Andre Hajdu


André Hajdu was a Hungarian-born Israeli composer and ethnomusicologist.
WWW Official Site

Biography

Hajdu studied at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest with Endre Szervánszky and Ferenc Szabó, Erno Szégedi, and Zoltán Kodály. As a Kodály disciple, he was involved for two years in research about Gypsy musical culture and published several articles on this subject.
After the Hungarian Revolution of 1956, Hajdu escaped to Paris and continued his studies at the Paris Conservatoire with Darius Milhaud and Olivier Messiaen, obtaining the 1st prize in the discipline. Among his class mates were Gilbert Amy, William Bolcom, Philip Corner and Paul Méfano. In Paris he met a variety of stimulating people from the playwright Samuel Beckett to Prof. Israel Adler of the Hebrew University, who brought him on his first visit to Israel in 1966.
Hajdu took up residence in Jerusalem in 1966. He taught at the Tel Aviv Music Academy from 1966 to 1991 and at Bar-Ilan University since 1970. He served as chairman in the Music Department there and founded a composition department. His notable students have included Aharon Razel, Gil Shohat, Yonatan Razel, Yoni Rechter, Matti Kovler and Matan Porat.
Hajdu composed many pedagogical works, particularly for piano and theory through a creative approach e.g. Milky Way, Art of Piano-playing, Book of Challenges, Concerto for 10 young pianists. All this is connected with the practice of creative teaching in the Israel Arts & Science Academy in Jerusalem, an experimental school for a new approach to music teaching. He also studied Jewish Klezmer and Hassidic repertories and published several articles on this subject. He was deeply involved in Jewish topics, not only on the usual folkloristic or liturgical levels, but also confronted more abstract subjects of Jewish thought as well as Jewish History. In 2005 he received the title of Doctor Honoris Causa of Jerusalem Hebrew University.
Hajdu died in Jerusalem at age 84.

Awards

Selected works

;For the StageLudus Paschalis, a medieval passover play The Story of Jonas, Opera for children's choir Koheleth , a biblical recitation with 4 celli
;OrchestralPetit enfer The Unbearable Intensity of Youth Bashful Serenades for clarinet and orchestra On Light and Depth Concerto for an Ending Century for piano and orchestra Continuum for 15 players and piano
;StringsTruath Melech for clarinet and string orchestra The False Prophet for narrator and string orchestra Divertimento Overture in Form of a Kite
;Chamber5 Sketches in Sentimental Mood for piano quartet Instants suspendus for violin, viola or cello solo Sonatine à la française for flute and cello Variations for string quartet Birth of a Niggun for flute, clarinet and piano Mishna-Variations for string quartet Music for Three for violin, cello and piano
;PianoPlasmas Diary from Sidi-Bou Said Journey around My Piano Noir sur blanc Metamorphoses 5 Inventions for piano 4-hands
;SongsThe Floating Tower Bestiary Merry Feet Nursery Songs
;Vocal-orchestralCycles of Life, Cantata Dreams of Spain ; about the expulsion of the Jews from SpainJob and His Comforters, Biblical and Historical Oratorio
;ChoralHouse of Shaul for mixed chorus The Question of the Sons Bitzinioth Nov Mishnayoth Proverbs of Solomon for choir and percussion

Discography

  • On Light and Depth. I.M.I.
  • R.C.A. Victor
  • - Hungaroton
  • - Hungaroton
  • Truath Melech. Plane