Short bio Joseph Achron
Birthday:
1886 in Lazdijai, Lithuania
Died:
1943 in Los Angeles, CA
Active:
1900s - 1930s
Genre:
Classical
Period:
Modern
Full biography Joseph Achron
Joseph Achron (1886-1943) was a Russian-American composer and violinist of Jewish origin. Achron started to show his musical talent early on and emerged as a child prodigy at the age of seven. He continued to pursue music and went on to study at the St. Petersburg Conservatory with Leopold Auer. Achron specialized in violin performance and became one of the leading violinists of his time.
Achron also had a successful career as a composer and wrote music for both the violin and other instruments. He was well known for his use of Jewish folk music in his compositions, and he was a member of the Society for Jewish Folk Music.
Among Achron's works are two violin concertos and the ballet music for Golem. He also wrote chamber music, symphonies, and film scores. One of his most famous works is the Hebrew Melody, a piece for violin and orchestra.
Achron's music has been performed widely and has been recorded by many notable musicians. He is considered an important figure in Jewish music and in the modern classical music landscape. Achron died at the age of 57 in Hollywood, California, where he had lived for many years.
Compositions featuring Joseph Achron
| # | Name | Duration | Genre | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Concerto for Piano Alone | 11:14 min | Concerto | 1941 |
| 2 | Golem, suite for chamber orchestra | 12:35 min | Orchestral | 1932 |
| 3 | Tableaux (2) from the Theater Music to Belshazzar, for orchestra | 17:10 min | Orchestral | 1931 |
| 4 | Statuettes, for piano, Op. 66 | Keyboard | 1930 | |
| 5 | Violin Concerto No. 1, Op. 60 | 35:38 min | Concerto | 1925 |
| 6 | Pieces (2) for piano, Op. 56 | 8:34 min | Keyboard | 1923 |
| 7 | Songs (3), for voice & piano, Op. 53 | 9:08 min | Vocal Music | 1923 |
| 8 | Songs (2), for voice & piano, Op. 52 | 5:16 min | Vocal Music | 1922 |
| 9 | Sonata for violin & piano No. 2, Op. 45 | 30:14 min | Chamber Music | 1917 |
| 10 | Eli Zion, for violin & piano | 6:19 min | Chamber Music | 1912 |
| 11 | Hebrew Melody for violin & orchestra, Op.33 | 5:24 min | Concerto | 1911 |
| 12 | Violin Sonata, Op.29 | 37:27 min | Chamber Music | 1910 |
| 13 | Première Suite en Style Ancien, Op.21 | 12:00 min | Chamber Music | 1906 |
| 14 | Po En-Harod, for voice & piano, Op. 69 | 2:43 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 15 | Prelude for violin & piano, Op. 13 | 3:38 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 16 | Scher, Op. 42 | 1:55 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 17 | Serenade for violin & piano, Op. 17 | 2:50 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 18 | Plaisanterie musicale sur l'air populaire "Oh, du lieber Augustin" in G major, for violin, Op. 19/2 | 6:57 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 19 | Souvenir de Varsovie, Op. 14 | 3:29 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 20 | Statuettes for piano | 11:42 min | Keyboard | - |
| 21 | Stimmung in B for violin & piano, Op. 36/2 | 1:46 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 22 | Stempenyu, suite for violin & piano | 6:24 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 23 | Stimmung G minor for violin & piano, Op. 26/1 | 3:28 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 24 | Pensée de L. Auer, for violin & piano | 2:14 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 25 | Stimmung in B minor for violin & piano, Op. 32/2 | 3:45 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 26 | Stimmung in D minor for violin & piano, Op. 32/1 | 1:57 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 27 | Stimmungen (2) for violin & piano, Op. 32 | 6:08 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 28 | Stimmungen (2), for violin & piano, Op. 36 | 5:39 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 29 | Suite bizarre (Cycle des Rhythmes), for violin & piano, Op. 41 | 18:20 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 30 | Suite for violin & piano No. 2, Op. 22 | 15:27 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 31 | Suite for violin & piano No. 3 ("Quatre Tableaux fantastiques"), Op. 23 | 15:30 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 32 | Symphonic Variations and Sonata on a Jewish Theme, "El jiwneh Hagalil" | 20:11 min | Keyboard | - |
