Text is a poem by Arminda Ralesky. Composed 1969.--Cf. Fleisher Collection.
From the description of Kadisch : cantata para solistas, coro y orquesta, op. 112 / Jacobo Ficher ; poema de Arminda Ralesky. 1969. (Franklin & Marshall College). WorldCat record id: 85607486
Composed 1956.--Cf. Fleisher Collection.
From the description of Sexta sinfonia : op. 86 / Jacobo Ficher. [1956] (Franklin & Marshall College). WorldCat record id: 49800180
Composed 1926. Revised 1962. First performance (of 2nd movement only) Buenos Aires, 26 August 1926, Asociación del Profesorado Orquestal, Ernest Ansermet conductor. First performance (of 1st and 3rd movements only) Buenos Aires, 9 July 1927, Asociación del Profesorado Orquestal, Henry Hadley conductor.--Cf. Fleisher Collection.
From the description of 2a suite : op. 6 / Jacobo Ficher. [19--?] (Franklin & Marshall College). WorldCat record id: 49800147
Suite from the ballet in 1 act with libretto by Boris Romanoff. Composed 1933.--Cf. Fleisher Collection.
From the description of Los invitados : ballet : op. 26 / Jacobo Ficher. [1933] (Franklin & Marshall College). WorldCat record id: 49800121
Composed 1946.--Cf. Fleisher Collection.
From the description of Cuarta sinfonia : op. 60 / Jacobo Ficher. [19--?] (Franklin & Marshall College). WorldCat record id: 49800171
Text is a poem by José Isaacson. Composed 1957. First performance Radio Nacional, 14 August 1956, Jean Fournet conductor.--Cf. Fleisher Collection.
From the description of Oda a la libertad, op. 90 / Jacobo Ficher ; poema de Jose Isaacson. 1957. (Franklin & Marshall College). WorldCat record id: 85607452
Composed 1938-40. Awarded 1st Prize by the Comisión Nacional de Cultura, 1940.--Cf. Fleisher Collection.
From the description of Tercera sinfonia : op. 36 / Jacobo Ficher. [19--?] (Franklin & Marshall College). WorldCat record id: 49800167
Prompted by the Second World War and by biblical quotations from the Prophet Isaiah. Commissioned by and dedicated to the Sociedad Hebraica Argentina. Composed 1947. First performance Teatro Colón, Buenos Aires, 15 August 1954, Orquesta Sinfónica Municipal de Buenos Aires, the composer conducting.--Cf. Fleisher Collection.
From the description of Quinta sinfonia : Así habló Isaias : op. 63 / Jacobo Ficher. [1947] (Franklin & Marshall College). WorldCat record id: 49800176
Composed 1928. First performance Buenos Aires, 23 December 1928, Orquesta de Cámara Renacimiento, Juan José Castro conductor.--Cf. Fleisher Collection.
From the description of Dos poemas : de El Jardinero de R. Tagore ; para orquesta da cámara / Jacobo Ficher. [19--?] (Franklin & Marshall College). WorldCat record id: 49800117
Suggested by the Argentine struggle for independence, specifically the May Revolution of 1810. Composed 1958-1959. Won first prize in the competition organized by the Argentinian Communications Secretariat to mark the sesquicentenary of the May Revolution, 1960. First performance Buenos Aires, 26 May 1960, Orquesta Sinfónica Radio Nacional, Ferrucio Calusio conductor, to whom the work is dedicated.--Cf. Fleisher Collection.
From the description of Epopeya de Mayo : septima sinfonia, op. 92 / Jacobo Ficher. [1959]. (Franklin & Marshall College). WorldCat record id: 58447835
Composer Jacopo Ficher, born Jan. 15, 1896, in Odessa, Russia, came from anartistic family that included many musicians as well as actors on the Russian stage. He began his violin studies when he was five years old. At 16, he moved to Saint Petersburg and was accepted at the Imperial Conservatory where he studied for 6 years under prominent musicians and pedagogues, such as Sergei Korguieff and Leopold Auer in violin, and Vasili Kalafati, Maximilian Steinberg, Nikolay Tcherepnin, and Nicolai Sokoloff in fugue, harmony, counterpoint, composition and orchestration. Eventually he settled in Buenos Aires in the 1920s, where in 1929 he was one of the founders of the Grupo Renovación, which rapidly became the leading organization for the promotion of a new musical trend in Argentina. Ficher died on Sept. 9, 1978, in Buenos Aires.
From the description of Jacobo Ficher collection, 1864-1997 (bulk 1919-1978). (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 71055210
Composed 1971. Dedicated to Mariano Drago.--Cf. Fleisher Collection.
