Obituaries

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Prolific Romanian-Israeli composer. I never heard of him. Should I have?



Sergiu Natra (12 April 1924 – 23 February 2021) of international reputation was one of the greatest and most creative classical composers in the world.[1]
Among NATRA's important creations: "Symphony in Red, Blue, Yellow and Green", "Horizons Symphony", "Invincible Symphony", "Tongues of Fire Symphony", "Memories Symphony", "Future In The Past symphony", "The Meaning Of Life Symphony", "Earth and Water Symphony", "2020 Symphony", "Secrets Symphony", "Variations for Piano and Symphony orchestra", "Song of Deborah for symphony orchestra and voice", "Sacred Service for symphony orchestra".
Among his well-known compositions for the harp: "Music for Violin and Harp", "Sonatina for Harp", "Prayer for Harp", "Divertimento for Harp flute and Strings orchestra", "To be Free", "Commentaires Sentimentaux", "Ode To The Harp" and "Trio in One Movement no. 3".

Natra was born in Romania in April 1924 into a family with Austrian, German and Czech origins. As a child he studied piano and and took up music studies in 1932. He continued his studies at the Jewish conservatory until 1942, and graduated from the Music Academy of Bucharest in 1954.[2] He studied, among others, theory, composition and orchestration with Leon Klepper and modern music with Michael Andricu.[citation needed]

He began composing at an early age and his symphony orchestra composition "March and Choral" earned him the status of a modernist in Romania. The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra performed this work in 1947 under the direction of Edward Lindenberg. Natra received many composition awards for his creations, including for "March and Choral", "Divertimento in ancient style" for symphony string orchestras, the George Enescu award for composition in 1945 and for "Suite for symphony orchestra" in 1951 when he received the National Prize for Composition.[citation needed]

In 1961, Natra and his wife, Sonia, a sculptor and multidisciplinary artist, emigrated to Israel.[1] A year later, conducted by Sergiu Comissiona, the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra performed the "Horizons Symphony for symphony string orchestra", which was the last piece he had written in Romania, and the "Music for violin and harp", performed by the violinist Miriam Fried and the French harpist Françoise Netter.[citation needed]

Besides composing music, Natra taught music, including at Tel-Aviv University, where he taught music of the 20th century, composition, and analysis of forms. He was a professor at the Music Academy in the Tel-Aviv University until 1985. Among his students were Lior Shambadal, Yehonatan Berick, and Sally Pinkas.

Natra and his wife Sonia, had two sons, Danny and Gabi.[3] He died in February 2021 at the age of 96.[4]


Natra was a composer with a clear European orientation, who had a clear personal stamp and a particular writing style with melodic flow, atonal language, polyphonic idea, gradual development and shaping of motive material.[citation needed]

He made use of a rich palette of sound-colors, unusual instrumental combinations, central registers of instruments (and voices), playing techniques which are natural and comfortable and succeed in producing optimal sound, texts in a new language, with its fresh rhythms and sonorities.[citation needed]

An extended list of works and their respective audio and video recordings is to be found at Natra's site

• Divertimento in Ancient Style (1943) for symphony string orchestra; 14'; first performance in 1943; received Enescu Prize (1945)
  
  
• March and Chorale (1943) for symphony orchestra, 11'; first performance in 1944, received Enescu Prize (1945) "A young composer's revolt against Nazi oppression during World War II"
  
  
• The Flood stage music (1944) for the theater work by Mihail Sebastian; first performance in 1944
  
  
• Laughter and Tears (1944) stage music for the Song of Love of Three Oranges by Carlo Gozzi (in collaboration with Edgar Cosma); first performance in 1944
  
  
• Way To The Concentration Camp (1944) dance music for the recital of Judith Taussinger dancer; first performance in 1944
  
  
• String quartet nr. 1 (1944)
  
  
• Spacetime symphony for symphony string orchestra (1944/2017), 3 movements, 40'
  
  
• Spacetime for string quartet (1945/2017), 20'
  
  
• Divertimento in ancient Style (1945) for symphony string orchestra with piano, 14'; first performance in 1945; received Enescu Prize
  
  
• Three Street Cortèges for piano, music for stage (1945) 6'; first performance in 1945
  
  
• Four Poems (1945) stage music for reciters, violin and piano, lyrics of Margareta Dorian and Liana Maxi; first performance in 1945
  
  
• Variations for Piano (1946)
  
  
• Forevermore sonata for piano (1947/2018), 4 movements, 24'
  
  
• Suite for symphony string orchestra, piano and vibraphone (1947)
  
  
• The Girl Soldier (1947) poem music for reciter and piano, lyrics by Ilya Ehrenburg; first performance in 1947
  
  
• Music for Children (1947), piano, 5'20, 7 pieces on Romanian folk tunes; first performance in 1947
  
  
• Song for Republic (1948), mixed choir voices and piano for lyrics by Nina Cassian; first performance in 1948
  
  
• Spring Song (1948), for children choir with 2 equal voices, lyrics by Letitia Papu; first performance in 1948
  
  
• Suite for symphony orchestra (1949), 14'; first performance in 1950, received Romanian National Prize, dedicated to Leon Klepper;
  
  
• Earth and Water symphony for symphony orchestra (1949/2017), 4 movements, 30'
  
  
• Two pieces for film journals (1950) for orchestra; music for film
  
  
• Symphony for orchestra (1951), 35'; first performance (1’s movement) in 1951
  
  
• Songs collection (1952)
  
  
• Existence Symphony for symphony orchestra and baritone (1956), 4 movements, 35'; first performance in 1958
  
  
• Existence for baritone & piano (1956), 30', texts: Stefan O. Iosif, Mihai Eminescu, Tudor Arghezi, Emil Isac
  
  
• Horizons Symphony for symphony string orchestra (1959), 3 movements, 27'; first performance in 1962
  
  
• Music for Violin and Harp (1960), 12'; first performance in 1965, Tel-Aviv
  
  
• Interlude for Harp (1962), 8'
  
  
• Festive Overture - Toccata and Fuga (1963) for symphony orchestra, 12'; first performance in 1963
  
  
• Sonatina for Harp (1963), 7', solo harp; first performance in 1963, Israel, received prize for the mandatory piece in International Harp Contest
  
  
• Music for Harpsichord and Six Instruments (1964) harpsichord, flute, clarinet, 2 violas, cello, & double bass, 19’; first performance in 1964, Jerusalem; many performances as a ballet music titled The Wait
  
  
• Symphony for symphony string orchestra (1964), 19'; first performance in 1972
  
  
• Music for Oboe and Strings (1965) oboe & string orchestra 3 movements, 16'; first performance in 1965, dedicated to composer's wife, Sonia
  
  
• Variations for Piano and symphony orchestra (1966), 22', first performance: 1967
  
  
• Tongues of Fire (1967) Le'shonot ha'esh ballet music in 4 acts for symphony orchestra, 35’; first performance in 1967; Bath Sheva Dance Company (Pearl Lang, USA)
  
  
• Song of Deborah (1967) Shirat Devorah, voice & orchestra; text: Bible: Judges: 5, in Hebrew, 17', first performance in 1967 in USA; received Tel-Aviv Municipality Engel Prize
  
  
• Tongues of Fire Symphony (1968) Le'shonot ha'esh, 4 movements, 50'; first performance in 1968
  
  
• Prelude and Nehemiah Builds the Second House (1968) choir (SATB), baritone & symphony orchestra, texts: Bible: Apocrypha; Book of Nehemiah, in Hebrew, 3 movements, 10'; first performance in 1968, (1’st Testimonium)
  
  
• Memorial for Harp (1968), 8'
  
  
• Sonatina for Trombone in 5 movements (1969), 11’, solo trombone; first performance: 1969
  
  
• Sonatina for Trumpet in 4 movements (1969), 7’, solo trumpet; first performance in 1969
  
  
• Prayer (1970) solo harp, 6'; first performance in 1970
  
  
• Trio in One Movement nr. 1 (1971) piano trio, 12'; first performance in 1972, Tel-Aviv
  
  
• Dedication (1972) various passages from Bible Psalms; Isaiah, in Hebrew, first performance in 1972
  
  
• A Book of Hebrew Songs (1973) 10 pieces for harp, 12'; first performance in 1977, Tel-Aviv; based on songs from various Jewish communities, mandatory work in Israeli Harp Contest 2014
  
  
• Divertimento for Harp and Strings (1974) string quartet & double bass ad lib., 10'; first performance in 1977 (USA)
  
  
• Sonata Brevis for trombone bass (1974)
  
  
• Sacred Service (1975), choir (SATB), baritone, soprano, violin, cello, harp, & organ, 40’; first performance in 1982 (USA)
  
  
• Sacred Service (1975) 3 choruses organ, choir (SATB), baritone, soprano, violin, cello, harp, & organ, 7’
  
  
• Sacred Service (1975) 2 songs, soprano, piano, 11'
  
  
• Discoveries (1976) "Entdeckungen" Children’s play for 10 pedal harps, 5 Irish harps, & percussion (3), text: Phia Berghout (Netherlands); Sonia & Sergiu Natra, in German, 7'; first performance in 1977 (Netherlands); conceived as a project for ISCM Days, Bonn, Germany
  
  
• Pages from a Composer's Diary (1978) for symphony orchestra, 15'; first performance in 1978
  
  
• Variations (1978) for harpsichord, 13'; first performance in 1978
  
  
• Song of Deborah (1978), voice & symphony orchestra, text: Bible: Judges: 5, in Hebrew, 17'; first performance in 1979
  
  
• Sacred Service (1978) for symphony orchestra voice solo and choir; first performance in 1983
  
  
• Introduction and three interludes (1978) for symphony orchestra, part of the Sacred Service work
  
  
• Museum on the Hill (1979) film music for clarinet, French horn, viola, cello, piano, harp, percussion, & accordion, 27'; recorded, 1979, Jerusalem Film Center, about the Israel Museum in Jerusalem
  
  
• Invincible Symphony (1981), 4 movements, 25'
  
  
• Hours (1981) 7 songs for alto, clarinet, violin, & piano text: Sonia Natra, 12'; first performance: 1981
  
  
• Diary of a Choreographer (1982) ballet music for flute, piano, & tape, 30'; first performance: 1982, Bath Sheva Dance Company (Robert Cohan UK)
  
  
• Music For Harp and Three Brass Instruments (1983) harp, trumpet, trombone, & French horn, 8'; first performance in 1983
  
  
• Miracle of the Peoples (1984) cantata for choir (SATB), soprano, baritone, & orchestra text: Bible: Isaiah, in German, 16'; first performance in 1984
  
  
• Divertimento for Harp and String Orchestra (1985), 12'
  
  
• Divertimento for Harp, Flute and String Orchestra (1985), 12'
  
  
• Music for Violin and Piano (1986)
  
  
• Fantasia for Violoncello and Piano (1987)
  
  
• Sonatina for Piano (1987)
  
  
• Developments (1988) viola & orchestra, 11'; first performance in 1989
  
  
• Developments (1988) for viola and piano, 11'
  
  
• Music for Nicanor (1988) harp, flute, clarinet & string quartet, 12'; first performance in 1990 ( USA); commissioned by the harpist Nicanor Zabaletta
  
  
• Ancient Walls (1990) harp & trombone, 10'; first performance in 1990 (France)
  
  
• String Quartet No. 2 (1991), 15'
  
  
• Concerto a quattro (1993) clarinet, trombone, cello, organ, & string orchestra, 18'
  
  
• Sonata for Four Harps (1993), four harps, composed during Natra staying in Paris at Citee des Arts (1992)
  
  
• Wings (1994), choir (SATB), text: Sonia Natra in Hebrew, 4', dedicated to granddaughter, Gillie
  
  
• Wings (1994), 4', soprano & piano, text: Sonia Natra in Hebrew, 4', dedicated to granddaughter, Gillie
  
  
• Ballade Millenaire (1998), solo harp, 7'; first performance in 1998
  
  
• Harmonic Tone Image for two pianos (1998), 10'; first performance in 2000
  
  
• Reflections on Mordechai Zeira’s Song Two Roses (1998) string quartet, 4'
  
