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Israel Philharmonic Releases Paul Ben-Haim's War Symphonies

4/3/2026

Summary

Story summary

Lahav Shani and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra released the war-symphonies of Paul Ben-Haim, Israeli composer, on Deutsche Grammophon, signaling a significant acknowledgment of his 20th-century contributions.
Ben-Haim composed Symphony No. 1 and Symphony No. 2 during World War II.
Critics praise the recordings for clarity and emotional depth, noting Ben-Haim's fusion of Middle Eastern and Western traditions and Symphony No. 1 as the first symphony in Israel.

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Story summary

Lahav Shani and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra released the war-symphonies of Paul Ben-Haim, Israeli composer, on Deutsche Grammophon, signaling a significant acknowledgment of his 20th-century contributions.
Ben-Haim composed Symphony No. 1 and Symphony No. 2 during World War II.
Critics praise the recordings for clarity and emotional depth, noting Ben-Haim's fusion of Middle Eastern and Western traditions and Symphony No. 1 as the first symphony in Israel.