Boris Levinson (''Loewensohn'') (1884-1947) was a Russian-born American composer. Levenson was born on 22 March 1884converting from Julian 10 March 1884 here: http://www.musicsack.com/PersonFMTDetail.cfm?PersonPK=100045614 - MusicSack, accessed January 31, 2014. in

Akkerman Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi (, ; ; ), historically known as Aq Kirmān () or by other names, is a port city in Odesa Oblast, southwestern Ukraine. It is situated on the right bank of the Dniester Estuary leading to the Black Sea, in the historical r ...

Bessarabia Bessarabia () is a historical region in Eastern Europe, bounded by the Dniester river on the east and the Prut river on the west. About two thirds of Bessarabia lies within modern-day Moldova, with the Budjak region covering the southern coa ...

(now

Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi (, ; ; ), historically known as Aq Kirmān () or by other names, is a port city in Odesa Oblast, southwestern Ukraine. It is situated on the right bank of the Dniester Estuary leading to the Black Sea, in the historical r ...

Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...

, then a province of

Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire that spanned most of northern Eurasia from its establishment in November 1721 until the proclamation of the Russian Republic in September 1917. At its height in the late 19th century, it covered about , roughl ...

). Levenson became a pupil of

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov Nikolai Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov. At the time, his name was spelled , which he romanized as Nicolas Rimsky-Korsakow; the BGN/PCGN transliteration of Russian is used for his name here; ALA-LC system: , ISO 9 system: .. (18 March 1844 – 2 ...

and was awarded a doctorate from the St. Petersburg Conservatory in 1907. Between 1907 and 1915 and conducted in St. Petersburg, Moscow, Kyiv, and Odessa. He became a

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and def ...

of his own right. A

Bessarabian Jew The history of the Jews in Bessarabia, a historical region in Eastern Europe, dates back hundreds of years. Early history Jews are mentioned from very early on in the Principality of Moldavia, but they did not represent a significant number. Th ...

, Levenson focused his work on Jewish

folk song Folk music is a music genre that includes #Traditional folk music, traditional folk music and the Contemporary folk music, contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be ca ...

s. He accompanied a March 2021 performance of his work in London's Aeolian Hall by the Philharmonic String Quartet and assorted guests. His first U.S. concert was given in New York's Aeolian Hall in 1922. He performed and conducted his own works frequently in New York, including an annual concert at Carnegie Chamber Music Hall. Among his collaborators included bassonist

Simon Kovar Simon Kovar (May 15, 1890 – January 17, 1970) was a Russian-American bassoonist and one of the first renowned teachers of bassoon in the United States. Biography Born Sĭmon Kovarskí in Vilnius, Russia, Kovar initially enrolled at the St. Pet ...

Lorenzo Sansone Lorenzo Sansone (1881–1975) was a horn player, a member of major North American symphony orchestras An orchestra (; ) is a large instrumental ensemble typical of classical music, which combines instruments from different families. There ...

, and

Nina Koshetz Nina Koshetz (; December 30, 1891 – May 14, 1965) was an operatic lyric soprano, recital singer, and the niece of Alexander Koshetz. Early life and career Nina Koshetz was born in Kyiv, then moved to Moscow and became an opera singer. ...

. His musical output also includes a

string quartet The term string quartet refers to either a type of musical composition or a group of four people who play them. Many composers from the mid-18th century onwards wrote string quartets. The associated musical ensemble consists of two Violin, violini ...

among other works. This was performed in a concert of his works in London, England in April, 1920. He died in March 1947 in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

Selected compositions

* ''Danse Orientale'', op. 66 for violin and piano * ''The Dawn'', song * ''Dreams (Episodes from Life: Youth, First Love, Struggles, Peaceful Old Age)'' * ''A Fantasy on Two Hebrew Folk Tunes'' * ''Gaily Lived the Tiny Mouse'' * ''The Greedy Mousie'', op. 87, Russian fable, song * ''Hebrew Grand Fantasia'' * ''Hebrew Suite'' for eight solo instruments * ''Let There Be Music'', op. 83, a prayer for SSAA chorus, words by Sydney King Russell. * ''A Night in Bagdad'' * ''Night in Hamadan'', song * ''The Nights and Days Unbroken Stream'', song * ''Oriental Fantasie'' for cello and orchestra * ''Palestine'', a Hebrew suite in four movements, premiered in 1926 in New York's Aeolian Hall. * Quartet in B-flat * ''The Sad Birch Tree'', song * ''Schir Bres'', an ancient Palestinian cradle song arranged for SSA choir. * Serenade, song * ''Song of Orient'' * ''The Volga'' * ''Three Folk Songs'' for string quartet and piano, premiered March 1st, 1921 in London. 1. Jewish/Palestine, 2. Armenian (Crimean Haitarma), 3. Russian (Boatmen on the Volga)

Notes

American male composers American composers Russian Jews 1884 births 1947 deaths Jewish American musicians Russian male composers 20th-century American male musicians {{US-composer-19thC-stub