Author Description

A cycle of seven songs for soprano and piano, dedicated to the Holocaust. LONGING FOR MY FATHER1) Boat of Love2) Wrapped in Yellow3) Rocks4) Also the Ashes5) Longing for my Father6) Ancient Melody7) Black CarriageThe subject of the Holocaust is very close to my heart. When Jacob Barzilai told me that I could choose between love poetry and Holocaust poetry, which he wrote, I knew immediately that the latter would have a deep meaning for me. I chose for my composition seven poems expressing Jacob's longing for his father, whom he lost when he was eleven years old.The sailing of Sfinat Ahava (Boat of love) is expressed by a melody over an accompaniment, which depicts soft eternal waves.Lehitatef Betsahov (Wrapped in yellow) is a very bitter poem and in writing the music I used some dissonant chords and tone clusters to express bitterness and anger.Avanim (Rocks) is a most lyrical poem and I just tried to match it with a suitable melody.Gam Haefer (Also the ashes) flow in a stormy river. It is a very short song relating to the short life of the poet's father.Mechake Le'avi (Longing for my father) is the poem after which the whole cycle is named. It is painful, cynical and with many deceiving spots of light and hope, which I tried to portray in the music.Nigun Atik (Ancient melody) takes the form of a story, as does the melody. The piano accompaniment goes along and follows the story's turbulences. A traditional folk melody (nigun) is repeated as a refrain and I set it to a harmonic progression reflecting the sadness and tragedy. After composing the song I realized that the fournotes, which spell the name BACH, appear in the melody.Merkava Sh'chora (Black carriage) is very dramatic. I couldn't help being reminded of, and thus also somewhat influenced by, the famous Schubert - Goethe Lieder "Erlkoenig".Rami Bar-Niv