From the description of Tre pezzi per ottoni e percussione, op. 116 / Jacobo Ficher. 1971. (Franklin & Marshall College). WorldCat record id: 85607287
Composed 1968. Dedicated to Alfredo Ganelli.--Cf. Fleisher Collection.
From the description of Concierto para flauta y orquesta de cámara : op. 107 / Jacobo Ficher. [1968] (Franklin & Marshall College). WorldCat record id: 49800103
Suggested by Alexander Ivanovich Kuprin's romantic novel of the same name. Composed 1927. Revised 1960. First performance Buenos Aires, 20 June 1929, Asociación del profesorado Orquestal, Nikolai Malko conductor. Dedicated to the memory of the composer's mother. Awarded first prize of the Municipality of Buenos Aires, 1931.--Cf. Fleisher Collection.
From the description of Sulamita : op. 8 / Jacobo Ficher. [196-?] (Franklin & Marshall College). WorldCat record id: 49800153
Composed 1972. First performance Buenos Aires, 27 June 1974, Orquesta Filarmónica de Buenos Aires, Pedro Ignacio Calderón conductor. Dedicated to the Argentine People.--Cf. Fleisher Collection.
From the description of Capriccio Argentina : op. 112 / Jacobo Ficher. [1972] (Franklin & Marshall College). WorldCat record id: 49800098
Tentatively identified by Miguel Ficher, the composer's son, as belonging to his father's Cello concerto.--Cf. Fleisher Collection.
From the description of [Concerto for violoncello and orchestra, op. 128] . [1974?]. (Franklin & Marshall College). WorldCat record id: 65182542
Composed 1942. Awarded honorable mention in the invitation contest for a violin concerto by Latin American composers, anonymously sponsored by the Edwin A. Fleisher Collection of the Free Library of Philadelphia, 1942. First performance Buenos Aires, 17 July 1944, Orquesta Sinfónica de la Asociación de Músicos de la Argentina, the composer conducting, Anita Sujovolsky soloist. Dedicated to Anita Sujovolsky.--Cf. Fleisher Collection.
From the description of Concerto : para violin y orquesta : op. 46 / Jacobo Ficher ; reducción para violin y piano por el autor. [19--?] (Franklin & Marshall College). WorldCat record id: 49800113
Composed 1933. First performance Buenos Aires, 23 October 1939, Orquesta Sinfónica del Asociación General de Musicos Argentinos, the composer conducting.--Cf. Fleisher Collection.
From the description of Segunda sinfonia : op. 24 / Jacobo Ficher. [1933] (Franklin & Marshall College). WorldCat record id: 49800161
Premiered 9 August 1951.--Cf. Fleisher Collection.
From the description of Cantata Salmo de alegria / Jacobo Ficher. 1949. (Franklin & Marshall College). WorldCat record id: 70804990
Composed 1973. Dedicated to Enrique Sivieri.--Cf. Fleisher Collection.
From the description of Novena sinfonia : op. 123 / Jacobo Ficher. [1973] (Franklin & Marshall College). WorldCat record id: 49800184
Composed 1930. Awarded 1st prize in the competition sponsored by the Asociación del Profesorado Orquestal, 1932. First performance Buenos Aires, 16 September 1934, Orquesta Sinfónica del Asociación del Profesorado orquestal, José Maria Castro conductor.--Cf. Fleisher Collection.
From the description of Tres bocetos sinfónicos : inspirados en el Talmud : op. 17 / Jacobo Ficher. [1930] (Franklin & Marshall College). WorldCat record id: 49800185
Premiere 29 August 1963.--Cf. Fleisher Collection.
From the description of Mi aldea : cantata para soprano, contralto, tenor y orquesta de cámara : op. 91. [1958]. (Franklin & Marshall College). WorldCat record id: 69683163
Premiered on 12 Nov. 1968.--Cf. Fleisher Collection.
From the description of Pedido de mano : opera bufa en 1 acto : argumento de Anton Chejov, op. 84 / Jacobo Ficher. [1956]. (Franklin & Marshall College). WorldCat record id: 70339199
Composed 1932. First performance Buenos Aires, 8 July 1932, Associación del Profesorado Orquestal, the composer conducting. Revised 1966.--Cf. Fleisher Collection.
From the description of Primera sinfonia : op. 20 : (de cámara) / Jacobo Ficher. [1932] (Franklin & Marshall College). WorldCat record id: 49800157
Libretto from a story, "The bear," by Anton Chekhov; Spanish version by the composer and Miguel FIcher. Composed 1952.--Cf. Fleisher Collection.
From the description of El oso : opera de cámara en 1 acto : argumento de Anton Chejov / Jacobo Ficher. 1952. (Franklin & Marshall College). WorldCat record id: 85607317
Composed 1965. Dedicated to the memory of Juan José Castro.--Cf. Fleisher Collection.
