Kopytman, Mark

Kopytman, Mark, Russian-born Israeli composer and pedagogue; b. Kamenets-Podolski, Dec. 6, 1929. He began his musical training at the music college (graduated, 1950) and pursued medical studies in Chernovtsy (M.D., 1952). He then studied with Simovitz at the Lwów Academy of Music (M.A., 1955) and with S. Bogatyrev at the Moscow Cons. (Ph.D., 1958). He taught in various Russian music institutes (1955–72), then emigrated to Israel, where he joined the faculty of the Rubin Academy of Music in Jerusalem in 1974, serving as its deputy director (from 1985). He also was a guest prof, at the Hebrew Univ. in Jerusalem (from 1979). In 1985 he was a visiting prof, at the Univ. of Pa. and composer-in-residence at the Canberra School of Music. In 1989 he again was at the Univ. of Pa.

Works

dramatic:Opera: Casa mare (1966); Chamber Scenes from the Life of Susskind von Trinberg (1983). orch.: Sym. (1955); Violin Concertino (1963); 6 Moldavian Tunes (1965); Piano Concerto (1971); Concerto (1976); Rotations for Vocalise (1979); Kaddish for Cello and Strings (1982); Cantus III for Bass Clarinet and Orch. (1984), V for Viola and Orch.

(1990), and VI for Oboe and Chamber Orch. (1995); Ornaments for Harpsichord and Orch. (1987); Beyond All This for Strings (1997). chamber:2 Miniatures on Kazakh Folk Tunes for String Quartet (1961); String Quartet No. 2 (1965), No. 3 (1969), and No. 4 (1996); For Percussion (1975); Monodrama for Sextet (1975); For Harp (1976); For Harpsichord (1976); About an Old Tune for Piano Quartet (1977); For Organ (1978); 2 Poems for Flute, Violin, and Viola (1978); And a Time for Every Purpose for Flute, Trumpet, Trombone, and Percussion (1979); Cantus II for String Trio (1980) and IV: Dedication for Violin (1987); Discourse I and II for Oboe and String Quartet (1994); Tenero for Cello (1994); Strain for String Quartet (1996); Circles for Violin, Clarinet, Cello, and Piano (1996–99); Bassalargo for Guitar (1999). Piano: Pieces (1963–83); 2 Preludes and Fugues (1965); For Piano I (1973) and II (1974); Basso Recitative for 2 Pianos (1977); Variable Structures (1986); Alliterations (1993). vocal:Songs of Kodr, oratorio (1966); Unfinished Lines for Baritone and Orch. (1970); October Sun for Mezzo-soprano, Flute, Violin, Cello, Piano, and Percussion (1974); Voices for Voice, Flute, Trombones, Percussion, and Strings (1975); Day and Night Will Rise to Heaven for Soprano, Mime, Flute, Trumpet, Trombone, and Percussion (1977); Memory for Voice and Orch. (1981); Life of the World to Come for Voice and Chamber Orch. (1986); Letters of Creation for Voice and Strings (1986); Circles for Voice, Clarinet, Cello, and Piano (1987); Scattered Rhymes for Chorus and Orch. (1988); Λ Poem for the Numbers of the Dead for Baritone and Chamber Ensemble (1988); Love Remembered for Chorus and Orch. (1989); Three Nights for Voice and Chamber Ensemble (1996).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire