NARDI (Narodietzky), NAHUM

NARDI (Narodietzky), NAHUM (1901–1977), composer. Born in Kiev, Nardi studied the piano and composition at the Kiev, Warsaw, and Vienna conservatories and went to Palestine in 1923. There he began to give piano recitals but soon turned to composing, inspired by Arab Bedouin and peasant songs and the Sephardi and Yemenite melos. Many of his songs for children and adults became folk songs for which he developed an original style of piano accompaniment. Many of them were first performed at his joint recitals with the Yemenite singer, Brachah *Zefira, his first wife. For these recitals he developed an original style of piano accompaniment. In later years Nardi also promoted the careers of several other singers of Yemenite origin. Among other associations which contributed to his production and style were those with Ḥayyim Naḥman *Bialik, the poet and educator Levin *Kipnis, and the poet and composer Yiẓḥak Navon.

Nardi's songs, which have achieved folk song status, include: Shir ha-Avodah ve-ha-Melakhah, Bein Nehar Perat, Yesh Li Gan (Bialik), Mi Yivneh Bayit be-Tel Aviv, Shanah Halkhah, Ani Purim (L. Kipnis, the latter also metamorphosed by an unknown kindergarten poet into the ubiquitous Ha-Shafan ha-Katan); Kakhol Yam ha-Mayim (N. Alterman); Udi Ḥamudi (M. Dafna); Alei Givah (Broides, the tune beginning dgfed as distinct from M. *Ravina's setting); Pattish Masmer Nikkakh Maher (E. Harussi); Shetu ha-Adarim (A. Penn); Sisi Admat ha-Sharon (Y. Fichmann); Mi Yitteneni Of (D. Shimoni), Im Yesh Ei Sham (Y. Karni) – both transformations of Oriental Jewish folk melodies.

[Bathja Bayer]