Nationality Polish
later Israeli Role Composer Alma mater Warsaw Conservatory Died January 2, 1997 | Religion Jewish Awards Israel Prize Name Moshe Vilenski | |
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Born April 17, 1910 Warsaw, Poland Notable work Songs: "Kalaniyot" ("Anemones"), "Hayu Zmanim" ("In Those Times)", "Autumn," "Ring Twice and Wait," "Each Day I Lose," "The Last Battle", and "Mul Har Sinai" ("Opposite Mt. Sinai") Education Fryderyk Chopin University of Music Similar People Nathan Alterman, Haim Hefer, Tirza Atar, Yehuda Amichai, Yaakov Orland | ||
Moshe Vilenski (Hebrew: משה וילנסקי, also, "Vilensky" and "Wilensky"; April 17, 1910 – January 2, 1997) was a Polish-Israeli composer, lyricist, and pianist. He is considered a "pioneer of Israeli song" and one of Israel's leading composers, and was a winner of the Israel Prize, the state's highest honor.
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Early life
Vilenski, who was Jewish, was born in Warsaw, Poland, the son of Zelig and Henia (née Liebman). He studied music at the Warsaw Conservatory in Warsaw, specializing in conducting and composition, and immigrated to Palestine in 1932. He married Bertha Yakimovska in 1939.
Music career
A pianist and composer, Vilenski wrote music for theaters and musical troupes of the Israel Defense Forces, including the Nahal choir in the 1950s. He worked with the Kol Yisrael orchestra.
Vilenski's music combines Slavic music and Eastern music. He composed for films, plays, hora dances, cabaret songs, and nursery children's tunes, writing nearly 1,500 songs in his lifetime. Among his songs are "Kalaniyot" ("Anemones"), "Hayu Zmanim" ("In Those Times)", "Autumn," "Ring Twice and Wait," "Each Day I Lose," "The Last Battle", and "Mul Har Sinai" ("Opposite Mt. Sinai"). He wrote music for many of Natan Alterman's poems. In 1962, Israeli Esther Reichstadt won second prize at the Polish international song festival with Vilenski's song "Autumn".
In 1983, Vilenski was awarded the Israel Prize, for Hebrew song (melody). In 1990, a special concert in honor of his 80th birthday was given by the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. In 1998, the Israel Association of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ACUM) named its Song of the Year Award the "Moshe Wilensky Prize".