BLOCH’S GENEVA ADOLESCENCE

1890: His first love is Laetitia Picard.

1891: Enters into the Geneva Conservatory and vows to become a composer. He becomes friends with Aloys Mooser and Alfred Pochon.

1892: Begins serious study of the violin with Geneva’s greatest violinist, Louis Rey.

1893: Made his Bar Mitzva and begins study of composition study with Jaques-Dalcroze. Gets a “nerve sickness” which lasts several months.

1894: Leaves secondary school to consecrate himself entirely to musical study.
Began Study of music theory and composition with Emile Jacques-Dalcroze at the Geneva Conservatory of Music, who advised him to continue violin instruction under Louis Etienne-Reyer at the same institution.

May 1895: Composes an Andante for Quartet which he plays with friends.

September 1895: Attempts to write a Symphonie Funèbre (unpublished).

February 1896: Passed the exam to study at the Music Academy of Geneva in the class of Louis Rey. Finishes his first String Quartet (unpublished).

Spring 1896: Shows his Quartet to the great violinist, Martin Marsick, who convinces his parents to let him continue his studies with Ysaÿe, in Brussels. Began further violin study under Franz Schörg of the Royal Conservatory of Music.

April-July 1896: Composes a Symphonie Orientale (unpublished).

BLOCH’S STUDIES IN BRUSSELS

January-September 1897: Composed little pieces for piano, for violin and piano and some melodies.

Fall 1897: Leaves Geneva to go to Brussels to study violin with Eugene Ysaÿe and Franz Schörg, while also studying composition with François Rasse.

Summer 1898: On vacation in Geneva, he composes songs, little chamber music pieces and starts a symphonic poem, the Orientale.

Fall 1898: Back in Brussels he finishes the Orientale in October 1898 as well as a Poem For Violin and Orchestra in December 1898. Plays a score for violin-piano of this work before Ysaÿe and Rasse.

Spring 1899: The more he studies, the more he persuades himself the future is the school of Franck, it’s the Young French School (of Indy, Debussy, Chausson).

March 1899: Changes the Poem for Violin to make it into a Concerto for Violin and Orchestra (unpublished) which he plays with Rasse in Rasse’s score for violin-piano.

Summer 1899: Takes advantage of his vacation to compose. In July 1899 he finishes his Dances-Populaires for Orchestra which will never be published but the “theme of the Gruyère” will be unconsciously incorporated into his first Concerto Grosso.

Fall 1899: Family and sentimental dramas. He cracks! For two months he takes a cure at Schoenbrunn bei Zug where they treat all nervous illnesses. Having regained his strength he decides on the advice of his teacher Jaques-Dalcroze to continue his studies at Frankfurt with the Professor Iwan Knorr.

BLOCH’S STUDIES IN FRANKFURT

Meet future wife Marguerite August Schneider at Hoch Conservatory.

February 1900: Arrived at Frankfurt. Begins with Professor Iwan Knorr the long dry study of the fugue which he touched on with Rasse.

May 1900: New family troubles: Loulette, very attracted by protestantism, has her daughter Madeline baptized. His parents curse Loulette.

June 1900: On vacation in Geneva he writes some little melodies.

August 1900: Stay in Drössling, near Munich, in the home of Schörg. He profits from Schörg’s lessons to pull his violin out from its failure.

November-December 1900: His teacher Jaques-Dalcroze commissions a work from him. In one month he writes a symphonic poem remaining unpublished, Vivre-Aimer.

January 1901: Phew! His parents reconcile with Loulette.

February-March 1901: Wagner (his Messiah) is huge. He reveres him as the greatest genius that he knows.

April 12, 1901: He becomes engaged to Marguerite Schneider during the third act of Siegfried in the fifth gallery! Sublime is the Master who can give birth to similar feelings. To Him infinite thanks from the happy ones whom he draws out of Nothing to transport them in a minute to a higher, more pure sphere, the ideal!

May 1901: Following courteous discussions with Knorr, he leaves his teaching because Knorr doesn’t share Bloch’s sympathies for the young French movement (Indy, Chausson, Debussy) and the school of Richard Strauss. Knorr nicknamed Bloch “Mr. Von Bussy”.

June 23 1901: He conducts at Geneva the first performance of Vivre-Aimer during the Second Music Festival organized by the Association of Swiss Musicians. Criticism is rather good.

July 1901: Beginning of a great friendship with Edmond Fleg who like Bloch is on vacation in Geneva.

1901-1903: BLOCH’S STUDIES AT MUNICH

September 1901: Arrived at Munich. He studies alone. He goes to the concert and sends his musical criticism, the “Letters from Munich”, to Jaques-Delacroze’s magazine, “Music in Switzerland”.

October 1901: Beginning of the composition of his Symphony in C Sharp Minor. The work represents him at the age of 21, with his struggles (already!), his hopes, his difficulties.

November 1901: Hardly settled in Munich, he falls sick: jaundice!

December 1901-January 1902: Convalescence in Geneva.

February-March 1902: Return to Munich: he returns to his Symphony (second and third movements). He shows the first movement to the great composer Ludwig Thuille who is interested in it. He hears Richard Strauss conduct his own works. He returns from the concert still trembling from this dazzling vision of genius, transported into a superior world, dazed with admiration.

March 1902: A tough blow! Loulette and her husband, Samuel, publicly convert to protestantism. His mother curses her daughter “once again”. Happily, Bloch intervenes to reconcile them.

April 1902: He finishes his Symphony (fourth movement) but he won’t start the orchestration until autumn.

July-August 1902: On vacation in Switzerland he composes a Concerto for Cello—manuscript lost.

Fall 1902: Return to Munich where he orchestrates his Symphony. He has already written to his fiancée, Marga Schneider, for two years and problems are coming to light. The separation is very cruel, it’s true, very hard; they have times when they almost cry to be distanced one from the other.

January 1903: He meets the composer, Max Schillings. Bloch’s Symphony delights him, he will do everything possible to have it admitted to the next Festival of German Composers in Basel.

Spring 1903: Continuation of family worries, jaundice, the engagement, the Symphony. Atrocious loneliness. “Les désillusions sur la charognerie des artistes continuent.”

March 8 1903: His Symphony is finished.

June 12 1903: Performance of the second and third parts of his Symphony at the Festival of German Musicians in Basel. Fiasco! The German and Swiss critics pitched into him; “Le Temps” (the Times) on the contrary judges his work the best. Wishes to throw himself into the Rhine. Bitter doubts.
Happily the revelation of the work of Mahler is a compensation.

July 1903: Geneva. Terrible family troubles. They stop him in time, with two legs out of the window…

August-September-October 1903: Proceedings. Lawyers. Hideousness! His mother and his father separate. His father having lost enormously on the stock market, there are thousands of monetary difficulties.

 

1903-1904: BLOCH’S STUDIES IN PARIS

October 1903: He settles in in Paris (20 rue Richer) where he sees his friend Fleg. The music critic Jean d’Udine becomes his friend. Thanks to him, Bloch discovers the novels of Huysmans.

November 1903: In vain he appeals to Edouard Colonne and Camille Chevillard for their interest in his Symphony. Oh, the conductors! What cowards! What dirty guys. Oh! The hours of waiting in antechambers…
He composes some little pieces for piano (only an Ex-Voto survived) and some melodies.
Pelléas: enormous impression!
Beginning of the correspondence with his future friend, Robert Godet, the only critic who liked his Symphony.

December 1903: It is decided, he is going to create an opera on Macbeth, for which Fleg will write the libretto.
He listens to Pelléas again: it is what he finds the strongest, the most original, the most beautiful since Parsifal.

January 1904 He rereads and savors Mahler’s symphonies. Having written to him, he replied to Bloch immediately in affectionate and sincere words.

January 20 1904: He sees Debussy. They chat for quite awhile. Bloch finds him a strange and interesting man, like his music!!

March 1904: End of the cycle of four melodies on the poems of Camille Mauclair, Historiettes au Crépuscule. It will be his first published work.

Spring 1904: Numerous visits to the Louvre and to the Museum Gustave Moreau. He leafs through the books at the National Library where he took up residence.

May 1904: He leaves to Hamburg to get his wife and bring her back to Geneva.

June 1904: He is married before God, without ceremony and without a priest in Cologne. He spends summer in Switzerland with his wife and his mother.

August 13 1904: Civil marriage in Geneva to show the authorities that he doesn’t give a damn about them (his wife already being pregnant). “Place of marriage : p. 285, in the Townhall in Geneva.”

September – October 1904: Long and painful settling in at Pinchat near Geneva, he looks for his lost self in the move.

November 1904: Trip to Paris, Cortot chooses to play his First Symphony.

1905

January 19 1905: First hearing of the “Historiettes au Crépuscule” in Geneva in the Reformation auditorium. This work written on the poems of Camille Mauclair is sung by the soprano Nina Faliero-Dalcroze, Emile Jaques-Dalcroze on piano. Public icy. Nevertheless, they didn’t boo.

February 20 1905: Birth of his first child: Ivan-Kolia.
March 8 1905: Final point for two Poems for orchestra Hiver-Printemps. As for Macbeth he has finished the sketch of the first two scenes.

April 1905: The third scene of Macbeth is completed.

May 8 1905: Robert Godet who initiated him to the work of Moussorgsky, unknown at this time, writes to him: “It seemed to me that it was necessary to find someone to whom to transmit, if I can say, the friendship of Moussorgsky”

November 1905: Stay in Paris: Cortot is unable to fulfill his promise to direct Bloch’s first Symphony.

 

1906

January 1906: In the course of a party, he meets a pretty young poetess, Béatrix Rodès, with whom he falls in love.

January 27 1906: At Geneva he directs the creation of his symphonic poems Hiver-Printemps during the sixth subscription concert. The public, a bit taken aback by Hiver, was conquered by Printemps. The orchestra was great.

February 20 1906: The three days that he just spent with Robert Godet will count among the most beautiful and the most profound of Bloch’s life. These are the moments which mark a decisive point, an interior event, a new era, in a life.

May 1906: On some poems of Béatrix Rodès he composes in two months Poems d’Automne for soprano and orchestra.

May 26 1906: At the Temple du Bas of Neuchâtel he directs the second hearing of Hiver-Printemps with the Kaim orchestra of Munich on the occasion of the seventh musical festival of the Association of Swiss Musicians. It went well, the public success was frank and the Swiss-German critic didn’t dare, this time, to treat him too poorly.

June 28 1906: He finishes Poems d’Automne: it is the entirely first thing he has done which gives him a little joy.

August 1906: The divorce is decided…

September 1906: But he can’t resolve himself to it.

October 1906: Leaving the small town of Pinchat, he is going to live in Geneva in the Saint-Jean quarter, 2 rue de l’Ouest, on the fifth floor of a beautiful house from which there is a view of the Salève.

November 11 1906: Last night a poor little broken faded old man came to get him; it was Jules de Brayer, Godet’s friend, “the real discoverer of Moussorgsky!”

End of November 1906: He reads the Bible. He reads fragments on Moses. And an immense pride made his heart throb! His whole being vibrated. It’s a revelation.

End of December 1906: Béatrix and Bloch sorrowfully separated,

 

1907

January 16 1907: He accompanies on the piano the soprano Nina Faliero-Dalcroze for the creation of Poems d’Automne, in Geneva, Reformation auditorium. The disconcerted critic finds that he has gone too far.

January 1907: He sees Béatrix Rodès again…
Moreover in three weeks he produces and copies the first act of Macbeth.

Beginning of March 1907: At Leipzig he listens to some motets for men’s choir and Salomé by Richard Strauss.

April 27 1907: He meets Debussy in Paris to try to reconcile him with his old friend, Robert Godet.

June 1907: Paris: He performs his opera Macbeth for the director of the Paris Opera, Messager, then for the great soprano Lucienne Bréval who receives him warmly.

August 9 1907: Birth in Geneva of his second child: Suzanne.

October 1907: He goes through a black and gloomy period. The course which he had tried to organize for the complete analysis of the fugues of the Well-Tempered Clavier, the different works of Beethoven and some modern works played here only brought together three students.

End of October 1907: He indicates to Béatrix Rodès that his decision to break up is irrevocable.

November 21 1907: He puts on a recital at the home of the director of the Opéra-Comique, Albert Carré, who accepts to produce Macbeth.

 

1908

January 1908: His first interview is published in the Swiss magazine La Vie Musicale (The Musical Life). Otto Wend writes: “Will we let him become a naturalized Frenchman and won’t we do everything to keep this musical creative force in our midst?”

January 29 1908: Alexandre Birnbaum directs Hiver-Printemps in Lausanne. Bloch hears himself for the first time and he admits it without deception. A laudatory article by Ernest Ansermet, critic of the Gazette of Lausanne, is the point of departure for a correspondence and a long friendship.

February 11 1908: Profound emotion upon hearing the work of Otto Barblan, The Festival of Calven.

End of May 1908: Stay in Paris where he listens to Hippolyte et Aricie by Rameau sung by the incomparable Lucienne Bréval, then Boris Godunov.

July 1908: Reading of the work of Ramuz brings about a profound joy.

September 1908: He starts Balzac of whom he was unaware: Le Père Goriot, La Cousine Bette, César Birotteau carries him away prodigiously.

November 16 1908: Beginning of a course on “the musical work” under the auspices of the Lausanne Conservatory.

 

1909

January 5 1909: Birth of his third child named Lucienne, in honor of Lucienne Bréval. Tensions with Albert Carré who doesn’t want her for the role of Lady Macbeth. But Edmond Fleg and Bloch stand up to him, Macbeth won’t be produced without Lucienne Bréval.

Mid-March 1909: End of the singing-piano version for Macbeth; it is all told an ending point to five years of Bloch’s life, and to many beautiful and bad things.

May 8 1909: Concert on the sly “to test” him before the members of the Committee of the Lausanne Casino. He directs Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony, Hiver-Printemps, the Overtures of the Marriage of Figaro and of the Maîtres Chanteurs.

June 25 1909: He plays Macbeth before the director of the Metropolitan Opera of New York, Gatti-Casazza, who is enthused by it. In the afternoon, Gabriel Astruc signs the contract for publishing Macbeth, but he will only publish the voice-piano version.

July 1909: Four conductors are named as the head of the Lausanne orchestra! As for Bloch, he directs the subscription concerts at the Casino.
Fleg sends him the libretto of Jézabel. He begins this opera but he will never finish it.

August 31 1909:
End of Macbeth. But the orchestral version will never be published.

October 15 1909: He begins in the career of orchestra director in Lausanne. It is prodigiously interesting and he is learning an enormous amount. He presents the Unfinished Symphony of Schubert, Beethoven’s violin concerto, the pastoral suite by Chabrier and the Prelude from the Maîtres Chanteurs.

October 29 1909: Second concert at Lausanne. The hero of the night is the Russian cellist, Serge Barjansky, whom he accompanies in the Concerto for Cello by Edouard Lalo. It is to this virtuoso that he will dedicate Schelomo six years later.

November 12 1909: Third concert at Lausanne: success of Hiver-Printemps, of the Symphony in E Flat Major of Mozart and of the Fifth piano concerto of Beethoven.

November 18 1909: Concert at Neuchâtel with the Orchestra of Lausanne.

November 26 1909: Fourth concert at Lausanne. The second Symphony of Brahms is rather well received. The Romanian violinist, Georges Enesco, triumphs in the Concerto in A by Saint-Saëns.

December 10 1909: Fifth concert at Lausanne, he presents several new works including the Symphonie Héroïque by Swiss composer Hans Huber.

December 16 1909: Second concert at Neuchâtel. The public appreciates the Symphony in B Minor by Borodine.

1910-1919

January 7 1910: At Lausanne for the sixth subscription concert, he directs the Third Symphony of Albéric Magnard with modified success.

January 8 1910: Production of his Symphony in C# Minor in its full form by Bernhard Stavenhagen in Geneva. Big success with the press and the public.

January 13 1910: At Neuchâtel he again conducts the Third Symphony of Magnard with the Orchestra of Lausanne.

January 17 1910: Scandal. He gets a communiqué placed in the newspapers stigmatizing the Committee which refuses him the authority to give a concert in Geneva “so as not to tire the Lausanne Orchestra with this trip”…

January 21 1910: During the seventh subscription concert at Lausanne, he directs the Prélude à l’Après-midi d’un Faune (Prelude to an Afternoon of a Fawn) by Debussy which is a revelation to music lovers.

February 3 1910: During his last concert at Neuchâtel he accompanies Josef Szigeti in the Concerto for Violin and Orchestra of Mendelssohn. What a joy to know this young violinist, a friend forever.

February 11 1910: Lausanne: He gives an “extraordinary” benefit concert. He chooses a work which is difficult to perform, the Faust Symphony of Liszt which proves a big success with the public: He is covered with flowers.
It is his farewell concert to the Orchestra of Lausanne.

April 1910:
Albert Carré finally accepts that Lucienne Bréval, of the Paris Opera, come to the Opéra-Comique to interpret Macbeth.

September – November 1910:
Three months of rehearsals for Macbeth in which he participates with the orchestra conductor, Ruhlmann,

November 30 1910:
Production of Macbeth at the Paris Opéra-Comique: the large majority of the critic is hostile. Discouraged, he returns to Geneva at the end of December “to lick [his] wounds”.

December 31 1910
Very late appearance of the only critic which could have been able to swing the opinion, from his friend Pierre Lalo, the influential music critic of the newspaper Le Temps (the Times). Although it is very complimentary, published one month after the première, it arrives too late! However on the same date a very beautiful letter does his heart good. Nadia Boulanger writes to him: “ I want to tell you soberly how much I admire your work so true, so profound and so extraordinarily understanding of the great genius who inspired you.” For Bloch and his daughter Suzanne, she will become a lifelong friend.

1911

January 1911: Macbeth is over in full success because Lucienne Bréval breaks her contract. Back in Geneva for a change of pace he works on the score of Siegfried: That’s what lifts you up and transports you from petty considerations!

March 1911: He listens to the Maîtres Chanteurs in Leipzig: It’s not only Wagner that he finds again, it’s a little himself…

May 1911: Moving: he leaves Geneva for the country, the little village of Satigny, not far from Geneva.

June 6 1911: First meeting with Romain Rolland in Geneva: he’s a nice man who looks ill and abused, a bitter mouth and beautiful eyes. Bloch spoke a lot—too much—about music, critic, Macbeth and especially the Jewish question.

June 17 and 21 1911: Another production of Macbeth at the Opéra-Comique of Paris; it’s the last showing in France. There is more life, justice, togetherness than at the beginning. The upcoming production of Macbeth will wait until March 5, 1938 in the Theater San Carlo of Naples in Italian.

July and August 1911: He feels a blossoming germinating inside himself: a musical Bible will come and he wants to allow these “secular songs” to sing in him where the whole Jewish soul vibrates.

September 1911: Beginning of his correspondence with the Italian critic Ildebrando Pizzetti: it’s a great joy for Bloch that such an understanding from a man who doesn’t know him; music works wonders.

November 1911: His class on the Musical Work begin on November 22 at the Geneva Conservatory. Reading the works of Romain Rolland, Jean-Christophe and the admirable Beethoven gives him the energy to thank the writer for his visit and for his encouragements. They will become great friends.

1912

April 1912: Fleg sends him a magnificent adaptation of Psalm 137 for him to put to music.

June 1912: He is named professor of composition at the Geneva Conservatory. It isn’t brilliant from the point of view of salary, but it’s better than nothing.
He finishes the Introduction of his second symphony Jewish Festival (it’s the first name given to the symphony Israel).

July August 1912: He works at a furious pace on his second symphony.

September 14 1912: His Psalm 114 dedicated to Edmond and Madeleine Fleg is finished, orchestrated, nuanced.

October 20 1912: He orchestrates the future Prelude to Psalms 114 and 137 (vocal and orchestra version)

November 6 1912: At the Conservatory of Geneva beginning of the Wednesday Courses consecrated to questions of Musical Esthetics.
He analyzes the most outstanding of the works which will be played at the subscription Concerts of Geneva.

November 11 1912: Still at the Geneva Conservatory beginning of the “Monday Courses” consecrated to the work of J.S. Bach.

December 1912: Siegmund Hausegger directs his Symphonic Poem Winter in Berlin. It’s the first time that one of his works is performed in Germany!

1913

Beginning of January 1913: Nine day trip to Hungary and Italy: he returns with a strength and a confidence within that he has never had before.

February 1913: Fleg suggests to him to put the Jewish ritual to music which he doesn’t achieve until 20 years later with Avodath Hakodesh

Beginning of March 1913: Business trip to Germany. He has the good fortune to hear Ariane à Naxos by Richard Strauss in Berlin.

March 31 1913: My father dies in Geneva.

April 1913: He gives five preparatory lectures to the first recital at Geneva of J. S. Bach’s Mass in B (directed by Otto Barblan the 22nd of April 1913).

End of May 1913: At Vevey he attends the Festival Saint-Saëns, directed by Gustave Doret. He won’t say he enjoyed himself…
There he heard mediocre music, played with mediocrity.

End of June 1913:
Festivals of Jaques-Dalcroze at Hellerau: it blew him away.
He went there as a skeptic, almost as an adversary. He came back convinced.

August 1913:
He finishes Danse, the first of the Trois Poèmes Juifs and he begins Rite which is the second.

September 1913:
Fleg sends him an adaptation of Psalm 22 for him to put it into music.

October 7 1913:
End of the Trois Poèmes Juifs with the third part Cortège Funèbre (Funeral Procession

October 22 1913:
His series of 24 lectures on Musical Esthetic starts up for the third year at the Geneva Conservatory.

End of October 1913
Quarrel with my friend Robert Godet.

 

1914

Beginning of January 1914:

Eight memorable days in Venice: he returns fresh and “full of music”. Alas, instead of being able to write it, here he is reimmersed into the kettle of lectures.

January 23 1914:

At the Lausanne Conservatory: beginning of lectures on the Evolution of musical taste.

February 28 1914:
He directs the first of the Trois Poèmes Juifs at the Grand Theater of Geneva; the other works on the program of this eighth subscription concert are directed by Stavenhagen. It is a success for the public but the criticism is divided.

April 16 1914:
End point of Psalm 22, for baritone and orchestra, on the words of Edmond Fleg. He dedicates this work to his friend Romain Rolland.

End of April 1914:
Business tour to Berlin. He hears admirable performances of Parsifal, Salomé and Les Noces de Figaro. He really needed that! One feels stagnant in Geneva.

May 15 1914:
He finishes the Psalm 137 for soprano and orchestra dedicated to Edmond and Madeleine Fleg.

June 1914:
Candidacy at the Geneva Conservatory for a regular Course of composition, total failure: Otto Barblan declares that he will resign if I am named.

August 1914:
Declaration of war. He tries to join the Swiss army but they don’t want him.

September 1914:
Move to Rennex on Genthod which is less onerous than Satigny.

November 1914:
He forces himself to work again on his violin in anticipation of the unknown.
It’s a terrible job at his age, after having abandoned it for 15 years. But it comes back and he plays quartets with his friends.
His lectures have few listeners.

November 28 1914:
He directs the Geneva Orchestra with success: Symphony in B Minor of Boradine, Prélude à l’Après-midi d’un Faune of Debussy and Airs de concert sung by Nina Faliero-Dalcroze.

December 1914:
He goes back to work on composing the Fêtes Juives. His friend Stavenhagen, head of the Geneva orchestra, dies. Bloch offers his candidacy for this post.

1915

January 10 1915:
Candidacy for the post of orchestra director of the Subscription Concerts of Geneva.

February 1915:
He struggles in the midst of the worst intrigues.
And his rival is…Ansermet, his old friend and student.

February 20 1915:
He directs in Geneva the second complete hearing of his Symphony in C# Minor.
His concert was a strong success: great success, excellent impression.
Romain Rolland who attended the rehearsal writes him a fine letter which renews his courage.

March 1915:
He finishes and orchestrates the beginning of his new Symphony Fêtes Juives.
He read and reread the work of Romain Rolland, Jean-Christophe, from which he gets new strength.

End of May 1915:
He finishes the first part of his new Symphony which Romain Rolland is encouraging him to call Israël.

June 1915:
The post of head of the orchestra at Geneva which he solicited is awarded to Ansermet.

End of October 1915:
He moves, regretfully leaving the country of Rennex sur Genthod for Geneva (2, Warens Street) to save money.

November 1915:
His lectures at Geneva weren’t able to take place, for lack of listeners.

December 1915:
Providence sends him an extraordinary couple: Alexandre Barjansky, admirable cellist and his wife Katia who is a sculptress. They will be at the première of Bloch’s Schelomo.

1916

Beginning of January 1916:
He finishes in three weeks the orchestration of the second part of his Symphony Israël and starts Schelomo.

Beginning of February 1916:
The passionate, ardent and varied manner of playing of Barjansky, and the art of his wife are his inspiration for Schelomo which he composes in a few weeks.

April 1916:
He is almost in desperate straits and if his old friend Pochon, who is looking with a limitless devotion for any spot for him in America, succeeds, what will his destiny be?

May – June 1916:
The three first movements of the First Quartet are outlined.

End of June 1916:
He receives two admirable letters from Stefan Zweig.

July 1916:
He is hired by the English dancer Maud Allan as the head of the orchestra of her troupe for a big American tour. Before returning to London, he stops in Paris where he meets Cortot and Debussy.

July 30 1916:
Arrived at New York after eight days on the boat from Liverpool.

 

LITTLE CHRONICLE FROM THE END OF THE YEAR 1916

July 30 1916 New York! At eight o’clock the Bloch family saw land…And the greenery…And also the splendid Statue of Liberty.

August 1916
August 12: Musical America devotes a large article written by the young composer Bernard Rogers, who will become a faithful friend.
In six days, he orchestrates eight Preludes by Chopin for Maud Allan.

September 1916
September 5: He finishes in eight days in New York the last movement of his first String Quartet (the first three movements were composed in Geneva in the spring).

October 1916 Tour Maud Allan…He conducts with success along with other works his Hiver-Printemps, with a little orchestra of 40 musicians, in different cities in the U.S.A. and in Canada.
October 16: New York première of Hiver-Printemps in the 44th Street Theater in the form of a ballet danced by Maud Allan’s troupe.
October 21: He conducts the little Maud Allan Orchestra in the Aeolian Hall in New York. He accompanies the young violinist Isolde Menges who plays the Brahms’ Concerto and La Symphonie Espagnole (Spanish Symphony) of Lalo. Moreover they played L’Ouverture de Léonore III of Beethoven and Hiver-Printemps which had a sweet success. The press is wretched.

November 1916
November 7: Premature finish to the Maud Allan tour… Alas! People are starting to publish articles on Bloch and on his work in several newspapers: Boston Globe, Boston Transcript, Musical Observer, Musical America, etc…
A friend of Romain Rolland, Waldo Frank, the young editor of the magazine The Seven Arts, received Bloch with open arms. One of his friends, Paul Rosenfeld, chief music critic, wants to write a study on Bloch.

December 1916
December 29: Production of his first Quartet by the Flonzaley Quartet in New York at the Aeolian Hall. The work produces a strong impression.

1917

January 1917 He meets Mrs. J.F.D. Lanier whose affection and marvelous devotion help him surmount his terrible situation.
In private he gives several lectures at her home.

February 1917 In the magazine “The Seven Arts” they publish an article by Paul Rosenfeld “The music of Ernest Bloch.”

March 1917 “The Seven Arts” publishes an article that he edited: “Man and his music” translated by his friend Waldo Frank, the director of the magazine.
March 23 and 24 1917: Invited by Dr. Muck, he directs his Trois Poèmes Juifs (Three Jewish Poems) in Boston. It is the first truly big success of his career; the press is wonderful and shows a profound understanding of his work. He meets Carl Engel for the first time; he will become a very close friend.

May 1917
May 3: Concert of the Cycle Juif (Jewish Cycle) in New York (Carnegie Hall) under the aegis of the “Friends of Music”. Aside from Les Trois Poèmes Juifs, the other works are world premieres.
Artur Bodanzky conducts the first part of the concert: – Trois Poèmes Juifs – Schelomo, with soloist Hans Kindler, solo cellist of the Philadelphia Orchestra – Prélude et Psaumes 137 et 114 for soprano and orchestra, with the assistance of Melanie Kurt of the Metropolitan Opera. – Psaume 22 for baritone and orchestra with the assistance of Carl Braun of the Met.
He conducts the second part consecrated to la Symphonie Israël.
It is the greatest event of his artistic life.

June 1917
He embarks for Europe June 7. About 600 miles from Bordeaux they meet a submarine . The ship fires five volleys and they miss it.
Before leaving he signed a contract with G. Schirmer for the publication of all his works.

July, August, September 1917
Vacation in Switzerland. Then goodbye to the mountains…

October 1917
Arrived in New York October 19 with his family composed of his wife and his three children. They spend six marvelous weeks at the Wellington Hotel.

November 1917
He begins to work off his two year long condemnation to prison “David Mannes Music School.” In the course of the 1917-1918 season, he gives five lectures in this School
1. The soul of art
The soul of music (the soul of David and Clara Mannes!)
The “uneasy” aesthetic of our times
The constraints of form
The freeing by the form.
2. Musical expression through the melody
Moreover he gives courses on counterpoint, form, etc. (150 dollars for three students, 100 dollars for ten students, etc., etc.)

December 1917
December 2 1917: He conducts a concert in New York at the Ritz Carlton, through the initiative of the “Friends of Music.”
The program is made up of Liadov, Moussorgsky and Bloch (Hiver-Printemps) and Poèmes d’Automne).
This last work is sung by Madame Povlà Frijsh accompanied by the orchestra. It is the first complete orchestral performance of this work.

1918

January 1918
January 10 and 13: Walter Damrosch plays his Trois Poèmes Juifs with a great success. The orchestra is marvelous, but Bloch would have preferred to conduct himself—it would have been better.
January 25 and 26: In Philadelphia his concert of the Cycle Juif succeeded admirably and was a very large success. Stokowski told Bloch he had never seen his orchestra love a conductor so much and devote such admiration to him.
Julius Hartt attends the concert.

February 1918
February 1 and 2: He directs his Trois Poèmes Juifs in Chicago. Stock, the head of the orchestra, is completely charming to Bloch and very keen about his work.
February 2: A marvelous article by Julius Hartt in the Hartford Times caused Bloch to have a good cry. There is someone who doesn’t know Bloch and who, in hearing his music, read in his soul, understood a whole life, all of Bloch’s struggles, all of his effort, all his thinking, all his aspirations!

March 1918
March 8: In New York at Carnegie Hall, he conducts his Symphony in C Sharp Minor. This concert is a success.
March 25: They arrested Muck, the head of the Boston orchestra. With Bodanzky, he is the only “real” director that Bloch has met.

April 1918
In a poor synagogue in New York where he heard ancient Hebrew melodies he experienced perhaps the strangest experience of his life.

July-August 1918
Vacation at the sea short at Interlaken on the coast of New Jersey. His student, the pianist Ethel Leginska followed them.
He sketches out the first act of Jézabel and every Wednesday he is going to give lessons in New York.

September 1918
Madame Lanier lent him her country house at Ardsley on Hudson so he may compose in peace.
But Mr. Hartt pressures him to become a candidate for the conductor of the Boston orchestra. The steps are in vain: if he had been French instead of Swiss (and Jewish!), he would have surely been chosen because the orchestra likes him.

October 1918
Return to New York: never has the emptiness of this city appeared to him so implacably.

November 1918
At the end of each week he goes to give courses at Hartford. They spend a wonderful family Thanksgiving holiday with their friends, the Hartts.
Émil Oberhoffer presents Hiver-Printemps November 21-22 with the Orchestra of Minneapolis.

December 1918
He directs the choir of the People’s Music League: he studies the vocal works of the 15th and 16th centuries.
The Minneapolis Orchestra plays les Trois Poèmes Juifs December 5th and 6th.
The 6th of December in New York (at Carnegie Hall) the contralto Mary Jordan interprets two of his Poèmes d’Automne: La Vagabonde et Invocation. The Philharmonic Orchestra is directed by Josef Stransky.

1919

January 1919
They play his Schelomo in San Francisco the 3rd and 5th of January. The work must have produced a big impression since they are going to repeat it.
The project to direct an orchestra at Hartford falls through.

March 1919
Horrible flu: for the first time in his life, he has the feeling of being close to death. He is incapable of conducting and his concert of choral music of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries takes place March 16th under the direction of Giulio Setti: after one year of preparation, it is a huge disappointment.
In St. Louis Max Zach performs les Trois Poèmes Juifs March 14 and 15.

April 1919
Stokowski plays his Symphony in C# Minor in Philadelphia the 11th and 12th of April. The press is mixed.

May 1919
May 29 – He has just finished a new work: a Suite for viola and piano which he is going to orchestrate this summer. It’s no longer Jewish; but possibly Far Eastern! But it is certainly real Ernest Bloch.

June 1919
They are invited for the summer to Peterboro (New Hampshire) by an adorable woman, Mrs. Joanne Shaw, founder of a school in which he teaches every morning.

July 1919
Mrs. Shaw is the most genuine, greatest creature that he has ever met. He never imagined that such a woman could exist. He regrets not being ten years younger, not being free, independent…
They produce Schelomo in London the 4th of July. Unfortunately, May Mukle only plays the cello-piano version.

August 1919
He is named head of the Young Men’s Symphony Orchestra of New York which gives two concerts per year. From a monetary point of view, it is very modest but it always helps pay the bills.
Rudolf Schirmer, Bloch’s editor and friend, has just died; it’s a disaster.
Bloch’s friends from the Flonzaley Quartet telegraph him that the Berkshire prize established by Mrs. Coolidge, for a sum of $1,000, was awarded to his Suite for viola and piano.

September 1919
Performance of the Suite for viola and piano on September 27 by Louis Bailly and Harold Bauer, at the Festival of Pittsfield (MA) where he and Marguerite were invited by Mrs. Coolidge. It is a triumph.

October 1919
He doesn’t renew his contract with the Mannes School but he already has more than 20 private students (among whom are Herbert Elwell, Roger Sessions, Frederick Jacobi and Ethel Leginska).

November – December 1919
November 14-15: In Boston, Pierre Monteux presents the Psalms 114 and 137 with the assistance of the Danish singer Povla Frijsh.
November 18: New York première of the Suite for viola and piano with Émile Ferir and Harold Bauer.
November 20: May Mukle plays Schelomo in New York (Aeolian Hall) in an shortened version.
Hiver-Printemps is presented several times in the United States (in New York by Bodanzky November 5-7, in Chicago by Stock December 5-6, in Detroit by Gabrillowitsch December 18 and 20.)

1920-1929

January 1920
8th: Sokoloff presents Hiver-Printemps with success.
18th: Second New York recital of his Suite for Viola and Piano at the Ritz-Carlton by the marvellous viola player Louis Bailly and the pianist Harold Bauer.

February 1920
He finishes the orchestration of the Suite for Viola and Orchestra.
He begins his first Violin and Piano Sonata: it is black and savage.

March 1920
4th: He goes to Hartford to conduct his Hiver-Printemps and a Suite à l’Arlésienne of Bizet.
He has a magnificent success as composer and head of the orchestra.
11th: In Boston (Jordan Hall) Louis Bailly and Harold Bauer triumph with his Suite for Viola and Piano. he had to take a bow three times.

April 1920
He finishes the two first movements of the first Sonata for violin and piano, very savage and barbarous.

May 1920
He is contacted to create the Music Institute in Cleveland.

June 1920
His mother arrives in New York for a few months. It is the last time that he will be able to kiss her.
Bernard Rogers, his friend and student, has just won the $1,500 Pulitzer scholarship.

July 1920
He spends the summer in Peterboro where he teaches in the morning.
His first Quartet is produced in London.
His nomination as director of the Cleveland Music Institute is official the 11th of July.

August 1920
Vacation at Peterboro. Since he is a member of the jury for the Coolidge prize this year, he is engulfed by 136 quartets, lamentable for the most part.

September 1920
He signs his official contract in Cleveland. He was able to arrange his engagement so that it will be possible for him to return to New York every two weeks and to keep his most important pupils there. My family remains in New York.
Visit to Pittsfield, end of September, for the Coolidge prize which is awarded to the Quartet of Malipiero.

October 1920
His mother leaves October 23: That’s life! You have to live separated from those you love…and struggle and exhaust yourself with sterile tasks…and years pass and death arrives unexpectedly.

November 1920
4th, 5th, & 7th: They repeat Schelomo in San Francisco with great success. Alfred Hertz directs the orchestra and Horace Britt is soloist.
5th and 7th: Performance of the Suite for Viola and Orchestra in New York (Carnegie Hall) with Artur Bodanzky as the head of the National Symphony Orchestra and Louis Bailly on viola.
Bloch’s Suite produced a strange impression. La critic was terrible, violent, insulting!!! The public cold, mocking, hostile; some were more enthusaistic than ever. They discussed and insulted each other.
18th: performance in Switzerland (Geneva) of his first Quartet.
26: He finishes his first Violin and Piano Sonata.

December 1920
Beginning of December: His first Quartet is performed in Germany (in Berlin).
10th: Official opening of the Music Institute of Cleveland. He gives a one hour long talk. He has never had a similar success before in America.
30th and January 1: In Cleveland, he directs his First Symphony. Superb concert, splendid orchestra, had wonderful ovations from the orchestra and from the public.

1921

January 1921
At the Cleveland Institute of Music, continuation until April of the series of lectures for amateurs on “Music Appreciation”.

February 1921
There was a succession of concerts of his works:

February 5
Swiss performance of Schelomo in Geneva with Ansermet at the head of the Orchestre de la Suisse romande and André Hekking. The work is rather well received.

February 13
Les Trois Poèmes Juifs are performed at Amsterdam by the Concertgebouw directed by Cornelius Copper (replacing Karl Muck who ran off).

February 20
World première of his first Violin and Piano Sonata in New York (Aeolian Hall) by the violinist Paul Kochanski and the pianist Arthur Rubinstein. No matter how terribly violent and savage, the work was better understood than the Suite for Viola and Piano.

February 21 and 23
Mengelberg performs Schelomo in New York with the National Symphony Orchestra and the cellist Cornelius Van Vliet. It is a triumph. Mengelberg is admirable! He adores Mengelberg and the latter feels the same, Bloch believes. Bloch gave him the original manuscript of Schelomo. It was a moment of intense emotion.

April 1921
April 21
Performance in Holland of Schelomo in Amsterdam with Mengelberg at the head of the Concertgebouw and the cellist Marix Lœvensohn.
Schelomo will be played again by Mengelberg in Amsterdam on April 24 and October 20, 1921.
April 29 and 30
In Boston Pierre Monteux performs with success the local premiere of Hiver-Printemps.

May 1921
May 17
Annual meeting of the directing committee of the Cleveland Institute of Music. He gives a report full of hope for the future.
May 21
He publishes his first article in English in Musical America: “Ernest Bloch Surveys the Problem of Musical Education”. This article will have a big repercussion.

June 1921
He spends five delicious days at Peterboro where he has the joy of meeting Mrs. Joanne Johnson again. What a shame that destiny didn’t bring together two beings made for each other as she and he!

July – August 1921
Vacation in Canada at Percé, a small city in Quebec.

September 1921

September 3
Reopening of the Cleveland Music Institute. He has hired as professors the Swiss violinist André de Ribaupierre, and former students Roger Sessions, Jean Binet, Bernard Rogers, and Hubbard Hutchinson.
September 22
They all get settled in Cleveland. For one year he was divided between Cleveland and New York where his family resided; 34 trips (a 14 hour train trip each time!)
September 25
A telegram announces the death of his poor mother. Her son will not be able to shut her eyes and give her the kiss of peace…alas…but he feels her really near him, as if the distance between them was wiped away.

October 1921
October 15
Performance in Holland of his first Quartet by the Flonzaley Quartet.
October 23
His Suite for Viola and Piano is performed for the first time in Cleveland by Samuel Lifschey on viola and Beryl Rubinstein on piano.

November 1921
November 4 and 5
Stokowski directs his Suite for Viola and Orchestra in Philadeplhia with Louis Bailly as soloist.
He wrote to Bloch: “It will amuse you to learn that the the public cordially hated it.”
November 27
French performance of Schelomo in Paris in the Théatre du Châtelet by Gabriel Pierné at the head of the Colonne Orchestra and the cellist André Hekking.
November 29
In Cleveland his first Quartet is performed for the first time by the Cleveland Quartet.
November 30
At the Institute, he begins a new series of lectures for amateurs: “Music explained by a musician”.

December 1921
The Flonzaley Quartet plays the Pastorale from his first Quartet during their American tour.
Hiver-Printemps is performed in Berlin by Oskar Fried at the head of the Blüthner Orchestra.
The chorus of students and of professors that he organized makes its public debut at the Cleveland Museum of Art.

 

1922

January – February 1922
He composes the first movement of a new work, a Quintet with piano which he sketched out in December 1921.
Numerous performances of his works in America and in Europe:
− the First Quartet is performed January 10 at Cleveland by the Flonzaley Quartet.
− Hiver-Printemps is played January 13 and 14 in St. Louis by Rudolph Ganz. It is also performed in Austria, in Vienna by Oskar Fried.
− La Suite pour alto et piano is played in Hungary, in Budapest January 18 by Zoltan Székely on viola and Béla Bartok on the piano.
− Les Trois Poèmes Juifs are performed in Germany, in Berlin by Heinz Unger.
− Les Psaumes 114 et 137 are performed in France, in Paris, January 24, by Vera Janacopoulos.

March 1922
He composes the second movement of his first Quintet with piano.
He directs his Trois Poèmes Juifs in Cleveland with success the 2nd and 4th March.
Le Flonzaley Quartet interprets his first Quartet in New York March 7 and in Boston March 9.
− March 12: European creation of Psaume 22 in Amsterdam by Karl Muck and the contralto
Mme. Charles Cahier who will sing it in all of Europe.
− March 14: English public creation of the first Quartet in London.

April 1922
First German performance of Psaume 22 in Wiesbaden by Carl Schuricht and Mme. Charles Cahier.
It is the fifth of his works performed in Germany: this season Berlin has already listened to the first Quartet, les Trois Poèmes Juifs, La Suite pour alto et piano, and Hiver-Printemps.

May 1922
A big membership campaign and fund drive is launched at the Cleveland Institute of Music .
In France May 5 1922 his Suite pour alto et piano is performed in Paris by his friend Nadia Boulanger on the piano and Jean Lefranc on viola.

July 1922
He gives five series of “Master Classes” during the summer session at the Cleveland Institute of Music.
He is composing without a break. With joy he writes some piano pieces: Poèmes de la Mer (poems of the ocean), Pièces de cirque (circus pieces) and Dans la nuit-Un Poème d’Amour (in the night-a love poem).

August 1922
August 9 1922, two of his works are played at the Modern Chamber Music Festival in Salzbourg:
− Schelomo in cello and piano version with Barjansky on the cello.
− The First Sonata for violin and piano which gathers an enormous success thanks to the violinist Joseph Szigeti and to the pianist Carl Friedberg.

September 1922
He begins the orchestration of the Poèmes de la Mer.

October 1922
The Institute of Cleveland opens its doors October 2. Many students are new and additional professors are named.
England is interested in his works. This month London can hear:
− The first English recital of Schelomo (orchestral version) October 11 by Sir Henry Wood directing the New Queen’s Hall Orchestra and the cellist May Mukle.
− The first English recital of the First Sonata for violin and piano by the violinist Jelly d’Aranyi October 17.
In Philadelphia Stokowski performs Schelomo October 27 and 28 with Hans Kindler.

November 1922
November 4 the Institute moves to a building two times larger.
He attends the performance of Psaume 22 in Cincinnati by Fritz Reiner and Mme. Cahier November 10 and 11.
The English continue to play Bloch:
The first English recital of the Suite for alto and piano took place in London November 22, thanks to violist Lionel Tertis and to the pianist Harold Bauer.

December 1922
December 8 and 9 he directs le Psaume 22 in Cleveland with the assistance of Mme. Charles Cahier. It is a great success.
December 9 they give a big reception at the Institute on the occasion of its second anniversary and for the opening of the new buildings. Mme. Charles Cahier is the guest of honor. He gives a speech and directs the Institute’s choir.
The Italian press celebrates his First Quartet which is played in the first Italian performance in Naples by the Budapest Quartet.
In the course of this month of December, he orchestrates Dans la nuit-Un poème d’amour.

 

1923

January 1923
January 5: Emergency meeting of the Steering Committee of the Cleveland Institute: he threatens to resign if he doesn’t obtain adequate funding.
This same day his first Sonata for violin and piano receives its first Italian recital, in Rome by the violinist Mario Corti.
January 13
First English performance of the Trois Poèmes Juifs, in London by Sir Henry Wood at the head of New Queen’s Hall Orchestra.

February 1923
At the Institute he organizes a “Musical Laboratory for Apprentice Composers”.
His first Quartet receives its French production, in Paris, February 10 1923 by the Rosé Quartet.
The pianist Alfredo Casella, Bloch’s future friend, gives a concert in Cleveland: they were very pleased to have him there. He had an enormous and well-deserved success.

March 1923
March 27
He finishes his first Quintet for piano started more than a year ago.

April 1923
In Paris Julius Hartt publishes a magnificent study on Bloch’s work in La Revue Musicale.
In America Fritz Reiner presents le Psaume 22 in Indianapolis April 2 (Mme. Charles Cahier is going to lay it on all of Europe) and Pierre Monteux presents Schelomo in Boston April 13-14 with Jean Bedetti.
April 14
He finishes up Nirvana for piano.
April 25
His last lecture at the Institute is about Debussy. Bloch requests the Library of Congress to purchase the letters and manuscripts of the master from Lilly Debussy. They don’t even have the $1000 necessary for the original orchestral score of the Nocturnes!

May 1923
May 12
French debut of the first Sonata for violin and piano, in Paris, by Joseph Szigeti who will play it in all of Europe (Paul Kochanski will repeat it in Paris June 9).
May 24
World premiere of Melody and of the first part of Baal Shem at the concert of the Cleveland Music Institute given by André de Ribaupierre.

June 1923
June 16
French debut of Trois Poèmes Juifs in Paris, Salle Gaveau, with Lazare Saminsky at the head of the Colonne Orchestra. (Köln? Cologne, Germany ?)
June 29
English debut of the Suite for viola and orchestra in London by the orchestra head Eugène Goossens and the violist Lionel Tertis.

July 1923
He gives five master classes in New York in the studios of Frank La Forge.
He finishes Cinq Esquisses en Sépia (Five Sketches in Sepia) and La Danse sacrée (Sacred Dance) (posthumous work).

August – September 1923
Family vacation in Peterboro (New Hampshire).

October 1923
Reopening for the fourth season of the Cleveland Institute October 1.
He is going to begin rehearsals of the Cleveland Choral Society (Missa Brevis by Palestrina and Bach’s Chorals) at the end of the month.
An old dream is realized: Bloch’s friends from the Institute Quartet are going to debut a complete collection of the Beethoven Quarets at the Cleveland Museum of Art (admission is free!).
At the end of October, he finishes Baal Shem for violin and piano.
Dans la Nuit – Un poème d’amour is played by the pianist Harold Bauer October 28 in Chicago.

November 1923
He finishes Les Enfantines and begins a series of ten lectures on the “Fugues of the Clavecin bien tempéré”.
November 2 and 4
Schelomo is given again in San Francisco by Alfred Hertz and Horace Britt.
November 11
World premiere of his first quintet with piano in New York at the Klaw Theater by Harold Bauer and the Lenox Quartet. The reactions are very diverse.
November 30
Schelomo is played in Chicago for the first time by Frederick Stock and Alfred Wallenstein on cello.

December 1923
In four days he composes some little quartet pieces: Night and Paysages which he means for his friends of Flonzaley Quartet.

[Information to be considered for later!]

1920
Bloch began tenure as instructor at Cleveland Institute of Music; he was the institute’s first director. During the Cleveland years Bloch composed some of his most notable chamber music, including the Piano Quintet No. 1, called by one critic “the greatest work in its form since the piano quintets of Brahms and Cesar Frank. He also honed his skills as a teacher, developing his teaching philosophy and speaking to groups ranging from music students to civic organizations. His daughter Suzanne played in the student orchestra there for a time.

According to Sita Milchev, Ernest Bloch’s grand daughter, Ernest Bloch asked his good friend, Dr. Guilio Silva, who was teaching at St. Cecelia’s Academy of Music in Rome, Italy, to come to Cleveland. Dr. Silva did just that. After teaching voice (he was a master of voice teaching) there, he also followed Bloch to the Conservatory in San Francisco. Bloch’s granddaughter happened to be fortunate to take singing lessons from Dr. Silva before she was a student at the Conservatory, as well as when she was attending the Conservatory back in the very early 60’s. “Dr. Silva taught many students as well as teaching an incredible class on Gregorian Chant.” S. Milchev

1924

January 1924
The first quintet for piano is given again in New York with more success than before with Harold Bauer and the Lenox Quartet.
The first Sonata for violin and piano is played in Boston then in Cleveland the 19th and 24th of January.
Barjansky performs Schelomo in Frankfurt.

