Yoffe, Shlomo

Yoffe, Shlomo, Polish-born Israeli composer and teacher; b. Warsaw, May 19,1909; d. Dec. 29, 1995. After training in Poland and Czechoslovakia, he emigrated to Palestine and pursued studies with Partos and Boscov-ich in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. From 1953 to 1973 he was director of the Studio for Music Education for Gilboa and Bet-Shean.

Works

orch: Ruth, symphonic suite (1954); 3 syms. (1955, 1957, 1958); Violin Concerto (1956); Views of the Emek, symphonic suite (1958); Symphonic Poem on Jewish Themes (1959); Divertimento (1959); Cello Concertino (1959); Oboe Concerto (1960); Concerto for Strings (1961); 3 Pieces for Horn and Strings (1966); Fantasia concertante for Brass Quartet and Orch. (1968); Beit- Alfa, symphonic poem (1972); Introduction, Dance and Finale for Chamber Orch. (1972); Sobu Zion, overture (1973); 5 Sketches of Old Jerusalem for Chamber Orch. (1973); Fantasy for Oboe and Chamber Orch. (1975); Sinfonietta (1977); The Beautiful City (1978); Concerto for Vibraphone and Strings (1979); Variations on “Eshkolit” for Chamber Orch. (1979); Landscapes (1981); Israel Sketches (1984). CHAMBER: Quartet for 2 Flutes, Cello, and Piano (1957); 2 string quartets (1961, 1969); Fantasy for String Quartet (1966); Chamber Concerto for Violin and 10 Players (1966); Affettuoso for 2 Flutes (1966); Brass Quartet (1967); Musica concertante for Clarinet and 3 Percussionists (1973); Etude for 13 Players (1974); Serenata for Wind Quintet (1975); Nonetto for Strings (1976); Depressed Story for Clarinet and String Quartet (1983); Quintet for Horn and String Quartet (1986); Monologue for Violin (1987). VOCAL: What Name Shall I Call? for Soprano and Chamber Orch. (1975); Psalm 125 for Narrator and Orch. (1978); Shake Thyself from the Dust for Voice, Clarinet, and Strings (1988); various cantatas; songs.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire