Max
Stern

'His works have a natural, narrating flow. The first thing always is the sound, which hits the nerve, speaks to the heart. Simultaneously old and new, critics have noted their eloquence, warmth and seriousness - 'beautifully crafted, soulful and expressive authentic and original, touching the past, breaking into the future.' From the program notes of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, January 3, 1999 'Max Stern is, in my opinion, a thorough master of composition as well as a teacher of the subject. His knowledge of all styles and historical ramifications involved is absolutely thorough. He is a brilliant lecturer in indicating the various points involved and their interlocking and contrasting techniques and the like.' Arthur Cohn, Director of Serious Music, Carl Fischer and critic for Musical Courier and the American Record Guide, 3 January 1988 'Max Stern is one of Israel's most soulful composers. His works are beautifully crafted and expressive.' Uri Mayer, music director and conductor, The Israel Sinfonietta Beersheba, 8 August 1997 'Stern has shown that he can write music with fluency and inspiration. His Symphony has the eloquence, warmth and seriousness to be a significant statement by a Twentieth-Century composer.' William Kearns, editor of the Oscar Sonneck Newsletter, founder-director of the American Music Research Center, former Dean of the College of Music, University of Colorado, Boulder ,2001 'A truly cosmic concert! Max Stern produces primeval depths from his contrabass and then sings out a lament in the highest heights.' Die Welt, Hamburg, 8 June 1996 'Stern has a strong original musical style and achieves a blend of New World academic achievement and Old World impression. Each piece is concisely crafted and exemplifies the composer-performer in his masterful writing skills and expressive flair for sonority.' Mary Nemet, Australian Music Teacher Magazine, Dec-Jan 2000 '"Balaam and the Ass" for trombone and percussion stretches the parameters of program music and displays superbly the vast array of sounds and effects the instrument can produce.' Hugo Magliocco, review International Trombone Association Journal, 1995 'The CD "Haazinu" is one of the most interesting and original that has been recently released. Stern has succeeded in synthesizing musical streams thought impossible to fuse: the Bible and Aleatory music, a baroque conception and a vision of the end of days.' Dan Beller, review "Col Bi", 1995 '"Quartet from the East" is an enchanting opus which combines Stern's specific musical language with the musical idiom of our era. ' Michael Azenstadt, The Jerusalem Post, 13 January 1999 'An expression of deep joy ["Psalterion of Ten Strings"], the captivating sound of this exciting work demonstrates that it is possible to produce compelling sounds on the harp without cheap effects.' Brigitte Langnickel-Kohler, review "Harpa", Winter 1996 'Max Stern's "Bereshith" duplicates the mystery of creation, interspersed with psalmodic and melodic elements soaring in elegy and ecstasy. ' Review, Weisbadener Kurrier, 30 November 1996 '"Sephardic Fantasy" by Max Stern should be particularly mentioned. In my opinion this was the most successful piece of the evening [of compositions by Paul Ben-Haim, Joseph Tal, Odeon Partos, Jacob Gilboa, Shulamit Ran, and Aaron Harlap]. The work exists between traditional and modern worlds. The melodies, full of singing lines and improvisatory interpretation gave a spotlight to the evening. ' Babits Antal, review of Israeli Music concert at the Budapest Festival of Contemporary in "Szombat", 1991 Dear Max! From everywhere we get enthusiastic reactions to your piece, "Prayer" at the concerts where we usually play it as an encore, as well as from the YouTube. It is so beautiful and Rebecca says: This piece is Perfection from the first to the last note and it is gorgeous and she does not want to change anything! Friedrich Edelmann, bassoonist & Rebecca Rust, cellist (Gauting, Germany) 2013

I have managed to listen to your recording [Perek Shirah]. Its charm is beyond description... The goose and the mouse are my current favorites, but really, you have created what should be a great musical magnet for children--and for many adults as well. Thank you for sharing this beautiful creation. Joel Suben, composer-conductor, founder of Save the Music, 2013

I very much appreciated this composition [Perek Shira]of yours which I find absolutely charming! Richard Dumbrill, leading expert in the archaeomusicology of the Ancient Near and Middle East

I am not a music person, as I possess one of the world's greatest tin ears. Nonetheless, his talk was wonderful; interesting, inspiring, and even slightly emotional... I would like to thank you for a truly fascinating talk that you gave to us last night. It was not only wonderfully interesting it was also inspiring and uplifting. Audience responses and Reesa Stone, director, AACI Southern Region 12.10.13

Whose music to the "Kaddish" was an affirmation of life which helped me to teach, and who will teach in turn. Albert H. Friedlander, rabbi, teacher, author, Dean, Leo Baeck College, August 1968

In my opinion, the outstanding experience in artistic and spiritual terms was the performance of Prague ensemble Musica Gaudeans with soprano Kristyna Valouskova. Especially in the song-cycle "Terezin Songs" and cantata "Song of Hannah" composed by an important composer from Israel Max Stern. I witnessed a really extraordinary event. "Terezin Songs" were composed in an atonal or modal way. They made listeners enthusiastic with their expressivity, beautiful harmonies, abrupt and almost miraculous passages and changes. "Song of Hannah", for soprano and instrumental ensemble, certainly belongs to the world stages. Dramatic expressivity, modern sound of the ensemble as well as the soprano and, in spite of modernity, beautiful music with ravishing phrases, this all was "Song of Hannah". The ensemble as well as soprano gave an outstanding performance. REVIEW by Jan Grossman, International festival of contemporary music and arts with spiritual orientation FORFEST, Kromeriz, Czech Republic, June 2002.

Our new CD which will come out in the fall 2017 is called "Songs without Words" including works by composers from around the world: from France, Russia, Germany, Israel-America, Switzerland, and Japan all united under one theme. In it, among others, are two compositions written for us by Max Stern, one of which is on the program here in Kromeriz, "Songs of Ascents," based on ancient Hebrew songs and psalms sung by the pilgrims going up to Mount Zion and meditating there, coming back in joy. We performed this piece in America and a lady from the audience wrote us a check and handed it to us after the performance and said: "I want this on CD so I can always listen to it and here is a down payment for it." She touched her heart and said: "It gets me right here". And that is how the CD came about. Friedrich Edelman, May 15, 2017

Mr. Stern is a brilliant and versatile composer, whose works combine deep knowledge of classical music, fresh approach to composing technique and great tradition based on Jewish music through the centuries. I was privileged to conduct some of his works in Israel and abroad, and it has always been a unique experience for the orchestra, the audiences and myself. I believe that Professor Stern is a unique voice in today's musical global scenery. , and I warmly recommend him for your wonderful initiative. Doron Salomon, Principal guest conductor of the "Israel Sinfonietta", lecturer on music in the "Ben Gurion University," October, 2020.

Your artistic and academic contributions to music have enriched countless lives. Robert Blocker, Dean of Yale University School of Music, June 12, 2018.