Variations on a Theme by Zvi Avni for symphony orchestra is based on Meditations on Drama for chamber orchestra by Israeli composer Zvi Avni (b. 1927), written in 1966. The theme underlying my piece is taken from the first twelve measures of Avni’s work and consists of a twelve-tone row inflected with melodic patterns characteristic of the Arabic Maqam tradition. This combination of atonal chromaticism with Middle Eastern modes reflects the aesthetic orientation of many Israeli composers of the period associated with the so-called Mediterranean School of composition. In pursuit of a distinctive modern Israeli style, these composers sought to integrate local Jewish and Arab folk musical materials into Western classical forms and techniques.
I chose Avni’s theme because, to me, it encapsulates the Mediterranean School and all the complexities inherent in the idealistic attempt to fuse two fundamentally different musical worlds. My Variations engage in dialogue with the ethos of the Mediterranean School, questioning its synthetic identity. By breaking down the alloy Avni created into its elemental components, I sought to examine each element on its own and thereby to explore whether, and if at all, they might be re-forged anew today.