From the description of 8a sinfonia, op. 105 / Jacobo Ficher. [1965]. (Franklin & Marshall College). WorldCat record id: 85607525
Biographical Sketch
1896
On January 15 Jacobo (Iakov) Ficher was born in Odessa, Russia to Alexander Ficher (Odessa, 1864 - Buenos Aires, 1937), trombonist of the Odessa Philharmonic Orchestra, and his wife Iente Mirl (Elena) Gotz.
1901
He began violin studies at five, but they were soon interrupted due to his mother's death.
1903
His violin studies continued with professors, Piotr S. Stoliarsky and M. T. Hait.
1912
He applied to the Saint Petersburg Conservatory at sixteen. After being admitted, he travelled alone to the imperial capital and began his academic musical studies. He studied violin under Sergei Korguieff and Leopoldo Auer, and fugue, harmony, counterpoint, composition and orchestration with Vasili Kalafati, Maximilian Steinberg, Nikolay Tcherepnin and Nicolai Sokoloff.
1917
He graduated from the conservatory (then the Petrograd Conservatory) as a "Free Artist."
1917
1923
He composed his first works: songs, and piano and violin pieces.
1919
Winner of an orchestra competition judged by Alexander Glazounov, he was appointed concertmaster of the ex-Imperial Opera Orchestra (renamed the Academic Opera Orchestra). However, he remained in that position for a short period after seeing, when he came back to Odessa, the deprivation that the city began to suffer.
1919
On August 1 he was soloist in Bruch's G minor Violin Concerto with the Soviet Odessa Philharmonic under conductor L. P. Steinberg.
1920
In Odesssa on June 3 [16 in Gregorian calendar] he married the pianist Ana Aronberg, a pupil at the Odessa Conservatory.
1921
Due to the famine and persecution in Odessa the couple and members of their family flew to Poland.
1923
On February 10 Jacobo Ficher, his wife, younger brother, sister-in-law, and his father with his second wife arrived in Buenos Aires, Argentina and established themselves there.
1923
Being the peak of the Carnival season in Buenos Aires, he was engaged the day after his arrival to play the violin and provide music at masked balls.
1923
Later on, he formed with his wife, his father and his younger brother Rachmiel (who played the cello) a small orchestra to play at silent movies in a Buenos Aires cinema. Due to an exhausting playing schedule they resigned, but soon were contracted by a posh Buenos Aires hotel to play popular music and also medleys of classical composers.
1923
On June 24 his first child, a son Miguel, was born.
1924
He composed his first orchestral work, Suite no. 1
1927
1928
With Poema heroico Op. 7 he shared with Dmitri Shostakovich the only two second prizes awarded in a contest organized by the Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra.
1928
On February 7 his second child, a daughter Myra, was born.
1929
He won two prizes: the Municipality of Buenos Aires Prize for his first string quartet and the Asociación del Profesorado Orquestal Prize for Obertura patética, Op. 11
1929
He co-founded the Grupo Renovación with Juan José Castro, José María Castro, Juan Carlos Paz, and Gilardo Gilardi.
1929
He received the Asociación del Profesorado Orquestal Prize for Exodus-Obertura para orquesta sinfónica, Op. 11
1931
He won again the Municipality of Buenos Aires Prize for Sulamita, poema de amor, Op. 8 for orchestra.
1932
Again, he won the Asociación del Profesorado Orquestal Prize for Tres bocetos sinfónicos inspirados en el Talmud, Op. 17.
1932
He was nominated conductor of the Orchestra Asociación del Profesorado Orquestal.
1933
He was also nominated conductor of the Radio Nacional, Radio Municipal, and Radio Belgrano orchestras.
1936
He was the winner of second prize for La rosa muerta, poema para coro mixto y piano, Op. 34, in a contest sponsored by the Idelssohn Asociation of Johannesburg, Sud Africa.
1937
He received the Coolidge Prize for his second string quartet at the Festival de Música de Cámara Panamericana, Mexico City.
1939
He was nominated conductor of the AGMA (Asociación General de Músicos de la Argentina) Symphonic Orchestra and Music Director of Radio Splendid.
1940
He was the winner of the Comisión Nacional de Cultura First Prize for his Symphony No. 3.
1941
Again, he received the Municipality of Buenos Aires Prize for his Piano Sonata No. 1.
1942
He accepted the E.A. Fleisher Collection Prize for his Violin Concerto, Op. 46.
1943
He became professor of Harmony at the Asociación General de Músicos de la Argentina.
1947
He founded the Liga de Compositores de la Argentina.