  
• Sonata in One Movement (1999) harp & string quartet, 15'; first performance 1999 (Prague)
  
  
• Three Poems (2000) Exod, Ricercare, Destin, for voice, text: Sonia Natra
  
  
• Trio in One Movement nr. 2 (2001) piano trio, 14'; dedicated to Hava Armon
  
  
• Two Poems (2001) Migration, Ricercare, voice & harp, 6', text: Sonia Natra; first performance in France
  
  
• Commentaires Sentimentaux (2002) flute, viola, & harp; first performance in 2002 (France)
  
  
• Trio in One Movement nr. 3 (2006) 2 French horns & harp, 10'; first performance in 2006 (Bern)
  
  
• Variations (2007) harpsichord, 13'
  
  
• Pages from a Composer's Diary (2008) for symphony orchestra, 15'; first performance in 2009
  
  
• Ancient Walls (2008) for French horn and harp, 10'
  
  
• Nehemiah symphony (2010), 30'; first performance in 2010
  
  
• Cantosonata for Harp solo (2011), solo harp, 7'; first performance in 2012 (Taipei, Taiwan), dedicated to Isabelle Perrin and Natra Gabi
  
  
• Sonata for Clarinet (B) and Piano (2011), dedicated to Hava and Ernest Armon
  
  
• Konzertstuck for two Pianos and symphony orchestra (2012), 15'; first performance in 2015
  
  
• Divertimento in Ancient Style for piano in four hands (2012), 12'; first performance in 2016 (USA)
  
  
• Esquisses for flute and piano (2013), 11'; first performance in 2016
  
  
• A Dialogue With Gabi for piano (2015), 4 movements, 14'
  
  
• Concert Piece for Two Pianos and symphony orchestra (2015), 15'
  
  
• Music for piano, flute, clarinet and two violas, cello and double bass (2015), 20'
  
  
• Music for piano, flute, clarinet and string orchestra (2015), 20'
  
  
• Symphony in Red, Blue, Yellow and Green for symphony orchestra (2016), 4 movements, 42'; first performance in 2016, dedicated to the composer's grandparents Elise (Loew) and Philip Lustgarten, Hana and Samuel Nadler, parents Nora (Lustgarten) and Beniamin Nadler and son Gabi Natra
  
  
• Espaces Sonores for Harp, Flute and String Orchestra (2016), 18'
  
  
• Future in the Past for two violins, viola, violoncello and piano (2017), 13'
  
  
• Spacetime for string quintet (1945/2017), 20'
  
  
• Ode To The Harp (2017), 16'
  
  
• Séparément Ensemble pour deux harpes (2018), 16'
  
  
• Occurrences Symphony for symphony orchestra (2017), 3 movements, 25'
  
  
• Music for two harps and orchestra (2018), 15'
  
  
• Music for harp and orchestra (2018), 14'
  
  
• Modus Vivendi for piano (2018), 17'
  
  
• Inter Senses for two pianos (2018), 15'
  
  
• Memories Symphony for symphony orchestra (2018), 6 movements, 46'
  
  
• Three Street Cortèges for concert piano (2018), 3 movements, 13'
  
  
• Figurative Abstract for piano (2018), 3 movements, 13'
  
  
• Thoughts of Emotions for Marimba (2018), 16'
  
  
• Thoughts of Emotions for two Marimbas (2018), 16'
  
  
• Abstraction for Marimba (2018), 13'
  
  
• Toujours sonate pour harpe (2018), 4 movements, 25'
  
  
  

Most of the above related scores were published by IMI in Tel-Aviv[5] and by Harposphere in Paris.[6] Part of the composers scores, the respective recordings, books and articles are found also in libraries, such as, Beit Ariela Public Library and Cultural Center (Israel),[7] The National Library of Israel,[8] The library of Congress (USA)[9] and The Harold B. Lee Library (USA).[10]

The main source of the above list is the composer's documentation and archive. Additional references are found in:.[11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43] [44]
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergiu_Natra