February 1924
This month has been nicknamed the Bloch month by the American press because there is a succession of concerts of his works in America in a rhythm which wouldn’t be equaled until the simultaneous production of the symphony America in the largest American cities in 1928.
February 4 in New York the first Quintet for piano is performed at the Bohemian Club by its usual interpreters.
February 5 in New York Schelomo is played by Stokowski at the head of the Philadelphia Orchestra and Hans Kindler on the cello.
February 6 in Cleveland, world premiere of Baal Shem by André de Ribaupierre.
February 9 in Washington: Suite for viola and piano by Lionel Tertis and Haold Bauer.
February 10 in New York: At the head of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra he performs two orchestra works: Poèmes de la Mer and Dans la nuit-Un Poème d’Amour and regives the Prélude and les Psaumes 137 et 114 with Vera Janacopoulos.
Coming back from this week in New York, intrigues awaited him in Cleveland. It was so dirty, so ugly, so full of despair that, seeing all of his effort for seven years being compromised, by the self-same ones for whom he had done it, he became disgusted; he resigned; and to sleep, he swallowed some Veronal; too much or too little! But this resignation is refused and the suicide attempt fails.
February 22 and 23 in Los Angeles the Trois Poèmes Juifs are directed by Walter Rothwell.
February 24 in Cleveland the first Sonata for violin and piano is played by André de Ribaupierre and Beryl Rubinstein.
In February the Flonzaley Quartet creates Paysages and Night for quartet during its tour of Florida. It will repeat these works in all of the large American cities (notably March 4 in New York and March 6 in Boston) and then in its European tour (notably in London May 3 and May 8 in Venice).

March 1924
He rehearses the Danses Polovtsiennes from Prince Igor with the Institute Orchestra augmented by a female choir and he continues his lectures on the “Fugues from the Well-Tempered Clavier”.
In New York there is a succession of concerts of his works:
March 17 the first Sonata for violin and piano is interpreted in Town Hall by Rudolph Polk.
March 21 is the culminating point of his season because on the same evening he is entitled to two different productions: in Carnegie Hall New York production of Baal Shem by Bronislaw Huberman; in the Aeolian Hall, world premiere of the Trois Nocturnes by the New York Trio.
In Cleveland on March 28, his Suite for viola and piano is performed in a local premiere by Quincy Porter as alto and Eleanor Foster on piano.
Finally Schelomo is performed in Italy in Turin March 27 by Giuseppe Baroni and the cellist Onorina Semino.

May 1924
May 17: second French recital of the Psaumes 114 and 137 by Marya Freund in Paris (Théâtre du Vieux Colombier).
May 26: encounter with George Gershwin and Paul Whiteman who came to give a concert in Cleveland.

June – July 1924
In Prague the Psaume 22 is performed under the direction of Fritz Reiner on June 2.
On June 19 he arrives in San Francisco: it’s another country. The most surprising, it is…himself. He thought he was finished, used up, tired, old, blasé…and then he finds himself refreshed and transformed with a youth and a wish to live and to travel which he thought was buried.
He gives 25 “Master Classes” at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music from June 23 to July 25.
He is celebrated on several occasions:
June 28 at the Musicians’ Club la Suite for viola and piano is performed (Nathan Firestone and Ada Clement), the Psaume 137 (Lawrence Strauss) and Psaume 22 (Reuben Rinder) are sung.
July 23 at the home of Rosalie Housman the same interpreters reperform the Suite for viola and piano and the Psaume 22. Then Nirvana is played by Benjamin Moore and the first Sonata for violin and piano is played by Lajos Fenster and Ada Clement.
July 25 at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music to celebrate the end of the courses, he plays the world premiere of the Enfantines. Edouard Deru performs Baal Shem, Lawrence Strauss sings Bloch’s melodies. The Nocturnes is performed as well.
July 29: he directs his Trois Poèmes Juifs in the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles.

August – September 1924
He rediscovers his beloved mountains while visiting the Canadian Rockies alone during the first two weeks of August. Then the whole family leaves to fish and canoe at the Lake Timagani (Ontario, Canada) for a month.

October 1924
The Cleveland Institute opens its doors on October 1 for its fifth season.
Mischa Elman adds le Nigun to his repertory and plays it all over America.
In Berlin the Psaume 22 is sung October 2 by Madame Charles Cahier, accompanied by the Philharmonic Orchestra of Berlin directed by Heinz Unger.
In Paris the Suite for viola and orchestra is performed in the French premiere October 25, by the violist Jean Lefranc accompanied by the Colonne Orchestra directed by Gabriel Pierné.

November – December 1924
Some of his works are performed in America:
November 29: the Poèmes de la Mer for piano by Harold Bauer in New York (Aeolian Hall)
November 30: Schelomo in Minneapolis by Henri Verbrugghen and the cellist Horace Britt.
December 10: the first Quintet with piano in San Francisco.
They play Bloch abroad as well:
December 20 in Geneva: Swiss premiere of the Psaumes 114 and 137 with Ernest Ansermet at the head of the Orchestra of the Swiss Romande and Vera Janacopoulos.
End of December in Vienna: Alexander Barjansky performs his transcription for cello of Bloch’s Suite for viola and piano.
As for Bloch, he leaves for Santa Fe (New Mexico) from November 11 to December 29, 1924 to rest and compose.
In summary, he can be delighted! In six weeks he dashed off:
1. Le Poème mystique for violin and piano
2. In the mountains (two pieces for quartet)
3. Nuit exotique, poem for violin and piano
4. Méditation hébraïque for cello and piano
5. Three Jewish pieces for cello and piano (From Jewish Life)
6. Almost finished the “Suite” (his future Concerto grosso).

1924
Bloch became a U. S. citizen.

1924
ENFANTINES – Ten Pieces for Children for Piano

With Original Drawings by Lucienne Bloch [Besides Bloch’s children, other names refer to pianists at the Cleveland Institute.]

1. LULLABY to Suzanne Bloch

2. THE JOYOUS PARTY to Mrs. F. B. Kortheuer

3. WITH MOTHER to Lucienne Bloch

4. ELVES to Ruth Edwards

5. JOYOUS MARCH to Beryl Rubinstein

6. MELODY to Dorothy Price

7. PASTORALE to Eleanor Foster

8. RAINY DAY to Nathan Fryer

9. TEASING to M. Edith Martin

10. DREAM to Anita Frank

All Copyright MCMXXIV by Carl Fischer Inc., New York

1925

LITTLE CHRONICLE OF THE YEAR 1925

January 1925
− the First Quintet is played three times in Cleveland (the local première took place January 4)
− The Poème Mystique is created on January 24 in New York at the home of Mr. And Mrs. Rossin by André de Ribaupierre and Beryl Rubinstein.

February 1925
In Cleveland Nadia Boulanger gives a splendid organ concert: Bloch has never heard Bach played on this instrument so lucidly and so transparently.
In Rochester he gives five weeks of “Master classes” at the Eastman School of Music. During this visit he directs Hiver-Printemps on February 26.
Several of his works are played in America:
-Trois Poèmes Juifs February 6 and 8 in San Francisco by Alfred Hertz.
-The First Quintet February 20 in Washington by Harold Bauer and the Lenox Quartet.
In Geneva the First Quintet receives its first Swiss recital by the Pro Arte Quartet and
Mme. René Hentsch February 2.
In Paris Szigeti gives the first French recital of Baal Schem on Feburary 21. He will repeat it
March 14.

March 1925
Stokowski at the head of the Philadelphia Orchestra and Hans Kindler on the cello play Schelomo in Washington then in Baltimore on March 3 and 4.
In Paris there are several French performancesof his works:
-March 6: Poèmes de la Mer and Dans la Nuit by the pianist Maurice Servais.
-March 19: Psaume 22 by Madeleine Grey.

April 1925
He finishes the first Concerto Grosso.
Numerous concerts of his works in Cleveland:
-April 3: Enfantines by the students of the Institute.
-April 1 and 7: Baal Shem by the professors.
April 14: Nocturnes by the New York Trio.
April 24: Bloch festival at the Cleveland Institute of Music.

May 1925
-May 12: What Bloch predicted for a long time happened. The sly scheming, jealousies, shady politics triumphed-and in the lowest possible way, the most dishonorable. Bloch is asked to resign after having engaged him in January 1925 for the 1925-1926 season (but without a written contract!).
One bright spot, however. The same day when this affair occurred, Bloch received a letter from Robert Godet, thanking him for sending his first Symphony which had just been published and for the dedication to Godet which Bloch loyally preserved.
-May 15: The complete series of the Quartets of Beethoven is achieved by the Institute Quartet (free concerts at the Cleveland Museum of Art). It was a project which was dear to his heart.
-May 29: Bloch performs his first Concerto Grosso with the Institute String Orchestra and Walter Scott on the piano in the course of a public concert of the students at the Cleveland Institute.
-May 30: He has there more than 30 large packages, manuscripts, letters, documents, all his life which are going to leave for Washington. Bloch is giving them to the Library of Congress which requested them so that they may be brought together in one spot if ever a wierdo biographer has the quirky idea to unravel them. (Which will happen!)

June 1925
English performances in London:
-June 8: Nirvana is interpreted by Beryl Rubinstein.
-June 20: Baal Shem is played by Joseph Szigeti.

July-August 1925
The family moves. His wife leaves with his two daughters for Paris where they are going to pursue their studies. His son Ivan is in New York. Bloch leaves alone for California.
He directs two of his works at the Hollywood Bowl with the Orchestra of Los Angeles.
-August 7: Hiver-Printemps
-August 15: First Concerto Grosso (with Claire Mellonino on the piano)
His success is enormous.

September-October 1925
In San Francisco, they make him shimmer with hope to be named director of the Conservatory. While waiting for them to get the necessary funds…he talks, talks, talks…receptions in his honor rain down.
He has an apartment with a superb view. He makes his bed, his dinner, washes dishes and dish towels and toilets! This is what Ernest Bloch is reduced to after ten years of effort in America.
Székeley and Bartok interpret the Nigun during their tour in Holland: October 5 in Arnhem, October 6 in Utrecht.

November-December 1925
On November 26 Bloch’s contract for three years is finally signed: he is going to direct the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.
Orchestra conductor fight over his first Concerto grosso which is played in the large American towns:
-in Chicago November 27 and 28 by Frederick Stock.
-in Philadeplhia December 4 and 5 by Leopold Stokowski.
-in San Francisco December 4 and 6 by the composer (Ada Clement is on the piano)
-in Boston December 24 and 26 by Serge Koussevitzky.
Koussevitzky performed Bloch’s Suite pour alto et orchestre December 11 and 12 in Boston with the violist Jean Lefranc
The grreatest violinists choose his Baal Shem for their concerts before the New York public:
-December 5: Carl Flesch.
-December 18: Joseph Szigeti.

1926

January 1926
-1st and 2nd January
He directs his first Concerto Grosso and Les Trois Poèmes Juifs in Los Angeles with a very big success despite his state (he borders on pneumonia).
-January 9
The New York première of the first Concerto Grosso is performed by Koussevitzky at the head of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
-January 24
First Italian performance of the first Concerto Grosso in Turin under the baton of Vittorio Gui.

February 1926
-In Geneva (February 13) the Swiss première of the first Concerto Grosso by Ernest Ansermet at the head of the Orchestra of the Swiss Romande.
-In New York (Town Hall), Pablo Casals plays la Méditation hébraïque which is dedicated to him on February 22.
-The Suite pour alto et piano is performed in America several times at the beginning of 1926 (February in Los Angeles by Émile Ferir, March in Philadelphia by Louis Bailly, April in Cleveland by Quincy Porter).

March 1926
-The first Quintette avec piano is performed in London on March 4 by a female quintet some of whom are loyal Bloch interpreters the cellist May Mukle and the violist Rebecca Clarke.
-Joseph Szigeti continues to play Bloch’s Baal Shem (big success in New York on March 2).
-At the head of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Koussevitzky gives five performances of the Trois Poèmes Juifs: March 9 at Holyoke (Mass.), March 10 in New Haven (Conn.), March 11 in New York (Carnegie Hall), April 16 and 17 in Boston. He establishes a record in playing in one season three different works of Bloch (la Suite pour alto et orchestre, le premier Concerto grosso and Trois Poèmes Juifs)
-At the head of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Frederick Stock gives the third world performance of Israël in Chicago on March 12 and 13 but the critics are divided.
-Schelomo is performed in Paris on March 18 by Walther Straram and the cellist Maurice Maréchal.

April 1926
The first Concerto grosso is given in Cincinnati as a local première by Fritz Reiner on April 16 and 17.
In London, the first Concerto grosso is given in its first English performance April 26 by Anthony Bernard at the head of the London Chamber Orchestra.

May 1926
Bloch’s Prélude pour quatuor is given May 7 at the Temple of San Francisco by the Quartet of the Chamber Music Society.

Bloch finishes the symphonic poem Quatre Episodes for chamber orchestra which he is going to present at the Beebe contest.

June 1926
The first Concerto grosso is given in the first French performance June 12 in Paris at the Théâtre de l’Opéra by Koussevitzky.
The Suite pour alto et piano is given in Paris June 13 in the setting of the Coolidge Concerts by Émile Ferir on viola and Alfredo Casella on the piano.

July 1926
Camping for three weeks in the Sierras. But the altitude did him in and when he returned he cracked: a terrible depression.

August 1926
He also had a heart problem and his friends took him to rest in the country in Mill Valley in a little cabin, the “shack” which belongs to his co-directors (female) of the San Francisco Conservatory.

September 1926
He has experienced hell. The eczema on his foot has gotten worse and worse. He is exhausted by the rehearsals for the concert anticipated for October and by his poor physical condition (five doctors consulted in vain in six months for his hives and his insomnia).

October 1926
-October 7
He directs the opening concert of the Coolidge festival at the Library of Congress in Washington D.C.
The program consists of: the third Brandenburg Concerto of Bach, la Sérénade nocturne of Mozart, les Ricercari of Malipiero for its American première and his own first Concerto grosso.
-October 24 and 30
The symphony Israël is given for the French première in Paris at the Théâtre du Châtelet with Gabriel Pierné directing the Colonne Orchestra. It is the first European performance of a work written in 1916 and performed in 1917 in New York!
-October 28, 29, and 30
The Symphony Israël is given in New York (Carnegie Hall) by Willem Mengelberg at the head of the New York Philharmonic with great success.

November-December 1926
Schelomo is given in America by two different orchestras:
-The Orchestra of San Francisco, directed by Alfred Hertz with Michel Penha as soloist plays it November 9 in Oakland (CA), November 12 and 14 in San Francisco.
-The Orchestra of Philadelphia directed by Leopold Stokowski with Hans Kindler as soloist interprets this work November 23 in Washington, December 6 in Philadelphia and December 14 in New York (Artur Rodzinski replaces an ailing Stokowski for the N.Y. Concert).

1927

January 1927
In San Francisco, in bed inasmuch as his eczema of the feet made him suffer, he copies literally the three movements of the score of America.

February 1927
-4th and 6th: Alfred Hertz gives the first San Francisco performance of his First Symphony. He kisses the bald head of his friend Hertz while the audience clapped. Hertz will repeat it on December 2 and 4, 1927 in San Francisco.
-19th the first Concerto Grosso is presented in its second English performance in London (Queen’s Hall) by Sir Henry Wood at the head of the New Queen’s Hall Orchestra. Myra Hess is on the piano.
22nd: in San Francisco he finishes up his Rhapsody America which he sends to the contest of the Musical America magazine.
His Quatre Episodes (Four Episodes) for chamber orchestra wins the Beebe Prize of $1000.

March-April 1927
-March 20th: World première of the Quatre Episodes in New York (Plaza Hotel) by the New York Chamber Music Society created and directed by the pianist Carolyn Beebe.
March 31 and April 1: Israël is presented in Cleveland (local première) by Sokoloff at the head of the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra. Sokoloff will reperform Israël June 12 in San Francisco (Hillsborough) at the head of the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra.

May-June 1927
-May 11: He leaves for Europe.
-June 7: Nadia Boulanger organizes an Ernest Bloch festival in Paris (Salle Pleyel). The program is comprised of:
-First Sonata for violin and piano with Feri Roth on the violin and Ilona Kabos on the piano.
-Psaumes 114 and 137 sung by Marya Freund accompanied on the piano by the composer.
-Schelomo played by the cellist Maurice Maréchal accompanied by two pianos played by Nadia Boulanger and Aaron Copland.
-First Quartet interpreted by the Roth Quartet.
Everything went well and they gave him a charming welcome.

July-August 1927
Family vacation in Switzerland, first in Kandersteg then in Griesalp.
A distant cousin, the Dr. Bloch of Zurich, greatly improves Bloch’s fungal eczema.

September 1927
September 27: He leaves to return to America. This trip transformed him: Europe reconquered his heart.

October 1927
Two works are given in New York:
-the First Quintet with piano the 6th of October by the Malkin Trio
-the First Symphony the 20th, 21st and 22nd of October by Mengelberg at the head of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra.

November 1927
His friend the composer Roger Sessions publishes a glowing study of Bloch’s work in Modern Music.
-The First Symphony is played November 11 in Pittsburgh by Mengelberg at the head of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra.
-Les Trois Poèmes Juifs are performed November 18 and 19 in Boston by Koussevitzky directing the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

December 1927
-Israël is reperformed by Sokoloff at the head of the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra December 1 and 2 in Cleveland and December 6 in New York.
-La Suite pour alto et orchestre (Suite for viola and orchestra) is performed December 16 and 17 in Chicago by Frederick Stock directing the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the cellist Joseph Vieland.
-Les Quatre Episodes are performed twice this month:
• December 18 in New York by New York Chamber Music Society of Carolyn Beebe
• December 29 and 30 in Boston by Serge Koussevitzky at the head of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

1928

January 1928
For three months in San Francisco he has lived a physical and moral hell.
Malipiero sends Bloch his so beautiful edition of Monteverdi, which is going to illuminate Bloch’s nights and make him forget his sufferings.
In London on January 20 the Budapest Trio performs Bloch’s Nocturnes for its first English performance.
In Berlin on January 27 HermannScherchen performs in the first German performance the Psaumes 114 and 137 with the Philharmonic of Berlin.

February 1928
In New York on February 2 Serge Koussevitzky performs the Quatre Episodes with the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
In Geneva Ernest Ansermet at the head of the Orchestra of the Suisse Romande plays:
–the Suite for viola and orchestra with the cellist Henry Sougné on February 2 for the first Swiss performance.
–Schelomo with the cellist Maurice Maréchal on February 18
On February 23 and March 3 in San Francisco his friends the professors of the Music Conservatory give two concerts devoted to his chamber music works.
In Amsterdam, Mengelberg performs the Dutch première of Israël February 23 at the head of the Concertgebouw.

March 1928
March 8 and 9 Schelomo is performed in Cleveland (local première) by Sokoloff.
The first Concerto Grosso is played in New York by Artur Bodanzky on March 25.
In Basel Paul Sacher performs the first Concerto Grosso March 10 (local première).

April 1928
Israël is performed in London in the first English performance on April 20 by Sir Henry Wood at the head of the National Symphony Orchestra (a BBC concert). It is a success.

May 1928
In New York May 4, 5 and 6th Irène Lewisohn directs Israël in the form of an “orchestral drama” at the Manhattan Opera House. The criticism was hostile but the public is conquered.
In Paris second French performance of the Suite pour alto et orchestre on May 10 at the Walther Straram concerts with the cellist Maurice Vieux. The work is much better received than the first time.
In Vienna first Austrian performance of the first Concerto Grosso on May 21 by Karl Krueger.

June 1928
On June 6 Bloch learns that America received with unanimity with 92 works in competition the prize of $3000 in the contest organized by Musical America.
At the end of June Bloch embarks on an Italian cargo ship for Marseille. He goes via Panama…it will take 38 days! He provides himself with innumerable notebooks to continue his studies of counterpoint on which he has been working like a madman for three months.

July 1928
On the ship they organize a true party for his birthday. He feels ten years younger and as if he doesn’t have the slightest health concern.

August-September 1928
Pleasure trip in Switzerland at Griesalp: sketches of Helvetia and daily harvest of mushrooms.
September 15, the first quintet with piano is the high point of the Festival of Sienna organized by the International Society for Contemporary Music. It is played by the Brosa Quartet and Frank Mannheimer.

October 1928
In Berlin on October 18, first German performance of the Concerto Grosso by Heinz Unger at the head of the Philharmonic Orchestra of Berlin.
In New York the Malkin Trio and its friends reperform the first quintet with piano on October 31.

November 1928
Back in San Francisco Bloch is overwhelmed with honors: on November 12 the directing committee of Schelomo votes a resolution covering him with praises.
Schelomo is performed in Los Angeles (local première) on November 8 and 9 by Georg Schnéevoigt directing the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra.
Elsewhere, at the head of the New York Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, Mengelberg performs the symphony Israël several times: November 28 and 30 and December 2 in New York, December 3 in Philadelphia; and December 4 in Baltimore.

December 1928
At the beginning of December Bloch accompanies Yehudi Menuhin at his parents’ home who plays Bloch’s Nigun. It would take an entire book to express everything this evening meant for Bloch.
December 4 he composes Abodah-Une Mélodie de Yom Kippour which he gives to Yehudi.
December 5 Bloch attends a concert of Yehudi Menuhin at the Civic Auditorium of San Francisco.
Le Nigun is a triumph which must be repeated.
December 16 the world première of Abodah is given in Los Angeles by Yehudi Menuhin to whom the work is dedicated.
On December 17 a big banquet of 500 people is organized in his honor: all the well known of San Francisco are present.
December 20 Bloch attends the world première of America conducted by Alfred Hertz in the Exposition Auditorium of San Francisco in front of 10,000 listeners. It’s a triumph.
Unheard-of fact: some ten cities in the U.S. Simultaneously give the world première of America!

1929

January 1929
In his little San Francisco apartment he works relentlessly in spite of his ill health. He composes Helvetia in his free hours, sometimes until three o’clock in the morning.
On January 12 he has a big rush: on the radio he hears America presented and directed by Walter Damrosch.

February 1929
Furtwängler at the head of the Philharmonic Orchestra of Berlin presents Schelomo in Hamburg on February 5 with the assistance of the cellist Nicolai Graudan.

March 1929
It’s the beginning of his liaison with Winifred Howe, a young professor of piano at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. At the end of March, 1929 he finishes the orchestration of Helvetia: thus he will have three major works. One dedicated to the country of his ancestors (Israël), the second to his country of birth (Helvetia) and the third to his adoptive county (America).

April 1929
He sends Helvetia under the title of “The Mountains” to the contest of the Victor Company. He hopes it will win the prize. This time it’s worth it: $25,000. This would be the end of forced labor!
The Flonzaley Quartet gives its farewell tour in America and inserts in its last program the Pastorale from his first quartet. That is how in San Francisco on April 9, 1929 there are 3,000 enthusiastic listeners to applaud them.

May, 1929
The press tried one more time to demolish him. But it didn’t succeed: America was played 45 times all over the country. But all of this means nothing to Bloch because he isn’t paid anything. There are no author’s rights here.

June 1929
He hopes for silence, for freedom. At the end of the month of June he leaves for three weeks for Vancouver Island, a lost corner of Canada.

July 1929
For the first time he directs America with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra July 21 at the Woodland Theater of Hillsborough (near San Francisco) and July 23 at the Civic Auditorium of San Francisco.
He begins a correspondence with the Swiss writer Guy de Pourtalès who will become a true friend.

August 1929
He leaves for France with Winifred on the De Grasse.
August 12, 1929 he arrives in Le Havre where his wife and his daughter Lucienne are waiting for him. They spend their vacation in Griesalp (Switzerland).

September 1929
September 23: lunch at the home of Romain Rolland in Villeneuve. They speak about making a film together on the evolution of music; unfortunately this project fails.

October 1929
He is invited with his family to Amsterdam because Mengelberg organizes a Bloch festival with the Concertgebouw. He performs Schelomo and Bloch’s First Symphony from October 16 to 23, 1929 in several Dutch cities.
He directs America on October 20, 1929 in Amsterdam. It’s a triumph.

November-December 1929
He returns to San Francisco. He collapses soon after his arrival. Exhausted, he gives his classes at the price of a terrible effort of will.

1930-1939

January 1930
Bruno Walter directs from the keyboard the first Concerto Grosso in Germany and Holland. (In Holland the first performance took place January 16, 1930 in Amsterdam with the Concertgebouw.)

February 1930
He resigns from the Music Conservatory of San Francisco February 11, 1930.
On February 16 America is performed in its first Italian première by Gino Marination in the Augusteo of Rome.

March 1930
The Jacob and Rosa Stern funds (of the Levi Strauss family) in the amount of $100,000 is deposited at the University of Berkeley in California and the interest ($5,000 per year) are to be provided to Bloch for ten years so that he can devote himself entirely to composition. Reuben Rinder (cantor of the San Francisco synagogue) and Gerald Warburg (cellist of the Stradivarius Quartet, son of the banker Félix Warburg) commission a Service for the synagogue from him.

April 1930
His wife has come from Europe to rejoin him in San Francisco and he thinks they will relocate back to Europe for good.

May 1930
He learns he has won $5,000 with Helvetia in the Victor Company contest.

June 1930
He decides to go to Bali via Japan and China to remain there several months and then return via Tahiti, visit there or come back to bury himself somewhere in northern California.

July, 1930
A drama causes him to renounce this plan: his young friend Winifred writes him a horrible letter. Because of his resulting depression, he leaves for Europe on July 24.

August 1930
He comes back to Europe to live.
He spends two weeks in Paris then leaves for Geneva to put his affairs in order.

September 1930
Vacations in Switzerland at Griesalp. He studies Hebrew for Le Service Juif which he is writing, and he is passionate about it.
The Psaume 22 is performed on September 8 in Venice, during the first International Festival of Music, by the soprano Madeleine Grey accompanied on the piano by Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco.
Schelomo is performed September 13 in London during the Promenade Concert by Sir Henry Wood and the cellist Felix Salmond.

October 1930
He finally unearths a house with peace and quiet but without comfort, in Roveredo Capriasca, in le Tessin, to spend the winter there. It is almost in the mountains, near Lugano.

November 1930
He is immersed in his Service Juif. This work saved his life. He is on the verge of collapse from loneliness, despair, discouragement, and unfulfilled instincts.
Schelomo is performed on November 7, 8 and 10 in Philadelphia by Leopold Stokowski and the cellist Alfred Wallenstein.
The First Concerto Grosso is played November 17 in Paris by Alfred Cortot.
America receives its second German performance November 29 in Berlin by Heinz Unger at the head of the Philharmonic Orchestra of Berlin.

December 1930
Reading the correspondence of Voltaire. It is a marvel of marvels and one doesn’t tire of it. What a guy! And what an era!
Bloch is making progress with his Service. He has almost finished the sketch and he changed everything with the needed shears: here and there there were “little ends” to remove as is fitting for a Jewish Service!
They are still playing a little Bloch in this end of year:
-The First Concerto Grosso is performed December 3 in London by Herbert Menges.
-Israël is performed December 7 in Rome by Bernardino Molinari.
-Schelomo is performed December 18 and 19 in Cleveland by Nicolaï Sokoloff and the cellist Victor de Gomez.

1931

January-April 1931
He is at the bottom of a depression. He suffers, he has miserable health and he is in almost constant despair. In spite of the most powerful narcotics, he has considerable crises of insomnia. He tried suicide twice. He had placed all of his hopes in this little Winnie. He needed her, her youth, her help, her spontaneity to save himself as a man and as an artist. She slipped away and she refused.
In spite of everything, he begins to create the Service Sacré (vocal and piano score).

May-June 1931
After having spent two days of walking alone, in spite of the snow which begins to fall again, he finally is able to talk to the trees, to the rocks and to the flowers which replied to his heart. He stopped and he lay down in the forest of firs. And suddenly one would have thought that the soul of each tree reheated his heart and in reality, communicated with him…He himself became a tree! Which is much better than being a man.
Even so he worked although he didn’t understand the miracle that allowed that to happen.

July 1931
He leaves Roveredo on July 16 for Paris hoping for a change of atmosphere.
He plays his Service Sacré in Ville d’Avray in the Menuhin home. The audience,Fleg and Enesco, are overcome with emotion.

August 1931
Return to Roveredo after three weeks in Paris. For several days he begins to sleep without sleeping pills and his whole state is improved.

September 1931
The Service is almost finished. He copies the large score with orchestra in ink. He was happy to see Alfred Pochon again in Lutry where he spent several days, and then Romain Rolland in Villeneuve on September 13.

October 1931
Mary Tibaldi Chiesa, author of an article on him in the Milan newspaper Ambrosiano on July 27, 1931, came to visit him in Roveredo on October 7. Since his Quintet was supposed to be performed in Milan at the Teatro del Popolo, she made contact with the concert organizers. When they learned that he was so close by, they asked him to participate.
On October 30 the composer Ildebrando Pizzetti introduces Bloch to the public and Bloch accompanies on the piano Inès Maria Ferraris who sings his Poèmes d’automne and the Psaumes 114 and 137. Then the Poltronieri Quartet and the pianist Guido Agosti play the first Quintet With Piano.

November 1931
The success obtained by this first appearance on an Italian stage incites Mary Tibaldi Chiesa to organize a veritable concert tour in the major Italian cities: Milan, Naples, Florence, Venice, and Turin.

December 1931
A Bloch festival is organized December 23 1931 in Milan at the Convegno by Mary Tibaldi Chiesa. Bloch plays fragments from Enfantines on the piano, Dans la Nuit (Un poème d’amour), and Poèmes de la Mer. Bloch accompanies the violinist Giuseppina de Rogatis who performs Baal Shem. Then the First Quartet is interpreted by the Napoletano Quartet.

1932

January 1932
Mary Tibaldi Chiesa organized several concerts for him in Italy:
-January 19 1932 in Naples, he performs his piano pieces (Enfantines, Fans la Nuit, Poèmes de la Mer) and accompanies Giuseppina de Rogatis who plays Baal Shem. The Napoletano Quartet performs his First Quartet.
-January 23 1932 in Florence he reperforms the same pieces for piano. Les Nocturnes and the First Quintet with Piano are performed by the Poltronieri Quartet and Guido Agosti.
Bloch meets Pizzetti, Gatti, Casella and Castelnuovo-Tedesco.
But his health falters, too much speed, fatigue, and nervous tension. He returns to Poveredo precipitously without participating in the concert scheduled to be given in his honor in Venice.

February 1932
The world première of Helvetia takes place February 18 1932 in Chicago, with Frederick Stock at the head of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. The press is bad.

March 1932
Helvetia is performed in its first Swiss audition March 5 1932 in Geneva by Ernest Ansermet at the head of the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande.
The following day the first Italian audition takes place in Rome by Mario Rossi at the head of the Orchestra della Regia Accademia. But Bloch wasn’t to listen to it, being too tired to travel.
Le Service Sacré is almost finished, it’s only missing its conclusion on which he has made no headway for months.

April 1932
He composes the first part of a Sonata for Piano and he does exercises on this instrument. Often he loses hope…before the spectacle of a graying old man of 52 years in the grip of exercises of an elementary technique. He feels he will never be a pianist but the book of Cortot on the Chopin Etudes helps him a lot.

May-June 1932
Mary Tibaldi Chiesa organized some Bloch festivals which are given in succession in Italy: May 13 1932 in Venice and June 15 1932 in Turin.

July-August 1932
America rejects him: now they write day after day as though they want to get rid of him, denying his Americaness, since it only is there by naturalization.
The Flegs and then the Barjanskys come to visit him at Roveredo. After so many months of solitude, it’s a striking contrast. But still he spends a terrible summer of physical and moral sufferings.

September 1932
The Quatre épisodes are performed in Venice at the International Festival of Music September 3 1932 by Antonio Guarnieri at the Teatro de La Fenice. Bloch didn’t go because he was suffering too much.

October 1932
A slight improvement has occurred: he is able to sleep again without drugs. He takes up his piano study again.

November 1932
He goes back to the Service Sacré. The last chorus is unfinished.
The First Quintet is performed (and broadcast on the radio) November 9 1932 in Lausanne by the Ribaupierre Quartet and the pianist Irène Jacobi.

December 1932
Israël is performed in its first Swiss audition December 17 1932 in Geneva by Ernest Ansermet directing the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande. It was well executed—even though without a doubt he wasn’t able to have himself circumcised for the occasion—it would have been worth it!
Bloch doesn’t go to Geneva but he hears his work (rather poorly!) on the radio.

1933

January 1933
He directs two concerts of his works in Rome with great success:
-January 22 1933 at the Augusteo: Hiver-Printemps, Trois Poèmes Juifs, Schelomo (with Barjansky for the first and last time) and Helvetia.
-January 27 1933 at the Académie St. Cécile: he interprets Cinq Esquisses en Sépia and the Poèmes de la Mer on the piano; his friend, the pianist Guido Agosti plays the Nocturnes and the First Quintet in the company of other musicians. Finally, he directs the Quatre Episodes with a chamber orchestra composed of members of the Orchestre de l’Augusteo.

February 1933
In Paris, his friend André de Ribaupierre plays the first Sonata for Violin and Piano February 25 1933. It is nicely welcomed.
In London, the Griller Quartet and the pianist Harry Isaacs performs the First Piano Quintet twice in Wigmore Hall.

March 1933
He leaves for Zurich to meet Stefan Zweig on March 14 1933, a friend that Bloch knows solely by correspondence, since 1916! Bloch spends several days with him while Zweig gives lectures.

In Geneva Bloch listens to Israël performed March 16 by Ansermet, but it is so poorly done and so <off the mark> that it doesn’t have any relation to Bloch’s work.
In Cleveland, Sokoloff is the champion of Israël in the United States because he performs this work twice on March 2 and 4, 1933.

April 1933
Bloch directs with success a Bloch Concert in Turin on April 19, 1933: Hiver-Printemps, First Concerto Grosso, Trois Poèmes Juifs and Israël.
Bloch learns of the death of Dr. Bruno Bloch of Zurich who treated him and whom he considered a true friend.

May 1933
A little monograph on Bloch’s life and work appears in Turin, edited by Bloch’s loyal Mary Tibaldi Chiesa.

Bloch is very touched by the courage of Joseph Szigeti who became one of Bloch’s most ardent supporters, the most loyal. He plays the First Sonata Violon Piano all over the world (notably in Paris May 22 19333, in the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées).

June 1933
Bloch finishes his Service Sacré in Roveredo on June 7 1933: it is the equivalent of three years of labor behind him and a great living and durable work, and thousands of miseries left in front of him. Then certain impotent critiques will come ready for a bout of mudslinging.
He leaves for Paris with his wife to see some friends. But she returns to Roveredo while he embarks for the United States on June 21 1933.

July-October 1933
In New York at the beginning of July 1933, he falls in love with a pretty young journalist, Sylvia Glass, but she finds herself “too young” for him.
In vain attempts to create his work he plays the Service Sacré on the piano for four months and gives lectures on this subject in New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Cleveland. But he is the only one to struggle, since the American editor wasn’t ready and the Jews showed themselves to be indifferent.

November 1933
He remains in New York to meet and welcome Schönberg November 11—the poor man! They destroyed him! Bloch wrote to him to welcome him.
Bloch participates in the Town Hall in a concert by the League of Composers devoted to Schönberg whom the Nazis chased out of Germany. Bloch dines with him. He is a very nice man. However, although one part is good, Bloch doesn’t like his music.

Bloch participates in the Consultation Committee of the Conservatory which his friends, the Malkin brothers, just created in Boston. Bloch’s daughter Suzanne as well as his disciple and friend Roger Sessions teach at the Malkin Conservatory. It is the only business which has the courage to offer employment to Schönberg.
Finally two days before Bloch’s departure for Le Havre (November 22 1933 on the Washington) la Schola Cantorum (Catholic Society) and the Choir of the School Pius X decide to perform his Service Sacré in New York in April 1934!

December 1933
He spends a week in Milan to correct the score of the Service Sacré which he edits at his expense. He choses the interpreters for the world première anticipated for Turin January 19, 1934. Exhausted, he goes back to Roveredo at the end of December.

1934

January 1934

-January 19, 1934: he directs the world première of the Service Sacré in Turin in the setting of the Symphonic Concerts of EIAR in the Teatro di Torino with the assistance of the baritone Cocelli and choruses coached by the maestro Vertova.
On the same program appear: Quatre Episodes and Schelomo with Amfitheatrof.
Everything went beautifully except the cantor who, unfortunately, was mediocre.

February 1934

In London from the 12th to the 17th of February it is Bloch week.
-February 12 1934: Bloch festival dedicated to Bloch’s symphonic works. Bloch directs the London Philharmonic Orchestra in Queen’s Hall: Hiver-Printemps, Prélude and Deux Psaumes 137 and 114 (with Tatiana Makushina), Schelomo (with Maurice Eisenberg) and Helvetia (first English performance).
-February 15 1934 Mary Tibaldi Chiesa, coming from Milan, gives a lecture on his work at the London Musical Club.
-February 16 1934, Bloch directs a second Bloch festival dedicated to his chamber music, at the Aeolian Hall, with the assistance of the English Ensemble, of the Boyd Neel Orchestra and of the Modern Wind Quintet: Quatre Episodes, first Concerto grosso, Poèmes de la Mer played by Bloch, first Quintette with piano (Kathleen Long is on the piano).
-February 17 1934, a third Bloch festival of chamber music takes place at the London Contemporary Music Centre (Suite pour alto et piano, first Sonata violon et piano) but Bloch wasn’t able to be part of this.
A big happening: Bloch meets Havelock Ellis in London.
In Paris they present the first French performance of Poème Mystique February 20, 1934 by André de Ribaupierre and Ernest Vulliemin at the Ecole Normale de Musique.

March 1934

March 25 1934 Israël is performed in Florence by Vittorio Gui.

April 1934

-7th and 26th April 1934: in Naples the Service Sacré is performed twice by F.M. Napolitano who replaced Bloch because Bloch was too exhausted to make the trip.
-11th April 1934: Bloch directs the first American performance of the Service Sacré in New York at Carnegie Hall at the head of the Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra. The chorus of 250 members is the one from the Schola Cantorum augmented by the Choir of Pius X School coached by Hugh Ross. The baritone is Friedrich Schorr from the Met.
Bloch is exhausted but the Service went as well as possible with four half rehearsals! (Bloch had had nine complete rehearsals in Turin!)

May 1934

-18th and 20th May 1934: Bloch directs the Service Sacré in Milan’s La Scala (local première) at the head of the Orchestra and the choirs of La Scala with the assistance of baritone Inghilleri. This Bloch festival includes also Helvetia (local première) and Schelomo (with Martinenghi).
The public is cold and the press, hostile. But for Bloch it was a splendid artistic experience. He got everything he wanted, 11 rehearsals, and the devotion of the musicians, chorus members, the audience. The two directors of La Scala supported Bloch, and were for him, true men.

June-July 1934

Alexandre Weinbaum performs the first German production on the Service Sacré on June 25 1934 in Berlin in the Nouvelle Synagogue at the head of the Orchestra of the Kulturbundes Deutscher Juden.
From 1934 to 1936 the Service Sacré will be played in Groningue, Budapest, Frankfurt am Main, Prague.
The Blochs received the visit of Alexandre Weinbaum in Roveredo. He made an immense impression on them.

August-September 1934

The Blochs found a primitive but calm chalet in Châtel (Haute-Savoie) in which to spend the summer.

October-November-December 1934

After having spent three weeks at his sister’s home in Geneva, Bloch moves to Paris.

Eugène Goossens presents the second American performance of Helvetia on October 19 and 20th 1934 in Cincinnati.

1935

January 1935
Installed in Paris for a month, he is fighting physically and mentally: urticaria, a spasmodic head cold, insomnia.

February 1935
He tries a new treatment (autotransfusion) and he begins a Sonata for piano. The Service Sacré is performed in Budapest on February 5, 1935.

The 23rd of February Schelomo is interpreted in Paris (Salle Gaveau) by a young cellist, André Navarra, with the Orchestra Lamoureux under the baton of Louis Fourestier.

A transcription of Baal Shem is performed in New York (Town Hall) February 15, 1935, by Emanuel Feuermann.

March 1935
In spite of his ill health, he finishes the first part of his Sonata for piano.
His Service Sacré is performed in the second German performance in Frankfurt am Main.

April 1935
He began a new treatment, homeopathy. His health allowed him neither the ability to move much nor to see people but he works on a Suite, a type of dialog between the piano and the cello.
They play his Service Sacré in Prague.

June 1935
Barjansky came to pay Bloch a visit in Paris: naturally they played his new work for cello, the one which isn’t finished yet; it is very moving and although it is of a Jewish and prophetic inspiration, it doesn’t remind one of Shelomo at all. It is Carl Engel who will give it its name: Voix dans le désert (Voice in the desert).

On June 20 Bloch participates in a concert of Jewish music in Paris. Bloch accompanies the cellist André Levy who plays Méditation hébraïque and De la Vie Juive in its first French performance.
The Prélude pour quatuor is played by the Gentil Quartet.

July 1935
They move to the Haute-Savoie (Châtel) to a little isolated chalet. Bloch is busy with the second movement of his Sonata for piano.

August 1935
-August 14: Bloch finishes Voix dans le désert for the violin and piano score in Châtel.

October 1935
-October 20: finishes the piano Sonata which is dedicated to the Italian pianist Guido Agosti.

November 1935
Schelomo is performed by Ernest Ansermet at the head of the Orchestra of the Suisse Romande, with Gregor Piatigorsky on November 4 1935 in Lausanne and November 6 1935 in Geneva. Bloch took part in the concert in Lausanne which was a success.
November 12, Ansermet performed Hiver-Printemps for the Concert for the Centennial of the Conservatory in Geneva (salle de la Réformation).
Bloch leaves at the end of the month for Milan to take care of the publication of his Sonata for piano by Carish.

December 1935
Bloch returns to Châtel. Stuck in bed with sciatica, he receives a beautiful letter from an English cellist from Birmingham, Alex Cohen, who adores Bloch’s music.

1936

January 1936
On January 26 he completes the Voix dans le désert in its orchestral version in Châtel (Haute Savoie).
He receives some beautiful letters from two new English friends, Ernest Chapman of London and Alex Cohen from Birmingham, who fight to have Bloch’s music played.

February 1936
World première of his Sonate pour piano February 7 in Milan by the Italian pianist Guido Agosti, to whom this work is dedicated.
Sir Thomas Beecham presents Hiver-Printemps in London (Queen’s Hall) February 13 with the London Philharmonic Orchestra. The concert was broadcast on the radio.
From 7 to the 14th of February Koussevitzky presents five successive concerts including the Trois Poèmes Juifs in Boston and in New York.

March 1936
Bloch begins a Concerto for violin and orchestra.

April 1936
April 24: Bloch hears his Sonate pour piano in it’s first Swiss performance thanks to Guido Agosti. The public accepted it easily and with great enthusiasm. Bloch had to get on stage three times! The first time in Geneva in 21 years!

May 1936
On May 25 the Sonate pour piano has its first English performance in London in Grotrian Hall by Charles Lynch.

June 1936
Bloch finishes the second movement of his Concerto for violin.
Einstein accepted the presidency of the Ernest Bloch Society of London.

July-August 1936
Several friends came this summer to Châtel: Carl Engel who found the title of Voix dans le désert, Alex Cohen from Birmingham who moves heaven and earth for Bloch in England, Perkoff from London who organized the two concerts which Bloch directed in 1934.

October 1936
He spends several weeks in Italy where a doctor succeeded a little in calming his allergy.

November 1936
On November 16 Bloch hears the instrumental version of the Art de la fugue of J.S. Bach on the radio produced by Franz Von Hoesslin who directs the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande. The work is gigantic, colossal, of a power, of a diversity, of an imagination of which Bloch was unaware…

December 1936
He sketches out the three orchestral pieces that he promised to Birmingham (they will be the Evocations).
Bloch leaves for Paris at the end of December to begin the rehearsals of the Service Sacré which will be performed in January 1937.

1937

January 1937
Paris. A bad bronchitis forces him to postpone his concert which finally takes place January 26, 1937: le Service Sacré is performed for the first time in France under Bloch’s direction in the synagogue on the rue de la Victoire. It was by far the best and for him the most satisfying execution that Bloch ever had of the Service.
Voix dans le désert has its world première in Los Angeles January 21 and 22, 1937 by Otto Klemperer at the head of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra with Alexander Borisoff, solo cellist of the orchestra.

February 1937
Bloch tries to replay le Service Sacré in Paris but everyone by the faithful Algazi abandons him.
He works relentlessly on the symphonic poem Evocations.

March 1937
An Ernest Bloch Society is founded in New York. It plays his chamber music in five successive concerts from March 19, 1937 to April 16, 1937 thanks to the Gordon Quartet and to the pianist Gertrude Bonime.
Bloch tries without success to have Macbeth performed in Paris.

April 1937
Disgusted with Paris he leaves for Châtel (Haute Savoie).
Voix dans le désert has its New York première April 3 and 4, 1937 in Carnegie Hall by Artur Rodzinski at the head of the Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra with Joseph Schuster, solo cellist from the orchestra.
A little Bloch festival is organized in Geneva by the chamber music society, Le Carillon, and the pianist Hélène Zumsteg April 19, 1937.

May 1937
He finishes the instrumentation of his orchestral suite Evocations in Châtel.
He is again playing his violin and the Concerto pour violon of which two movements are now complete.

June 1937
On June 7, 1937 a Bloch Evening is organized in Paris in the suites of the Revue musicale. They recruited Swiss artists (the pianist Jacqueline Blancard, the violinist Chil Neufeld and the cellist Henri Buenzod) to play his chamber music in France!

July 1937
They received the visit of Bloch’s son and his wife Marianne in Châtel.
He has as a student a charming young Italian, Ada Jesi, who came with her mother from Venice to study for several weeks.
His cousin Léon Goetschel dies in Paris at the end of July, 1937. His memories are so acute that, like with his mother, he feels him still there, as living as before.

August 1937
Many visitors come up to Châtel. His daughter Suzanne and her husband Paul, his old associates from the San Francisco Conservatory, the Benedictine father, Dom de Malherbe. Bloch learns Italian and he orchestrates the third movement of the Concerto pour violon.

September 1937
Writing to Guy de Pourtalès, Bloch was touched by his admirable book: La Pêche miraculeuse.
In the United States Reginald Boardman, a pianist friend of Boaz Piller, gives the first American performance of Bloch’s Sonate pour piano on September 22, 1937 in Crawford Notch (N.H.)

October 1937
Trip to Milan where he performs Macbeth to Antonio Guarnieri who wants to stage it at the Naples Opera.
He then leaves for Malcesine, Lac de Garde, where he sees again note by note, all the remarkable translation of Macbeth in Italian by M. T. Chiesa.
In Paris, Voix dans le désert has its French première October 17, 1937 in the Salle Pleyel by Pierre Monteux directing the Symphony Orchestra of Paris with the assistance of the cellist Charles Bartsch.
In London there are two concerts aired on the radio by the BBC:
-Les Poèmes de la Mer for orchestra have their English première October 22, 1937 by Clarence Raybould at the head of the BBC Symphony Orchestra.
-Schelomo is performed on October 28, 1937 by Sir Thomas Beecham at the head of the London Philharmonic Orchestra with Gregor Piatigorsky.

November 1937
Bloch orchestrates the third movement of his Concerto pour violon.
Voix dans le désert for cello and piano has its British première November 11, 1937 in Glasgow by Luigi Gasparini and the Dr. Chisholm.

December 1937
The British Ernest Bloch Society which was founded in London is going to give three concerts of his chamber music in December, 1937:
-in London December 10 and 16
-in Birmingham on December 18.
His friends Alex Cohen and Ernest Chapman come to see him in Châtel at the end of December. They are poor but ardent, convinced, devoted. They have performed miracles. It is consoling to think that even so there is a little group which struggles and which has confidence. Thus he tells himself that when he is gone, the jealousy and the indifference and the lack of faith won’t obliterate his huge effort.
An Ernest Bloch Society was founded in London with Albert Einstein, Sir Thomas Beecham, Sir Arthur Bliss, Sir Arnold Bax, and Sir John Barbirolli, among others, as honorary officers.

1938

January 1938
He finally finished his Concerto pour violon (in Châtel, Haute-Savoie), huge job including copying the 156 pages of the score, the 70 of the piano version, nuances, bowing, etc.

Voix dans le désert is performed in its Italian première in Naples January 8, 1938 by Fernando Previtali and the cellist Massimo Amfitheatrof.

In London Leslie Heward presents Hiver-Printemps January 13 and the English Ernest Bloch Society presents a Bloch festival on January 27.

In New York Nicolaï Sokoloff, the most true interpreter of his Symphonie Israël plays this work on January 9 (he will perform it again April 26 in Los Angeles).

February 1938
On February 5 in New York Emanuel Feuermann begins his cycle of four concerts dedicated to the cello repertory by a Concerto of C.P.E. Bach, le Concerto en ré majeur (D major) of Hayden and Schelomo.

In San Francisco Evocations is performed in its world première on February 11, 1938 by Pierre Monteux.

March 1938
Macbeth is brought back to life after 28 years of silence on March 5, 1938 at San Carlo of Naples under the baton of Antonio Guarnieri. It is a triumphant but short-lived success because the antiSemitic measures promulgated during the summer of 1938 caused his musical works to be banned from Italy.
In New York, the American Ernest Bloch Society gives a Bloch festival in Town Hall on March 12, 1938: the Musical Art Quartet plays le premier Quatuor and le premier Quintette and Frank Sheridan performs the New York première of Bloch’s Sonate pour piano.

In England at Birmingham they present the English première of Evocations on March 10, 1938 under the baton of Leslie Heward and the Service Sacré on March 26, 1938 under the baton of G.D. Cunningham.
In San Francisco le Service Sacré performed at the Temple Emanu-El by Giulio Silva on March 28, 1938 produced a formidable impression.