1952
He received the Asociación Wagneriana Carlos López-Buchardo Prize for his fourth string quartet.
1954
On November 7, his Tercera suite para orquesta de cámara, Op. 78 was premiered by the Indianapolis Orchestra under Fabien Sevinsky.
1954
In November-December he was invited to the Festival de Música Latinoamericana de Caracas, where his cantata Salmo de Alegría was performed.
1956
He was appointed Professor of Harmony at the Escuela Superior de Música de la Universidad de La Plata.
1957
In March he was invited to the II Festival de Música Latinoamericana, Caracas and conducted his Obertura para Don Segundo Sombra.
1957
In September he won Second Prize at the Festival Interamericano de Música, Montevideo, for his saxophone quartet.
1958
He was appointed Professor of Composition at Buenos Aires National Conservatory and Musical Advisor to the Fondo Nacional de las Artes.
1958
On August 14 his Oda a la Libertad, Op. 90 was premiered by Jean Fournier.
1960
He received the Grand Prize "Sesquicentenario de la Revolución de Mayo" for his Symphony No. 7, Op. 92 Epopeya de Mayo.
1961
During March at the Festival of Contemporary Music in Miami, the Suite for Chamber Orchestra was performed.
1961
In November he received the Argentinean Mozarteum Prize (Academia Nacional de Bellas Artes) for his piano quintet.
1963
On August 29 his cantata Mi aldea, for soloist, choir and orchestra was premiered by Jacques Bodmer.
1963
In December his ballet Los invitados was performed by the Tucson Symphony Orchestra in Arizona.
1964
His Obertura festiva was performed by the Athens Symphony Orchestra under Andreas Paridis.
1965
In August his Piano Sonata Op. 101 was premiered at the IV Festival of Contemporary Music of the Instituto Torcuato Di Tella.
1966
Several concerts were performed in Buenos Aires to celebrate his 70th birthday. Also, Ediciones Culturales Argentinas published his biography by Boris Zipman.
1966
He was appointed Professor of Composition at Buenos Aires Conservatorio Municipal Manuel de Falla.
1967
At a homage in La Plata, he conducted his cantata Salmo de Alegría at the Teatro Argentino.
1968
On November 12 his opera Pedido de mano [The Proposal] was premiered at the Buenos Aires Teatro Presidente Alvear under the conductor Armando Krieger.
1968
He was appointed Professor of Instrumentation at the Teatro Colón's Conservatorio e Instituto.
1968
In December he traveled to Europe with his wife, through invitations by the Israel Composers Association and the British Council. He spent one month in Israel, traveled to Italy, France and England, and visited London under the auspices of the British Council.
1969
In January he traveled to the United States and remained one month in Philadelphia.
1969
In July he was nominated a Member of the Academia Nacional de Bellas Artes.
1969
In September he lectured on his works at the Conservatorio Municipal Manuel de Falla.
1970
His Cinco retratos, Op. 113 for piano was premiered during the II Festival of Argentinean Contemporary Music.
1972
In a concert sponsored by the Fondo Nacional de las Artes his Piano Sonata Op. 118 was premiered.
1974
The Filarmónica de Buenos Aires under Pedro Ignacio Calderón premiered his Capricho argentino, Op. 121 for orchestra at the Teatro Colón.
1976
On July 9 the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional under Juan Emilio Martini celebrated his 80th birthday.
1976
On July 27 his wife Ana Aronberg Ficher died.
1976
On September 30 the Filarmónica de Buenos Aires under Pedro Ignacio Calderón premiered his Obertura dramática, Op. 130 for orchestra at the Teatro Colón.
1977
On September 5 his Cello Concerto Op. 128 was premiered by the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional under Juan Carlos Zorzi with Leo Viola as soloist.
1977
A homage was given by the Instituto Luchelli Bonadeo with a concert of his piano works and the presentation of new piano pieces published by the Instituto.
1978
On September 9 Jacobo Ficher died at the age of 82 in Buenos Aires.
1979
On September 8 the Dirección Cultural de la Municipalidad de Buenos Aires organized a tribute to his memory, with introductory words by the Director of Educación, a lecture by Dr. Pola Suárez Urtubey, and a concert of his works.
1988
In November a Memorial Concert was held at the Fleisher Art Memorial in Philadelphia under the auspices of the Leningrad-Philadelphia Sister Cities organization.
1992
On December 15 the Department of Music of New York University presented works by Ficher in a chamber concert.
1999
May 23 his Sinfonía de cámara No. 9, Op. 123 was given a world premiered by the Southern Arizona Symphony Orchestra conducted by Warren Cohen.
From the guide to the Jacobo Ficher Collection, 1864-1997, (bulk 1919-1978), (Music Division Library of Congress)