| 33 | Welcome, for piano | 4:38 min | Keyboard | - |
| 34 | Hebrew Pieces (2) for orchestra, Op. 35 | 7:45 min | Orchestral | - |
| 35 | Berceuse for violin & piano, Op. 20 | 3:54 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 36 | Canzonetta for violin & piano, Op. 52/2 | 2:36 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 37 | Children's Suite, for piano | 10:38 min | Keyboard | - |
| 38 | Children's Suite, for violin & piano (from Op. 57) | 10:48 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 39 | Coquetterie for violin & piano, Op. 15 | 2:21 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 40 | Dance Improvisation for violin & piano, Op. 37 | 3:09 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 41 | Dance Improvisations on a Hebrew Folk Melody | 3:20 min | Miscellaneous (Classical) | - |
| 42 | Dream, for piano | 4:20 min | Keyboard | - |
| 43 | Eili Eili | 6:19 min | Miscellaneous (Classical) | - |
| 44 | Fragment mystique, for cello & piano | 3:31 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 45 | Gavotte Satirique, Op.10 | 3:02 min | Orchestral | - |
| 46 | Hebrew Dance | 7:07 min | Miscellaneous (Classical) | - |
| 47 | Hebrew Lullaby for violin & piano, Op. 35/2 | 2:53 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 48 | Piano in the Children's Room, for piano | 9:15 min | Keyboard | - |
| 49 | In a kleiner schtibele, for voice & piano | 1:14 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 50 | Kiddush Hashem, incidental music | 4:24 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 51 | Kindersuite (Children's Suite), for clarinet, string quartet & piano | 24:45 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 52 | La Romanesca | 3:39 min | Miscellaneous (Classical) | - |
| 53 | Les Sylphides for violin & piano, Op. 18 | 3:41 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 54 | Liebeswidmung for violin & piano, Op. 51 | 2:33 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 55 | Lullaby, for violin & piano | 2:12 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 56 | Marchen for violin & piano, Op. 46 | 3:33 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 57 | Pastel in A minor for violin & piano, Op. 44/1 | 3:54 min | Keyboard | - |
| 58 | Pastel in E minor for violin & piano, Op. 44/2 | 2:40 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 59 | Pastels (2), for violin & piano, Op. 44 | 6:35 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 60 | A kapele konzertisten, for voice & piano, Op. 64 | 3:14 min | Vocal Music | - |
Albums featuring Joseph Achron
| # | Сover | Name album | Year | Music label |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
Joseph Achron, Michael Ludwig, Alison D'Amato – Music For Violin And Piano(CD, ) | 2017 | Naxos |
| 2 |  |
Joseph Achron – Hagai Shaham, Arnon Erez – Complete Suites For Violin And Piano(2×CD, Album) | 2012 | Hyperion |
| 3 |  |
Violin Concerto(CD, ) | 2003 | Naxos |
| 4 |  |
Ingolf Turban, Jascha Nemtsov, Joseph Achron, Niccolò Paganini – A capriccio(CD, ) | 2003 | Hänssler Classic |
| 5 |  |
Lazare Saminsky, Alexander Weprik, Joseph Achron - Jascha Nemtsov – Across Boundaries (Discovering Russia 1910-1940) - Vol. 2: The New Jewish School / Die Neue Jüdische Schule(CD, ) | 1999 | Edition Abseits |
| 6 |  |
Louis Kaufman, Camille Saint-Saëns, Aram Khatchaturian, Joseph Achron – Violin Concerto N°3 In B Minor /Violin Concerto In D Minor/Stimmung(CD, Compilation, Mono) | 1994 | Biddulph Recordings |
| 7 |  |
Stutschewsky, Joseph Achron, Joseph Bialsky, Michael Rudiakov, David James (5) – The Russian Jewish Composers, Vol. V(LP) | 1983 | Musique Internationale |
| 8 |  |
Kiselgof, P. Lvov, Jacob Weinberg, Lev Zeitlin, J. Achron, A. Krein, Stutschewsky, Yosef Yankelev, Paul Posnak – The Russian Jewish Composers, Vol. III(LP) | 1983 | Musique Internationale |
| 9 |  |
Lydia Mordkovitch, Bruch, Bloch, Ravel, Achron – Hebrew Melody(LP, Stereo) | 1981 | RCA Red Seal |
| 10 |  |
Joseph Achron, Mikhail Gnesin, Alexander Krein, Lazare Saminsky, Yuval Waldman, Cathy Waldman (2) – The Russian Jewish Composers, Vol. II(LP, Album) | 1979 | Musique Internationale |
| 11 |  |
Ben Haim, Achron, Sasha Parnes, J. Páleníček – Berceuse / Berceuse Hebraique(Shellac, 10", 78 RPM) | - | Supraphon |
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