April 1938
The English Ernest Bloch Society presents a Bloch festival in London April 12, 1938: the Griller Quartet shows an extraordinary devotion to Bloch’s work.

May 1938
Bloch’s scores are a part of the exposition “Degenerate Music” which opens in Düsseldorf on May 22, 1938, an exposition organized by the Nazi propaganda minister.

June-July 1938
Bloch’s life is filled with the same terrible and intense work of getting Macbeth finished, 12-16 hours per day. Complete reworking of the choruses, changing the text and finally copy the two Interludes of the first and third acts for the concert. They will publish them according to Bloch’s own manuscript.
They received the visit of a great biologist, Miss Kitty Ponse, as charming as she was authentic and modest.

August-September 1938
He is still exhausted, wiped out by this enormous labor and moreover, he has a crisis of inexpressable melancholy. Only his work, a little violin, some piano, and reading, some vague sketches…innumerable letters…keeps him going.

October 1938
The second British performance of the Service Sacré is given at the Sainte-Anne de Belfast Cathédrale by Walton O’Donnell at the head of the Orchestra and the Choruses of the BBC Northern Ireland.

November 1938
The third English performance of the Service Sacré is given November 26 in Bristol by Arnold Barter at the head of the Bristol Philharmonic Society.
Bloch finishes a Pièce pour Quatuor à cordes (piece for string quartet) November 7, 1938 in Châtel (he won’t publish it until 1952).

December 1938
He spends four days in London where the English Ernest Bloch Society organizes a large reception in his honor on December 3: Sir Arthur Bliss gives the welcoming speech and with the assistance of Louis Kentner, the Griller Quartet plays his premier Quintette avec piano. On December 5 the Griller Quartet plays the premier Quatuor for Bloch and a dozen friends (they performed it at least ten times in England this year).
Le Concerto pour violon is created on December 15, 1938 in its world première in Cleveland by Dimitri Mitropoulos at the head of the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra with the assistance of Joseph Szigeti.
On December 13, Bloch leaves Paris to embark on the Champlain and return definitively to the United States on December 21, 1938.

1939

January 1939
He arrives in New York and stays at the Peter Stuyvesant Hotel and begins the orchestration of Baal Shem.
He meets Szigeti who is enthused by Bloch’s Concerto pour violon and by Yehudi Menuhin who will study it, as well as Roger Sessions, Bernard Rogers and of course all of the family.
Having left the United States eight years ago, he feels lost here, forgotten. However, Koussevitzky presents Schelomo in Boston on January 27 and 28 (with Gregor Piatigorsky) and in New York on February 11 (with Jean Bedetti).
As far as Bloch’s tour of concerts: San Francisco hasn’t responded, Chicago is bargaining, but Boston accepted. He had a one hour very friendly and almost affectionate conversation with Koussevitzky. He is in favor of a totally Bloch program for the five concerts anticipated in Boston in March, 1939.
But in actuality, it is in England where his work is played the most.

February 1939
His friends from the Griller Quartet play for the first time in New York (Town Hall) on February 5, but they were advised not to play Bloch for their American début! And that given that they already played his premier Quatuor successfully 15 times in the last year all over England!
They came to play it in the Blochs’ hotel room, for him, his wife and his daughters. Alex Cohen rehearsed them without ever having heard Bloch play the Quatuor: a miracle of intuition.

March 1939
The Concerto pour violon is performed for its European première with great success in London (Queen’s Hall) March 9, 1939 by the violinist Joseph Szigeti accompanied by Sir Thomas Beecham at the head of the London Philharmonic Orchestra.
Several days later, the same Joseph Szigeti performs, in a French production, the Concerto pour violon on March 19, 1939 in Paris (Salle de l’Ancien Conservatoire), accompanied by Charles Munch at the head of the Concerts Society of the Conservatory.
In England Richard Austin performs the world première of the Deux Interludes symphonique de Macbeth on March 15 in Bournemouth at the head of the Orchestra of Bournemouth.
In the United States, invited by Koussevitzky, Bloch directs a Bloch festival in Boston made up of two different programs resulting in a great success.
The first program given March 16, 17, and 18th includes:
-Deux Interludes de Macbeth (American première)
-Trois Poèmes Juifs
-America
The second program given March 20 and 21 includes:
-Deux Interludes de Macbeth
-Trois Poèmes Juifs
Schelomo (with Jean Bedetti)
Helvetia (its Boston première)
There was also an evening performance at the synagogue during which a part of his Service Sacré was played with an organ in so far as an element of worship. It was extremely moving. Bloch felt as though he were already dead and that his efforts and his ideas continued after him…He left Boston with regret…but as a different man, with courage, a desire to create, confidence and a clearer vision, thanks to this musical contact, of what he must do.

April 1939
In a little synagogue of New York Bloch attended his Service Sacré with apprehension because the chorus only had nine singers! And what can one do with nine singers and a feeble organ! But it was a complete religious ceremony. The atmosphere was so beautiful, so moving, so true, so impersonal, that Bloch absolutely forgot that they were playing and singing his music, his work…All that vanished…He was already dead, for centuries! It was a sacred rite, symbolic, a union of man with God, with the hidden forces of the Universe.

May 1939
A concert dedicated to Swiss music is performed on May 11 in New York (Town Hall). Ernest Schelling directs the Deux Interludes de Macbeth. He didn’t even have the idea to ask Bloch to direct them!

June 1939
He received a letter dated June 12 from Doctor Sproul, president of the University of California, inviting Bloch to become a member of the faculty—music department of Berkley—in the most charming and the most courteous terms.
The Stern Funds expire on March 11, 1940. They will continue to pay him if he moves to Berkeley to give degreed students a limited number of courses. Bloch accepted in principle.

July 1939
He obtained his driver’s license and buys a marvelous Buick coupe. He rediscovers sleeping! He slept eight hours the night before without waking up, which hadn’t happened to him for twenty-five years!

August-September 1939
He leaves New York on August 1 to relax at Rangeley Lakes in Maine where he finishes the orchestration of Baal Shem at the end of August, 1939.

October 1939
Trip to Oswego in Oregon, ten kilometers from Portland, at his son, Ivan’s, house.

November 1939
He arrives by car at the University of Berkeley on November 5, but his wife remained in Oregon with their son.
The Vice-President and the head of the music department, his old friend Elkus, and everyone, received him with open arms. Bloch is touched by all of their sympathy and by the profound affection, help, the devotion of Winifred—who studies at the University. But in spite of all that, he is in a state which can’t be described—as soon as he is alone—he is on the verge of collapse.
Le Concerto pour violon is performed by Szigeti in Holland (Amsterdam) on November 9 under the direction of Mengelberg and in Switzerland (Lausanne) on November 13 under the direction of Ansermet.

December 1939
He lives in the unknown, the darkest confusion and he feels absolutely lost here in Berkeley, like a ghost.
He leaves by airplane on December 24 for Portland in order to spend the end of the year holidays with the family with his wife, his son Ivan and his wife Mariana.

1940-1949

January 1940
After two months of life at the hotel, he rents a little apartment in Berkeley and he begins his courses at the university on the Esthetic of the Musical Language for four months.
Le Concerto pour violon is performed in Boston on January 5 and 6 and in New York January 11 by Szigeti accompanied by Koussevitzky at the head of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

In Manchester it is Antonio Brosa who performs the Concerto for violin on January 11 accompanied by Sir Malcolm Sargent directing the Hallé Orchestra.
Le Premier Quatuor is performed on January 13 in New York (Town Hall) by the Griller Quartet.

February 1940
Pierre Monteux, always charming, asks him to direct les Deux Interludes Symphonique de Macbeth in San Francisco on February 16 and 17, during the concert which he gives as the head of the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra.
But this leads to nothing. Ten or twelve years ago, they acclaimed him! But everything happens quickly here, they forget everything.

March 1940
Visions et Prophéties is performed in its American première on March 17 in New York (Town Hall) by the one it is dedicated to, the English pianist Harriet Cohen.
Schelomo is performed March 21 in Philadelphia by Emanuel Feuermann accompanied by Stokowski directing the Philadelphia Orchestra.

April 1940
Bloch begins a new Quartet (the second) whose first movement is almost completed.
Les Evocations are performed in Chicago on April 4 and 5 by Frederick Stock directing the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
Baal Shem is performed in New York (Town Hall) April 21 by Joseph Szigeti and the pianist Andor Farkas. During this same concert, Bélla Bartok, returned to the U.S. After 12 years of absence, plays his own works accompanied by Joseph Szigeti.

May-June 1940
Le Concerto pour violon is performed in Chicago on Mai 13 by the violinist Fritz Segal accompanied by Izler Solomon directing the Illinois Symphony Orchestra.
In London despite the war the English Ernest Bloch Society organizes three concerts devoted to his chamber music in the “Studio” of Boosey and Hawkes.
In Israël le Service Sacré is performed as a première. It is broadcast on the radio on June 18, 1940 from Jerusalem on the network of the Palestine Broadcasting Service by Karl Salomon directing the PBS Orchestra.

July 1940
The events of the last months have crushed him…The tension was too strong and he broke down. He fell seriously sick and he had to give up his work. He returned to his son’s home by car in short hops from Berkeley to Oswego (Oregon).

August 1940
Vacation with his wife in a hut at Diamond Lake (Oregon). Settled in at the edge of the lake, he studies in depth the Symphonie Héroique of Beethoven. He was acquainted with l’Eroica for 45 years but even so it was a discovery, a lesson at each hour. Here is one of his courses prepared. No one will be grateful to him for it and the disrespectful and superficial American youth won’t see much in it! But Bloch doesn’t regret this intimate contact with Beethoven and this extraordinary masterpiece.

September 1940
He is now immersed in the Clavecin bien tempéré (Well-Tempered Clavier) and far from being temperate, he is inebriated with it. Measure after measure! Fugue after fugue! He is redoing it! He is following, note after note, the work of Bach’s spirit.
He stays until the end of the month with his wife in Oswego.

October 1940
He returns alone by car to Berkeley where his classes begin in January.
Le Premier Quintette avec piano is performed in New York (Town Hall) October 27 by the Budapest Quartet and the pianist Jesus Sanroma.

November 1940
In England Vision et Prophéties is performed at the BBC on November 10 in its English première by Harriet Cohen.
In Israël le Service Sacré is given in its first public performance by Karl Salomon directing the Palestine Orchestra on November 27 in Jerusalem, on November 28 in Haifa, December 1 and 2nd in Tel-Aviv.

December 1940
The study of the Fugues causes him to take a trip in Bach’s actual brain and live his thought when he composed them. It is moving to compare his current studies with those of 40 years ago in 1900 in Munich! This work saved him. Without it, he would have completely collapsed.
In mid-December he returns to Oswego to spend the end of the year holidays with family.

Began Professorship at the University of California in Berkeley.

 

1941

January 1941
He begins his courses again in Berkeley. He has two classes with twenty some interesting and interested students in each class.
La Suite pour alto et piano is performed on January 23 in New York by the loyal Louis Bailly and the pianist Genia Robinor.
Schelomo is performed on January 24 in Minneapolis by Dimitri Mitropoulos directing the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra and the cellist Nicolaï Graudan.
In England Hiver-Printemps is performed on January 19 in Manchester by Leslie Heward at the head of the Hallé Orchestra.

February 1941
His classes progress and he enjoys doing them, especially the Bach. As for the Beethoven course, it is devoted entirely to the Symphonie Héroique.
Évocations is performed February 6, 7 and 8 in New York (Carnegie Hall) by Bruno Walter directing the Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra.
Schelomo is performed on February 26 in Washington by Howard Mitchell directing the National Symphony Orchestra with the assistance of cellist John Martin.

March 1941
Bloch directs his premier Concerto Grosso March 23 in Berkeley with the student orchestra of the University of California which is mediocre but full of spirit.
Israël is performed in Chicago March 10 by Izler Solomon at the head of the Illinois Symphony Orchestra.
Le Concerto pour violon is performed in Chicago on March 20 and 21 by Frederick Stock directing the Chicago Symphony Orchestra with the assistance of John Weicher, first violin of the orchestra.
Le Service Sacré is performed in New York (Temple Emanu-El) on March 29 by Lazare Saminsky.

April 1941
The Pro Arte Quartet (new group with Antonio Brosa, first violin) performs his premier Quatuor twice. It is the second performance in California in 24 years!
A short time later a group of students of the University plays his premier Quintette with youth and ardor in Berkeley.
The premier Concerto Grosso is performed in Chicago on April 15 by Izler Solomon at the head of the Women’s Symphony Orchestra.
The Suite pour alto et orchestre is performed in New York on April 28 by Leon Barzin directing the National Orchestral Association with the assistance of the violist Milton Katims.

May 1941
His courses at Berkeley are finished. He leaves at the end of May by car, all alone, taking it easy, to rejoin Marguerite, Ivan and his family in Oregon.

June 1941
In spite of his efforts he hasn’t been able to carry through with any creative work for months. The great tragedy, with all it entails, creeps into him like an illness.

July-August 1941
He receives a beautiful letter from the Griller Quartet which became known during the war as the Quartet of the R.A.F. They wrote to him: “We go from airfield to airfield, playing chamber music (Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert and Bloch of course) to the young people who fight.”
He finally has a “home” because he purchased a too large but beautiful house in Agate Beach (Oregon). The spot is superb: the ocean breaks under the cliff where the house is situated; a path among the pines leads to the wild beach.

September 1941
They deliver to him 64 chests and trunks (books, music, papers scattered since 1930) which were stored in New York, San Francisco, Berkeley and Portland.
The unpacking of all of these boxes was a strange moment…He had the impression of doing the inventory of the heritage of someone else who had been dead for a long time!

October 1941
Baal Shem pour violon et orchestre has its world première in New York (Carnegie Hall) October 19 by Joseph Szigeti accompanied by Reginald Stewart directing the W.P.A. New York City Symphony Orchestra.
Le premier Quatuor is performed on October 14 in London (National Gallery) by the Griller Quartet. They read his message to Myra Hess, organizer of the Noon Concerts at the National Gallery: “Without the English people, I wouldn’t have had the courage to live.”

November 1941
His music is rarely performed. He doesn’t worry about it any more.
However Schelomo is performed on November 10 in New York (Carnegie Hall) by Emanuel Feuermann, accompanied by Léon Barzin directing the National Orchestral Association.

December 1941
After one and a half years of interruption, he goes back to the second movement of a new Quatuor which is rather fierce.
He tinkles away on the piano like a five year old girl: he learns Bach’s Inventions! He struggles against the crash which lays him low as soon as he thinks.

1942

January 1942
He leaves for Berkeley where his courses begin on January 15.
Ernest Newman publishes five remarkable articles on Bloch’s work in the London Sunday Times.

February 1942
America is performed on February 18 in Brooklyn (NY) by Gerald Warburg at the head of the Brooklyn Symphony Orchestra.
Le premier Quintette is performed on February 16 in New York by the Musical Art Quartet and the pianist Frank Sheridan.

March 1942
He resigns from his position at the University of Berkeley because his artistic and educational convictions are incompatible with the general orientation of the Music Department.
Schelomo is performed on March 11 in Philadelphia by Eugène Ormandy directing the Philadelphia Orchestra and the cellist David Soyer.

April 1942
He works a bit on the passacaille, the second movement of his future Suite Symphonique.
Voix dans le Désert is performed on April 7 in Chicago by Izler Solomon directing the Illinois Symphony Orchestra with the assistance of Miss Jenzka Slebos, solo cellist of the orchestra.
In England his music is constantly played and aired. Sir Adrian Boult performed les Épisodes. Le Quatuor, la Sonate, la Suite pour alto, Voix dans le Désert have become classics!
Here it is much different and the plots of the young (even prior students) or their indifference during his eight years of absence have borne their fruit.
Thus he was more than surprised the other day to receive a letter from Walter Damrosch, president of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, announcing that they awarded him the Gold Medal which this Institute only gives rarely (1915-1923-1925-1929-1930).

May 1942
They invited him to receive the Gold Medal on May 8 in New York, all expenses paid. But he was too tired for this long trip…And it is Suzanne who represented him at the ceremony. Big publicity – and silence – he is acquainted with that!
He returned from Berkeley to Agate Beach by car, three days of a superb trip.

June 1942
The president of the University of Berkeley did not accept his resignation. His courses will then take place in the coming year in a different format, as he desired. He will go there for a concentrated class (two hours a day for six weeks only).
He gives a lecture on music on June 16 in Portland and he profits from the occasion to buy an automatic phonograph and a collection of recordings.

