Sublime early 20th century art songs to Hebrew poetry by Jacob Fichman and Avraham Ben-Yitzhak (see lyrics and translations below).

Achron’s Two Songs, Opus 52 were composed in 1922 and published by Jibneh, Berlin / Jerusalem in 1923. They are dedicated to Achron’s wife, singer Marie Raphof, who premiered the songs in St. Petersburg in 1922.

The first song “Yom Yom Ani Holekh Lim’onekh” conveys one’s thoughts and feelings that arise on a daily walk to the beloved’s home. The second song “Canzonetta. Elul Bashderah” conveys the joy of contemplating the autumn light and falling leaves while strolling along an avenue.

Achron used tropes (melodic motives) derived from Lithuanian Biblical cantillations as basic elements for the songs and developed them in contemporary counterpoint and harmony. The tropes were a never-ending source of inspiration for him.
He made an arrangement of the song “Canzonetta” for violin or cello and piano, which was also published by Jibneh, Berlin / Jerusalem in 1923.

Joseph Achron was born in Lozdzeije, Russia on 1 May 1886, and died in Hollywood, California on 29 April 1943. He was a musical prodigy who made his debut as a violinist at the age of seven and wrote his first composition that year.

After initial lessons from his father, who was a cantor, Achron was thoroughly taught European classical music. He studied violin with professors Michalovich and Isidor Lotti in Warsaw and Leopold Auer at the St. Petersburg Conservatory, where he studied composition with Anatoly Lyadov and Maximilian Steinberg. Achron was always open to new musical developments.

Achron performed and toured as a violin virtuoso, and also composed and taught his students. He joined the St. Petersburg Jewish Folk Music Society in 1911 and devoted himself to creating “Jewish art music of a quality comparable to that of other nations” as he put it. He is best known for his “Hebrew Melody”, which was immortalized by Jascha Heifetz and Mischa Elman.

Achron wrote many more works on Jewish themes including three violin concertos and smaller pieces for violin and piano, pieces for orchestra, choir, chamber music, piano pieces, songs, liturgical music and incidental music for the Yiddish theatres of Alexander Granovsky (St. Petersburg, Russia) and Maurice Schwartz (New York). Some of his scores appeared in print, but many remain unpublished.
Achron immigrated to the United States in 1925 and chose New York as his base of operations. In 1934, he moved to Los Angeles, where he stayed until his death.

Arnold Schoenberg, who became a friend of Achron’s, held his music in high regard. He called Achron “one of the most under-estimated of modern composers; the originality and profound elaboration of Joseph Achron’s ideas guarantee that his work will last.” (Program notes for a concert at Wilshire-Bell Theatre, Los Angeles, March 1945, cited in Moddel, P., “Joseph Achron”, Israeli Music Publications, Tel Aviv, 1966, p. 46 / footnote 33, p. 62).

In the words of Sholem Rav, “Joseph Achron gave [Jewish art music] a face, teeth, eyes, heart, soul and life.” (“Joseph Achron the Jewish composer”, Morgen freyheyt, New York, 18 September 1963, cited in www.museumoffamilyhistory.com› lex › achron-joseph).

For anyone interested in learning more about Joseph Achron, I recommend Philip Moddel’s Achron biography published by Israeli Music Publications, Tel Aviv, 1966. It provides insightful information about his life and work and recounts how Achron's musical legacy was almost lost, but miraculously saved from total destruction.

I was introduced to Achron’s music by Mascha Benya-Matz in New York in 1999. She gave me sheet music for some of his songs and songs by other composers in the St. Petersburg Society for Jewish Folk Music. I loved the songs and wanted to sing them. I asked Paul Prenen to accompany me.

Our rendition of Achron’s songs was recorded at Muziekgebouw aan ’t IJ in Amsterdam on 15 March 2007. They were first released in 2008 on the CD “Curtain Call for the St. Petersburg Jewish Music Society (1908) – 100th Anniversary” (JMP CD002) under the aegis of the Jewish Music Projects Foundation, Amsterdam.

In his review of this CD, Jan Waas wrote that “The Sovali-Prenen duo gave a magnificent performance, full of love for the music.” (NIW, 23 October 2009).

Since we wanted to release the songs again but separately as streams/downloads on the web, we asked Artur Stawski of Sonic Science Lab to remaster them. He did a terrific job, going into fine detail, improving the editing and creating a beautiful ambience for the songs.

Lyrics:

1. Yom Yom Ani Holekh Lim’onekh - Jacob Fichman

Yom Yom ani holekh lim’onekh / Every day I go to your house
Umilah al sfatay hareda, / A word falters on my lips,
Beterem od tugad hamilah, / Even before I have said it,
Ve’im tugad bizman ma mi yeda’? / Who knows when it will be said?

Yom yom al haderekh lim’onekh / Every day on my way to your house
Or oshri al roshi koh lohet / The light of bliss shines on my head
Uveshuvi menahameni kokhavi / And on my return my sad star consoles me
Vekamus sod atsbo boro’ed; / That twinkles silently;

Yom yom began libi baseter / Every day, unseen, in my heart’s garden
Tsits oshri ya’adim vehavar; / The flower of joy blossoms and withers;
Yom yom ani holekh lim’onekh / Every day I go to your house
Ve’eylayikh lo gunav od davar. / And you have not guessed the secret yet.

2. Canzonetta. Elul Bashderah / Autumn in the Avenue - Avraham Ben-Yitzhak

Orot holmim / Dream lights
Orot hivrim / Pale lights
Leraglay tsonhim / Shine on my feet

Tslalim rakim / Tenuous shadows
Tslalim nil’im / Weary shadows
Et shvili yelattefu / Caress my path

Miben porot hasufot / From naked treetops
Ruah qalah / A soft breeze
Titen qolah – / Gives voice –
Vahas… / To the silence…

Hinneh aleh aharon / Look, a last leaf
Ya’uf lematah / Flutters down
Rega yeharad od / It still trembles a bit
Udmamah… ah, ah, ah … / And then it is quiet … ah, ah. ah ...