Bloch: America / Suite Hebraique

Description

Ernest Bloch (1880-1959)America (An Epic Rhapsody for Choir and Orchestra) Suite hebra?»queBorn in Switzerland, Ernest Bloch studied the violin andcomposition there, before first moving to Brussels as apupil of Eug?¿ne Ysa??e, then continuing his studies inFrankfurt-am-Main and later in Munich. He returned toGeneva, combining musical activities with work in hisfather's clock-making business, but by 1916 he was inthe United States, conducting, teaching and composing,acquiring a particular reputation as a Jewish composer.From 1920 to 1925 he was Director of the ClevelandInstitute of Music, thereafter taking on similarresponsibilities at the San Francisco Conservatory. Hehad become an American citizen in 1924, but spentmuch of the 1930s in Switzerland, returning to theUnited States at the end of the decade. His posthumousreputation has rested largely on his works of Jewishinspiration such as Schelomo, Baal Shem and the Suitehebra?»que and Viola Suite.Bloch was an all-embracing composer, whoseintellect and senses thirsted to learn and feel as much aspossible. He was involved with his surroundings andnature, mankind and ideology, ethnology and history.No wonder that he underwent several changes in hisstyles. He was involved with his personality andemotions. Still, any kind of spontaneity was at the sametime well controlled, seeking perfection of the art ofcomposing. Above all, Bloch never gave in to thecommon fashion. He always remained true and faithfulto himself. He observed the world profoundly, and usedhis amazing sense of prophecy in his visions, expressedin ideas and sound. He used to say that 35 years after hisdeath, his music would be accepted. He wrote anenormous amount of music, masterpieces of orchestral,instrumental, vocal, and chamber music, but at presentonly a relatively small proportion of all this is beingplayed. Among his symphonies he dedicated three to hisJewish-Swiss-American heritage. He named themIsrael, Helvetia, America.Bloch wrote America, an Epic Rhapsody in ThreeParts for Orchestra in 1926. The first part treats theearly history of the country: The Soil - The Indians -(England) - The Mayflower - The Landing of thePilgrims - 1620. The second part deals with the CivilWar: Hours of Joy - Hours of Sorrow - 1861-1865 andthe third part moves on to the time of composition: ThePresent - The Future . . . - 1926.Bloch started the score by quoting Walt Whitman:'O America, because you build for mankind, I build foryou'. The uniqueness of the America Symphony is that itdescribes history and events in the language of soundand is thus so different from any other symphony everwritten. America was created in mysterious changes ofspiritual moods, with tunes for each subject and period,like 'the South - old Ballad played by corno inglese' inthe second part. The symphony covers the periodbetween 1620 and 1926, the year of composition. Heeven wrote the last part, which he named The Future, ina manner of prophecy developing to a style and noise