Steinberg, Ze′ev (Wolfgang)

Steinberg, Ze′ev (Wolfgang), German-born Israeli violist and composer; b. Düsseldorf, Nov. 27, 1918. He studied with Eldering in Cologne (1933). In 1934 he emigrated to Palestine, where he studied viola and composition with Partos (1940–42). He then became a violist in the Palestine Sym. Orch. (later the Israel Phil.) in Tel Aviv; in 1957, became the violinist in the New Israeli String Quartet; from 1969 to 1972, was a lecturer at the Tel Aviv Academy of Music. His compositions present an agreeable blend of oriental melos, asymmetrical rhythms, and sharp atonal progressions in dissonant counterpoint.

Works: Sonata for 2 Violas (1955–56); 3 string quartets (1959; 1969; 1981–82); 6 Miniatures for Cello and Piano (1961); 4 Bagatelles for 2 Recorders (1962); 2 concerti da camera: No. 1 for Viola and String Orch. (1962) and No. 2 for Violin and 8 Instruments (1966); Purint Variations on a nursery song for Horn and String Trio (1963); The Story of Rahab and the Spies, biblical cantata (1969); Festive Prologue for Flute, Oboe, and String Trio (1969); 2 Songs withoutWords for Viola, String Quartet, and String Orch. (1970); a little suite for a big Bass flute for Bass Flute in C (1972); Variations and Dance for Violin (1976); Prelude and Fughetta for Flute, Viola, and Harp (1977); 4 Pieces for Orch. (1985); 7 Pieces for 11 Instruments (1987); arrangements of works by Vivaldi, Bach, Schubert, and others.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire