And as always I was more preoccupied with musical form that is giving shape a musical shape and configuration to the fun tome of my imagination than anything else. However after many years and becoming somewhat

impatient with the false attributions and judgments given to my work by too many commentators I had decided to write program notes for some of them myself. It was not an easy task. Music cannot be translated into words just because it is music and imprecise elusive language. In order to write these notes I remember I had to go over my score carefully and try to recollect. After 30 years and more the state of mind I was in when I had composed the music. The imaginations or impulses which unconsciously had influenced me had been more or less present in my sensibility at the time. You may not agree with them and they may not correspond to your vision but I think this is of no importance and I hope the music will speak for itself. Which is the essential. I intended first to call this work that you use but I hesitated and it was roamin rely on who suggested Israel. Of course

what I meant by fits you weave was rather the symbolic meaning of these festivities. The first movement of Yom Kippur the Day of Atonement return Mihm qualms of conscience. It seems to me that nowadays more than ever men may atone for his follies the one single unit this symphony falls into three sections. A slow introduction adagio molto prayer in the desert is immediately followed by the Allegro Tato with the main theme of bold barbaric character. A short transition leads into the second part motet Otto socket which after a fierce climax brings in the voice. This second part of the work is more contemplative serene a kind of prayer. As for the musical idiom I was never much preoccupied by the prevalent styles of the moment the accredited theories or fads. And I wrote my music

just as I felt it. Oscar Wilde said it is only the modern that ever becomes old fashioned. Nothing is so dangerous as being too modern one is apt to grow old fashioned quite suddenly. Let us hope that this may apply to Israel also. You read it he and his box Israel symphony conductor is France lit shower conducting the Vienna State Opera Orchestra and soloist of the Academy choir.