Guitar - Intermediate
SKU: OT.26114
Composed by Ariel
Lazarus. A short suite
for classical guitar
based on themes from the
Spanish and Portuguese
tradition. Classical.
Score. OR-TAV Music
Publications #26114.
Published by OR-TAV Music
Publications (OT.26114).
ISBN 9789655051049.
8.27 x 11.69
inches.
Ariel
Lazarus
Guitarra
Liturgia
Two pieces
based on music from the
Spanish and Portuguese
tradition.
Contents:
Jerusalem
de Sefarad - Suite for
Guitar
Contrapunto
Sefardi
The composer
writes:
For many
years I wanted to compose
a piece for guitar which
would inspire interested
students to expand their
repertoire in the
direction of Jewish
music. The most natural
thing for me was to write
a suite based on themes
from the synagogue in
which I grew up –
the Spanish and
Portuguese synagogue of
Gibraltar. My beloved
grandfather served all
his life as hazzan
(cantor) of this
synagogue, and I always
felt as a composer and
educator that I had a
special obligation to
continue his tradition
and pass it on to a new
generation. In this
composition, I let the
guitar echo the piyyutim
(semi-liturgical poems)
that were part of my
childhood: Adon Olam,
Sh'charchoret, Achot
K'tana, Yigdal, Borei ad
Ana, all of which are
sung in the Spanish and
Portuguese tradition from
Gibraltar to London, and
from New York to
Jerusalem. I let myself
dream the piyyutim, take
them apart and
reconstruct them as a
short suite for guitar,
the results of which you
are invited to hear here.
As a conceptual idea for
the suite, I choose to
suggest about the
cultural continuation
between the Diaspora and
the land of Israel by way
of referencing the
well-known melody of
Naomi Shemer, which is
also popular among the
hazzanim.
Dr. Ariel
Lazarus is a unique voice
among Israeli
composer-performers
today. Brought up in a
family with Jewish
musical roots both in
Gibraltar and Westphalia,
he began composing and
playing the guitar in his
teens, and has been
committed to developing
his own compositional
language ever since,
always maintaining an
open dialogue with his
traditions.
Lazarus
received his BMus and
MMus degrees from
Oklahoma City University
in classical guitar
performance and
composition where he
studied with American
composer Dr. Edward
Knight. He earned his PhD
from Bar Ilan University,
studying composition with
Prof. Betty Olivero and
Prof. Gideon Lewensohn
and conducting research
under the supervision of
Prof. Edwin Seroussi from
the Hebrew University.
His symphonic works have
been premiered by the
Raanana Symphonette
Orchestra, and his
chamber works have been
performed by various
ensembles in the United
States, Central Europe,
Portugal, Gibraltar,
Scandinavia and Israel.
Lazarus performs
regularly as Art
Ambassador on behalf of
the Israeli Ministry of
Diaspora affairs Amiel
BaKehila program.
His
solo album A Hebrew
Capriccio was released by
the German boutique label
SmoothFactor and was
awarded critical acclaim,
among others, in Haaretz,
and Neue Westfalishe.
Dr. Lazarus is the
musical director and
co-founder of the Israeli
Ladino Orchestra. His
work with the orchestra
has been recognized by
the official Carta de
España. He teaches at
the Academic College for
Education Givat
Washington, and the Rimon
School of Music.
Lazarus’s work has
been awarded by the
Israeli Pais Art council
and ACUM.
