Tal, Josef
Tal, Josef
Tal, Josef, (real name, Joseph Gruenthal), prominent German-born Israeli composer, pianist, conductor, and pedagogue; b. Pinne, near Posen, Sept. 18, 1910. He took courses with Tiessen, Hindemith, Sachs, Trapp, and others at the Berlin Staatliche Hochschule für Musik (1928-30). In 1934 he emigrated to Palestine, settling in Jerusalem as a teacher of piano and composition at the Cons, in 1936; when it became the Israel Academy of Music in 1948, he served as its director (until 1952). Tal also lectured at the Hebrew Univ. (from 1950), where he was head of the musicology dept. (1965-70) and a prof, (from 1971). He likewise was director of the Israel Center of Electronic Music (from 1961). He appeared as a pianist and conductor with the Israel Phil. and with orchs. in Europe. In 1971 he was awarded the State of Israel Prize and was made an honorary member of the West Berlin Academy of Arts, in 1975 he received the Arts Prize of the City of Berlin, and in 1982 he became a fellow of its Inst. for Advanced Studies. His autobiography was publ. as Der Sohn des Rabbiners: Ein Weg von Berlin nach Jerusalem (Berlin, 1985). A true musical intellectual, Tal applies in his music a variety of techniques, being free of doctrinal introversion and open to novel potentialities without fear of public revulsion. Patriotic Hebrew themes often appear in his productions.
Works
dramatic: Saul at Ein Dor, opera concertante (1957); Amnon and Tornar, opera (1961); Ashmedai, opera (1968; Hamburg, Nov. 9, 1971); Massada 967, opera (1972; Jerusalem, June 17, 1973); Die Versuchung, opera (1975; Munich, July 26, 1976); Else-Hommage, chamber scene for Mezzo-soprano, Narrator, and 4 Instruments (1975); Scene from Kafka’s diaries for Soprano or Tenor Solo (1978); Der Turm, opera (1983; Berlin, Sept. 19, 1987); Der Garten, chamber opera (1987; Hamburg, May 29, 1988); Die Hand, dramatic scene for Soprano and Cello (1987); Josef, opera (1993-95; Tel Aviv, June 27, 1995). ORCH. : 3 piano concertos: No. 1 (1944), No. 2 (1953), and No. 3 for Tenor and Orch. (1956); Reflections for Strings (1950); 6 syms.: No. 1 (1953), No. 2 (1960), No. 3 (Tel Aviv, July 3, 1978), No. 4, Hayovel (Jubilee), for the 50th anniversary of the Israel Phil. (1985; Tel Aviv, Jan. 3, 1987); No. 5 (1990-91; Berlin, Feb. 29, 1992), and No. 6 (1991; Eschede, June 19, 1992); Viola Concerto (1954); Hizayon Hagigi (Festive Vision; 1959); Concerto for Cello and Strings (1961); Double Concerto for Violin, Cello, and Chamber Orch. (1970); Dmut (Shape) for Chamber Orch. (1975); Concerto for Flute and Chamber Orch. (1977); Concerto for 2 Pianos and Orch. (1980); Concerto for Clarinet and Chamber Orch. (1980); Dance of the Events (1981; rev. 1986); Imago for Chamber Orch. (1982); Symphonic Fanfares (1986). CHAMBER: Kina (Lament) for Cello and Harp (1950); Violin Sonata (1952); Oboe Sonata (1952); 3 string quartets (1959, 1964, 1976); Viola Sonata (1960); Woodwind Quintet (1966); Fanfare for 3 Trombones and 3 Trumpets (1968); Trio for Violin, Cello, and Piano (1974); Piano Quartet (1982); Chamber Music for Soprano Recorder, Marimba, and Harpsichord (1982); Duo for Oboe and English Horn (1992); Quartet for Tenor Saxophone, Violin, Viola, and Cello (1994); Perspective for Viola (1996). KEYBOARD: Piano: Sonata (1950); 5 Inventions (1956); 5 Densities (1975); Essay I-IV (1986-97). Organ: Various pieces. VOCAL: Yetsi’at Mitsrayim (Exodus), choreographic poem for Baritone and Orch. (1946); The Mother Rejoices, symphonic cantata for Chorus, Piano, and Orch. (1949); Succoth Cantata for Soloists, Chorus, and Chamber Orch. (1955); Mot Moshe (The Death of Moses), Requiem for Soloists, Chorus, Orch., and Tape (1967); Misdar hanoflim (Parade of the Fallen), cantata for Soprano, Baritone, Chorus, and Orch. (1968); Song for Baritone or Alto, Flute, Horn, 2 Tom-toms, and Piano (1971); Sus Ha’ets (The Wooden Horse) for Soloists, Chorus, and Electronics (1976); Bechol nafshecha (With All Thy Soul), cantata for 3 Sopranos, Baritone, Boy’s Chorus, Mixed Chorus, Brass, and Strings (1978); Halom ha’igulim (Dream of the Circles) for Baritone, Chorus, and 4 Instruments (1985); Laga’at makom (Touch a Place) for Voice and Chorus (1987); Bitter Line for Baritone and Chamber Ensemble (1992); Wars Swept Through Here for Baritone and 12 Players (1991); Psalms for Narrator, Chorus, and Orch. (1992); songs. TAPE: Exodus II, ballet (1954); Piano Concertos Nos. 4 to 6 for Piano and Tape (1962, 1964, 1970); Ranges of Energy, ballet (1963); From the Depth of the Soul, ballet (1964); Concerto for Harpsichord and Tape (1964; rev. 1977); Ashmedai, overture to the opera (1970); Variations, choreographic piece (1970); Concerto for Harp and Tape (1971; rev. 1980); Min Hametsar Karati Yah (I Called Upon the Lord in My Distress; 1971); Frequencies 440-462: Hommage à Boris Blacher (1972); Backyard, choreographic piece (1977).
Bibliography
W. Elias, J. T. (Tel Aviv, 1987).
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire