Lior Navok (born September 6, 1971) (Hebrew: ליאור נבוק) is an Israeli classical composer, conductor and pianist. He was born in Tel Aviv. Navok studied composition privately with the Israeli composer Moshe Zorman, and completed a Bachelor's degree at the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance, where he studied composition (with Yinam Leef) and conducting. He later completed he studied for a Master's and Doctorate at the New England Conservatory, where he studied with John Harbison.
His music has been performed internationally by orchestras and ensembles including the Oper Frankfurt, Nuernberg Opera, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Boston Modern Orchestra Project, and the Tanglewood Festival Orchestra. Amongst the awards he has received are those from the Israel Cultural Excellence Foundation[1] and the Massachusetts Cultural Council.[2] He has also received awards from the Fromm Music Foundation, Lili Boulanger Memorial Fund Award, and Israel Prime Minister Award.[3] In 2004, he was one of seven composers awarded commissions for new musical works by the Serge Koussevitzky Foundation in the Library of Congress and the Koussevitzky Music Foundation.[4]
His stage music includes two operas, The Bet, based on a short story by Anton Chekhov, and An unserem Fluss (By Our River). The latter was commissioned by Oper Frankfurt, and was premiered during the company's 2014/15 season.[5] He has also written three stage works for children: The Little Mermaid (based in the story by Hans Christian Andersen); The Adventures of Pinocchio (based on the children's novel by Carlo Collodi); and Brave Little Timmy (inspired in part by Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf), which served as the starting point for his Hebrew children's book of the same title, published in 2023. His oratorio reflecting on The Holocaust, And The Trains Kept Coming…, was commissioned by Boston's Cantata Singers and premiered in 2008.[6][7]
Navok is the pianist and founding member of the Butterfly Effect Ensemble.
Style and Aesthetics
Lior Navok’s musical language employs modality and expanded tonality, avoiding serial techniques and mathematically-predetermined pitch sets.[8] The composer has stated that he aims to address non-specialist listeners.[9] His music is often inspired by events and phenomena he encounters in life, and seeks out sounds that would evoke these phenomena and the feelings and sensations they create within him.[8] To achieve these aims, he does avail himself to innovative, even avant-garde, sonorities, techniques and effects, though these rarely govern an entire work. His music has been described “developing[ing] into an emotional experience rather than an intellectual one”.[10] Within these broad parameters, his music covers a wide range, in terms of scoring, influences and expression alike.
Michael McDonagh’s referred to “echoes [of] Debussy and especially Ravel”[11] in Navok’s music, especially in his relatively early works, such V5[12] and the Quartet for flute, clarinet, bassoon and harp.[13] An emphasis on instrumental colour and special timbral effects can be sensed in meditative, nature-inspired works like Mysterious Pond,[14]Veiled Echoes;[15] in the composer's first full orchestral work, First Fruits[16] and in first movement of the raga-inspired first quartet, Voices from India.[17]
Another notable early influence is jazz music: Navok started his musical career as a jazz musician,[18] and this influence can be sensed, for instance, in his 1996 Clarinet Concerto, a work which also reveals the composer’s rhythmic impulses.[19] Other examples include the third movement of string quartet Voices from India,[17]Six Short Stories for Woodwind Quintet,[20] the Saxophone Quartet[21] and others.
Several of the composer’s later works draw inspiration from socio-political issues, such as the Israeli-Arab conflict or religious struggles. A recent example is Blue, Yellow, Smoke for chamber orchestra,[22] composed in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. These works tend to have a darker expression (e.g, Elegy to the Future[23]) and sometimes acquire an expressionistic style, as in String Quartet No. 2 – Hope Cycles.[24]
Navok’s interest in socio-political issues topics can also be sensed in some of his theatrical works, such as An unserem Fluss.[25] His oratorio And the Trains Kept Coming: Slavery Document No. 3 directly tackles the issue of the Allies’ role during the Holocaust, using a libretto based on official documents from the period.[26]
Another major facet of Navok’s dramatic muse is his music for children – e.g., The Little Mermaid for narrator and chamber orchestra (2006),[27] and the musical stories The Adventures of Pinnochio (2009)[28] and Brave Little Timmy (2019).[29] This latter work is based on Navok’s own libretto – a variation on Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf in which the child protagonist befriends the wolf rather than capturing him. This work served as the basis for Navok’s first children’s book, published in Hebrew in 2023.
His more intimate vocal works are written for ensembles ranging from standard Lieder scoring (single voice and piano), through more unusual combinations (e.g., soprano and percussion in the semi-theatrical Dialogues[30]), to voice and orchestra, setting texts in various languages and traditions, including Biblical texts in the original Hebrew; Israeli poets Leah Goldberg, Dan Pagis and others; Emily Dickinson, Antonio Machado, and others.
Navok also composed several works for solo piano – including several cycles of semi-programmatic miniatures (e.g., The Old Photo Box),[31] whose movements can be interpreted both as independent works and as parts of a larger whole. As a pianist-composer, Navok created four solo works through the process of real-time composition – i.e., the creation of musical works by the performer-composer, combining partially pre-determined shapes and materials with a degree of improvisatory freedom, without musical notation. The resulting compositions – Urban Nocturnes,[32]Inner Landscapes,[33]From the Log of a Longing Captain[34] and Time Junctions[35] – were released as audio recordings.
Navok applies similar real-time-composition techniques in his collaborative work with Stephen Hornstein and Jeffrey Kowalsky. Together, these three musicians form the Butterfly Effect Ensemble,[36] which specializes in creating live scores for silent films from the early days of the cinema up to 1929.
Compositions
Stage music
An unserem Fluss (By our River) (2013) -- c. 93' -- Chamber opera in two acts; Text by the composer.
The Adventures of Pinocchio (2009) -- c. 62' -- for 3 actors / flute, oboe, clarinet, horn, bassoon and piano
Beauty and the Beast (2009) -- c. 30' -- for actress / string quartet, double bass and piano
The Bet (2012) -- c. 90' -- Chamber opera in 14 scenes; after a short story by Anton Chekhov
Brave Little Timmy (2019) -- c. 28' – for narrator and orchestra; Libretto by the composer
Gitz & Spitz (2020) -- c. 50' – for narrator and ensemble; Libretto by the composer
The Little Mermaid (2007) -- c. 36' -- for actor / narrator; 2 pianos; flute, clarinet, percussion and string quintet (or string orchestra)
Symphonic
And the Trains Kept Coming... -- (2007) c. 44' -- oratorio for tenor, bass-baritone, boy-soprano, chorus and orchestra
Aurora Borealis -- (2007) c. 12' -- for accordion, harp, percussion and strings
Between Two Coasts -- (2009) c. 14' -- for string orchestra
Blue, Yellow, Smoke -- (2022) c. 10' -- for chamber orchestra
First-Fruits - a Symphonic Prelude -- (1997) c. 12' -- for Symphony Orchestra
...of weaving the shadowed waves -- (2003) c. 7.5' -- for two marimbas and chamber orchestra
Symphonic Bagatelles -- (2000) c. 18' -- for symphony orchestra
The Spanish Songs -- (1998) c. 11'-- for soprano, bassoon and chamber orchestra
Wind ensemble
Gleams from the Bosom of Darkness -- (2002) c. 21' -- for choir and symphonic band
Loose Caboose -- (2020) c. 9' -- for symphonic band
Tetris -- (2009) c. 18' -- for double wind quintet, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 horns and 2 bassoons
Choral music
It Is Winter That We Dream Of Spring -- (1997) c. 4' -- for mixed chamber chorus
Meditations Over Shore -- (1997) c. 4' -- for soli quartet, double chamber chorus, double large chorus, harmonica, percussion (2) and piano
Nocturne -- (1999) c. 9' -- for 12 singers (SATB), soprano saxophone, clarinet, harp guitar and percussion
Three songs—for mixed chamber chorus -- (1994) c. 20' mixed chamber chorus
Vocal music
A Dome of Many-Coloured Glass -- (2002) c. 10' -- for tenor and piano
A'l Mishcavi Baleylot (Upon my bed by night) -- (1992) c. 5' -- for soprano and harp
Bestiarius -- (1995) c. 11' -- for alto/mezzo-soprano solo, flute/piccolo, clarinet, bassoon; violin, percussion (2) and harpsichord
Copenhagen Songs -- (2010) c. 7' -- for alto and piano
End-of-the-Day Songs -- (2018) c. 12' -- for baritone and piano
Found in a Train Station -- (2007) c. 12' -- for soprano, mandolin, violin, cello and piano
The Sea of Sunset -- (1997) c. 7' -- for soprano, trombone, double bass and piano
The Spanish Songs -- (1998/2023) c. 11'-- for soprano, bassoon and piano (piano version)
Spring Calls -- (2006) c. 10' -- for soprano, flute, viola, cello and harp
Three songs -- (1995) c. 10' -- for soprano and piano
Chamber music
After a tango -- (1995) c. 16' -- for recorders (3), clarinet, trumpet, trombone, guitar, Percussion, violin, double bass
At the Edge of a Spiral -- (2004) c. 10' -- for one piano, four hands
Arabesque -- (2005) c. 10' -- for alto recorder, baroque cello and harpsichord
Blurred Formations -- (2002) c. 5' -- for guitar and accordion
Capriccio -- (2002) c. 10' -- for flute and violin
Dripping Minutes - Frozen Years -- (2017) c. 11' -- for bassoon and piano
Elegy to the Future -- (2001) c. 13' -- for piccolo/alto flute; clarinet; violin; cello; percussion; piano
Ex Silentium (From the Silence) -- (2018) c. 9' -- for viola and piano
Flashes of decay (1996) -- (1996) c. 12' -- for flute/piccolo; English horn; clarinet/bass clarinet; horn; tuba; percussion (2); harp; piano
Fluctuations -- (2017) c. 10' -- for viola and piano
Fuzzy -- (2018) c. 10' -- for oboe and piano
Gitz & Spitz Suite -- (2020) c. 19' -- for trumpets (2); horn; trombone and tuba
Hidden Reflections -- (1996) c. 15' -- for alto saxophone and piano or clarinet and piano
Hope Cycles (String Quartet no.2) -- (2004) c. 24' -- for string quartet
Humoresque -- (1995) c. 5' -- for clarinet and piano
Like a Whirling Sand Clock -- (2006) c. 10' -- for clarinet, cello and piano
Little Suite -- (2006) c. 12' -- for clarinet, violin, viola and cello
Mysterious Pond -- (2004) c. 10' -- for flute, oboe and piano
Piano Quintet -- (2000) c. 18' -- for violins (2), viola, cello and piano
Piano Trio -- (1999) c. 22' -- for violin, cello and piano
Quartet for flute, clarinet bassoon and harp -- (1994) c. 27'
Samsara -- (2023) c. 11' -- for trombone and piano
Sarigim -- (2020) c. 6' -- for guitar duo
Saxophone Quartet -- (1999) c. 10' -- for soprano, alto, tenor and baritone saxophones
Sextet -- (1998) c. 22' -- for flute/ piccolo/ bass flute; clarinet/ bass clarinet; violin; cello; Percussion.; Piano
Six short stories for Woodwind Quintet -- (1996) 12' -- for flute/piccolo; oboe; clarinet; horn; bassoon
Signals -- (2017) 11' -- for percussion quartet and piano/celeste
Soliloquy (String Quartet no.4) -- (2017) c. 16' -- for string quartet
Three Episodes for Chamber Ensemble -- (1997) c. 12' -- for flute; oboe; clarinet; bassoon; horn; percussion (1); piano; violin; viola; cello and double bass
Three Winged Movements -- (2003) 12' -- for flute and piano
Trio for Clarinet, Bassoon and Horn -- (2001) c. 5' -- for clarinet, bassoon and horn
V5 - Quintet for Vibraphone and String Quartet -- (1995) c. 16' -- for vibraphone; violins (2); viola; cello
Veiled Echoes -- (2000) c. 15' -- for flute, viola and harp
Violin Sonata -- (2004) c. 18' -- for violin and piano duo
Voices from India (String Quartet no.1) -- (1997) c. 17' -- for violins (2); viola; cello
Whispered Questions (String Quartet no.3) -- (2010) c. 17' -- for string quartet
Electroacoustic music
Through the Alleys of Time -- (2007) c. 22' -- for guitar and tape
Keyboard music
Periscopes -- (2009) c. 30' -- for solo piano
Silent Streets -- (2020) c. 8' -- for solo piano
Shimmer -- (2017) c. 12' -- for solo piano
Ten Bagatelles -- (2000) c. 18' -- for solo piano
The Old Photo Box -- (2006) c. 58' -- for solo piano
Visions -- (2018) c. 15' -- for solo piano
The Waiting Hours -- (2023) c. 14' -- for solo piano
Solo music
Big Mouse -- (2020) c. 4' -- for solo Double Bass
Dunes -- (2005) c. 5' -- for solo flute
East of the Cane Fields -- (2001) c. 8' -- for solo harp
Fantasy -- (1998) c. 5' -- for solo cello
Klotz -- (2019) c. 5' -- for solo cello
In Memoriam -- (2023) c. 4' -- for solo violin or viola
Remembrances of Jerusalem -- (1995) c. 11' -- for solo guitar
Rosewood Staircase -- (2000) c. 6' -- for solo marimba
Six for a Dance -- (2000) c. 3' -- for solo guitar
Six pieces for horn solo -- (1995) c. 15' -- for solo French horn
Discography
Hidden Reflections (1996)
Meditations Over Shore (2001)
The Old Photo Box (2008)
The Natives are Restless (with Butterfly Effect Ensemble) (2010)
Urban Nocturnes (2011)
Music and Poetry – face to face (With D. Nurkse) (2011)
^Lior Navok’s biography page on the WGBH website - https://www.wgbh.org/people/lior-navok; see also https://www.classical-music-review.org/reviews/Navok.html
^Michael McDonagh, Review of the CD album Lior Navok: Meditations Over Shore, https://www.classical-music-review.org/reviews/Navok.html