July 1942
He is working—not on his Suite Symphonique which has broken down—but on the scores of the great composers and the corresponding recordings, studying detail after detail, form and instrumentation.

August 1942
Two of his works for piano are performed in Berkeley on August 7, 1942, during the XIX Festival of the International Society for contemporary Music:
les Poèmes de la Mer with Maxim Shapiro
– la Sonate pour piano with Berhard Abramovitsch.

September-October 1942
He broke his left leg while salmon fishing, slipping on a wet foot bridge. He will be in a cast for five weeks.
Schelomo is performed in Philadelphia on October 9 and 10 with Eugène Ormandy directing the Philadelphia Orchestra with the assistance of Samuel Mayes, solo cellist of the orchestra.
In England at the London National Gallery the Griller Quartet performs his premier Quartuor again on October 6 during the Noon Concerts.

November 1942
John Hastings, the fervent admirer who had sent Bloch his study on his work, came to visit him.
The Trois Poèmes Juifs are performed in New York (Carnegie Hall) on November 9 by Léon Barzin direction the National Orchestral Association during the concert given to the memory of Emanuel Feuermann.

December 1942
He studies the composers of the period before that of Bach, as well as the Chorals for organ by Bach.
Hiver-Printemps is performed December 10 and 11 in Cleveland by Nicolaï Sokoloff at the head of the Cleveland Orchestra.

 

1943

January-February 1943
At Agate Beach he spends his day cutting and sawing trees most of which came down during the storms.
But in February he is bedridden by an osteoarthritis attack of his right knee.
In this country he is practically forgotten. However la Suite pour alto et orchestre is performed on January 21 and 22 by Hans Lange directing the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Milton Preves, first violist of the orchestra.

March-April 1943
He began to organize his innumerable papers, letters, pedagogic documents accumulated for 40 years: enormous work, cemetery of the past.
He was able to get the recordings of the third act of Parsifal directed by Karl Muck: an unbelievable beauty. He forgot about the antisemitism of Wagner, he forgot his own miserable life, buried alive in the U.S.A., he forgot everything. The Music was there and what music!

May-June 1943
He is buried in his interminable pedagogic work, preparing his courses on a completely new basis.
Le Service Sacré is performed May 16 at the BBC.

July 1943
His courses in Berkeley went well. He gave two hours of class every day from July 5 to August 10.
Instead of the 10-20 advanced students, the maximum that he expected in similar times, he had 135 faithful students. A very curious mix: mainly young people, of every nationality! Some oldsters! Two Catholic nuns, a blind girl and her dog—touching! Some of them at least will have followed his thought—He has never believed in majorities. Only a small elite counts. But he found lots of empathy.

August-September 1943
He returned to Agate Beach: a three day trip, alone, by car. Suzanne and her two children have waited for him for two weeks. They hadn’t seen each other for four years. Then Ivan, Mariana and their two children came as well to spend several days with them.

October-November 1943
He returned to his work of lumberjack and he reread the complete correspondence of Flaubert.
The premier Concerto Grosso is performed in Israël several times by George Singer.

December 1943
He tries to work again: he corrects the first movement of his Suite Symphonique.
As far as his work is concerned, it seems as though they are waking up a bit here.
Les Trois Poèmes Juifs are performed in New York (Carnegie Hall) on December 2, 3, 4 and 5 by Leonard Bernstein, assistant head of the orchestra of Rodzinski, directing the Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra. These are the official beginnings of this young director 25 years old, who became an overnight celebrity by replacing Bruno Walter with his foot up (during the concert broadcast live by CBS on Sunday afternoon November 14, 1943).
Le premier Concerto Grosso is performed December 4 and 5 in Indianapolis by Fabien Sevitzky at the head of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra.
Hiver – Printemps is performed on December 17 and 18 in Philadelphia by Eugène Ormandy directing the Philadelphia Orchestra.

1944

January-February 1944
He went back to work on his Suite symphonique which was sketched out then interrupted two years ago. The second movement is a Passacaille and he again looked at some Passacaillles of previous times: Pachelbel, Buxtehude, Bach, etc.
Hiver-Printemps is performed in January in the USA (in Chicago with Hans Lange) as well as in England (on the BBC).
His chamber music is not played much in the USA (except the premier Quintette performed in Minneapolis and Boston) but often in London, in spite of the war:
-the Griller Quartet performs le premier Quatuor and le premier Quintette (with Myra Hess)
-Marjorie Alexander plays la Sonate pour piano
-The violist Winifred Copperwheat and the pianist Harry Isaacs perform la Suite pour alto et piano.

March-April 1944
In England le Concerto pour Violon is performed in London March 26 by Hugo Weisgall directing the London Philharmonic Orchestra and the English violinist Eda Kersey.
America is performed April 15 in Cincinnati by Eugène Goossens directing the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. This orchestra head—a man—telegraphed Bloch and wrote a superb and moving letter. Also, the press is enthusiastic.

May 1944

He is upset to learn on May 6 of the death of Carl Engel, his oldest friend in America.
In England the BBC broadcasts la Suite pour alto et orchestre on May 1: Sir Adrian Boult directing the BBC Symphony Orchestra and with the assistance of the violist Lionel Tertis.

June 1944
Left June 12 by car for Berkeley, he arrives on June 15 which gives him the time to polish up his class, completely different than last year’s. But he gets the flu as soon as he arrives!

July 1944
He gives two hours of class each day before 240 students. He only sleeps two to four hours each night and is exhausted.

August 1944
He returns at the beginning of August to Agate Beach.
Baal Shem pour violon et orchestre is performed in its second world performance on August 8 in the Hollywood Bowl by George Szell directing the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra and Joseph Szigeti.
He finishes la Suite Symphonique on August 31.

September 1944
They are living in a nightmare because his grandson Jody, a six-year old child (son of Ivan) has been hospitalized with polio.
He spent two weeks doing a strange job. Goossens asked him to contribute to a work destined to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the Cincinnati Orchestra. He wrote the theme and asked ten or so “American composers” to each write a variation on this theme. He was so nice and so courteous toward Bloch that he wasn’t able to refuse.
In England the BBC broadcasts la Sonate pour piano and Hiver-Printemps during the summer.
Elsewhere in Birmingham on September 28 the premier Concerto Grosso is performed by George Weldon directing the CBSO.

October 1944
He went back to composing his second Quatuor sketched out in Berkeley in 1940 and he finished the second movement.
In England la Suite pour alto et piano is performed by Lionel Tertis on October 29 on the BBC, then in public at Cambridge.

November 1944
The Suite pour alto et orchestre is performed in Boston November 10 and 11 by Koussevitzky directing the Boston Symphony Orchestra and with the assistance of the Scotch violist William Primrose. The latter came to see Bloch during the summer to ask his opinion on his interpretation and played this work magnificently for him!
Schelomo is performed in New York (Carnegie Hall) on November 26 by Artur Rodzinski directing the Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra and with the assistance of Gregor Piatigorsky.

December 1944
The first three movements of his deuxième Quatuor are finished. The final will be a sort of Passacaille: it is becoming a “sickness”!
Israël is performed in New York (Carnegie hall) on four occasions: December 28, 29, 30 and 31 by Rodzinski directing the Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra.
In Italy an American officer writes to him that after the liberation of Rome, Guido Agosti performed a concert of Bloch’s works: premier Quintette and Sonate pour piano!
Equally in Rome at the end of 1944 Carlo Maria Guilini directing the Symphony Orchestra of the RAI gives a concert consecrated to the music prohibited by the fascists:
-Schelomo (with Massimo Amfitheatrof)
-Kindertotenlieder of Mahler
-Mathis le peintre of Hindemith.

 

1945

January 1945
He finally receives some news about his friends, the Flegs. What a feeling! After years of uncertainly and anguish.
He is struggling with his second Quatuor which is three-quarters finished.
La Suite pour alto et orchestre is performed January 4 in Los Angeles by Alfred Wallenstein directing the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra and Zoltan Kurthy, first violist of the orchestra.
Le Concerto pour violon is performed in San Francisco on January 23 and 24 by Pierre Monteux at the head of the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra and Naoum Blinder, first violin of the orchestra.

February 1945
The devil which watches over him replaced the spasmodic rhinitis which tormented him for two months with a generalized dermatosis.
Schelomo is performed in Washington on February 19 by Eugène Ormandy directing the Philadelphia Orchestra and Gregor Piatigorsky.

March 1945
Eugène Goossens performs the Jubilee Variations on March 23 and 24 in Cincinnati written by ten American composers (one of whom is Bloch!).
In England several of his works are performed since the beginning of the year:
-Baal Shem at the National Gallery and in Wigmore Hall
-Premier Concerto Grosso in Wigmore Hall and at the BBC
-Hiver-Printemps at the BBC

April 1945
It is hell! His generalized dermatosis becomes so acute that he is hospitalized in Portland for a month. With six sleeping pills and a shot of sedatives, he is able to sleep a maximum of two to three hours a night. Now, he can write a “Symphony of Job”.

May 1945
He is better but he has had several relapses. He is incapable of working. He is only able to read and to have a little physical exercise.

June 1945
He left at the end of June for Berkeley with a new friend who drove his car. He wouldn’t have been able to drive for this long trip.

July 1945
Several days, almost of happiness, in Berkeley. But she leaves him the day before his courses begin.
In spite of a horrible physical and mental state, he had to give his courses (with an audience of 350), two hours per day for five weeks, sleeping one to two hours per night in spite of all the narcotics.

August 1945
Settled in California at the home of his former associates of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, in Mill Valley, he tries to work on his second Quatuor which was interrupted since April.

September 1945
He returned to Agate Beach and he worked without a break on the second Quatuor.

October 1945
On October 28 he finally finished his Second Quatuor.
La Suite symphonique is performed as a world première October 26 and 27th in Philadelphia, then October 30 in New York by Pierre Monteux directing the Philadelphia Orchestra.
America is performed by Dimitri Mitropoulos on October 26 in Minneapolis, then December 6 in Rochester, NY.

November 1945
Their neighbors, who covet the Blochs’ property, insulted and attacked him, but he wasn’t wounded.
His friend Szigeti came to visit them for two days.
Schelomo is performed in New York on November 29 and 30th with Artur Rodzinski directing the Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra and Leonard Rose, solo cellist of the orchestra.

December 1945
He decided to go to San Francisco to hear his Suite Symphonique that Pierre Monteux at the head of the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra played on December 7 and 8.

1946

January-February 1946
On January 6 they heard very well on the radio la Suite Symphonique performed in San Francisco by Pierre Monteux. It sounded magnificently. He performs it again on January 17 in Berkeley.
Schelomo is performed on January 3 in Detroit by Valter Poole directing the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and Georges Miquelle, first cellist of the orchestra.

March-April 1946
The pianist Rosalyn Tureck, a friend of Suzanne, came to spend a week with them at Agate Beach. Although she was exhausted by her tour and a nasty cold, she played some Bach and some Brahms admirably for him.
He suggested to her to come to Berkeley for his courses this coming summer and she agreed with enthusiasm.
He sketches out the first movement of the Concerto Symphonique pour piano et orchestre.

May-June 1946
He is like an old worn out watch whose springs finally quit working…They wind it up in a vacuum…It works for several hours…Then it stops…
In the morning with several hours available..He tries to work a little—poorly–and he writes one or two letters…And it’s over.

July 1946
His daughter Lucienne, her husband and her three children are with them for two weeks. Bloch hasn’t seen them for four years.
He leaves by car for Berkeley on July 29 in order to be there August 1.

August 1946
His courses at the University of Berkeley take place from August 5 to September 15 (two hours each day) before a group of 15 to 20 interested students, some of whom have talent.
La Suite Symphonique is performed, in its English première, August 23 during a Promenade Concert in London (Royal Albert Hall) with Basil Cameron directing the London Symphony Orchestra.
The doctor he went to in San Francisco healed his eczema on his legs. He likes life all over again since …he doesn’t scratch himself any more!

September 1946
His return trip to Agate Beach went well. He thinks that he is completely cured, after these 26 years of suffering.

October 1946
He finishes, but not orchestrates, the second movement of his Concerto Symphonique.
The second Quatuor is performed, as a world première, on October 9 in London (Wigmore Hall) by the Griller Quartet, with a very large success. He received admirable critiques. He is completely astounded because he didn’t expect that at all.
La Suite Symphonique is broadcast by the BBC (second English performance) on October 9: Sir Adrian Boult directs the BBC Symphony Orchestra.
The same evening la Suite Symphonique is performed, in its Swiss première, in Geneva (Victoria Hall) and broadcast live: Ernest Ansermet directs the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande.

November-December 1946
He orchestrates the second movement of his Concerto Symphonique.
He had to interrupt his Concerto for several days in order to write two Préludes pour orgue destined for the use in synagogues that someone asked him [to compose] for an Anthology of Jewish Music.
On the beach at Agate Beach he picks up agates and petrified wood.
In England the Griller Quartet performs his second Quatuor again on November 13 in Birmingham and on November 14 in Sheffield.
In Italy the premier Quintette is performed on December 21 in Florence by the Chigiano Quintet.

1947

January 1947
He finishes the second movement of his Concerto Symphonique.
The deuxième Quatuor is performed in its non-official American première January 19 in New York (Frick Museum) by the Griller Quartet.
In Italy Schelomo and the premier Concerto Grosso are performed in Florence on January 19 by Vittorio Gui at the head of the Orchestra of the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino.

February 1947
He goes to Berkeley to listen to his deuxième Quatuor which is performed in its official American première on February 7 at the University of Berkeley (Wheeler Hall) by the Griller Quartet.
The same interpreters triumphantly play the deuxième Quatuor again on February 26 in New York (Town Hall).

March 1947
He corresponds with Marko Rothmuller, musicologist and baritone who will soon interpret the Service Sacré with Bloch (in 1949 in London).

April-May 1947
He tackles the third movement of the Concerto Symphonique.

June 1947
He receives a prize from the Music Critics Circle of New York for the deuxième Quatuor, which they consider as “the best American work of chamber music, given for the first time in New York last season”.
The deuxième Quatuor is performed June 3 in Copenhagen by the Koppel Quartet during the XXIst Festival of the I.S.C.M.

July 1947
He gives six lectures of two hours each at the Music Academy of the West at Santa Barbara (CA), for about fifty young students. He finds his friends Ada and Lillian there as well as his friends from the Griller Quartet who play the premier and the deuxième Quatuor, as well as the premier Quintette.

August-September 1947
Courses at the University of Berkeley from August 1 to September 15 each day from 9 o’clock to 11 o’clock.
The Griller Quartet plays the deuxième Quatuor on September 24 in Berkeley.
In Italy the deuxième Quatuor is performed September 29 in Venice during the Festival of contemporary music.

October 1947
His wife has been limping since…July. Bloch insisted that she go see a doctor: the X-rays showed a fractured ankle. In the meantime Bloch had to leave for Portland for a complete medical checkup because of his abdominal pains.
The premier Quatuor is performed in San Francisco by the Griller Quartet.

November 1947
A Bloch Festival is organized November 14 and 15 in New York (Concert Hall) by the Juilliard School and the League of Composers. But he was too exhausted to take part. The program includes three concerts which are broadcast on the radio.

First concert-Friday evening November 14, 1947:
-Premier Quintette by the students of the Juilliard School
-Psaumes 137 and 114 sung by Dusolina Giannini accompanied on the piano by Vincent Persichetti
-Suite pour alto et piano by Milton Katims accompanied on the piano by Arthur Balsam
-Quatre Épisodes by the Juilliard Chamber Orchestra directed by Edgar Schenkman.

Second concert-Saturday afternoon November 15, 1947:
-Trois oeuvres pour Quatuor (Prélude – Night – In the Mountains) played by the students
-Sonate pour piano by Alexis Weissenberg
-Deuxième Quatuor by the Griller Quartet.

Third concert-Saturday evening November 15, 1947
Edgar Schenkman directing the Juilliard Orchestra perform:
-Premier Concerto Grosso
-Deux Interludes Symphonique de Macbeth
-Schelomo (with the cellist Félix Salmond)
-Israël.

December 1947
He studies again for the hundredth time the Fugues of the Clavecin bien Tempéré and in spite of 50 years of study, he still discovers there something new. What subtlety and how we are barbarians. But who notices in this era of ignorance and of “hooliganocracy”?
Schelomo is performed on December 6 and 8 in St. Louis by Vladimir Golschmann with the assistance of E. Lustgarten.
The premier Quintette is performed on December 10 in San Francisco by the San Francisco Quartet and the pianist Corinne Lacomblé.

1948

January 1948
He received the 56 seventy-eight records of the complete recording of the Bloch Festival at the Juilliard School of New York. It is very moving to listed to it in their solitude.
Here, in this little village of Newport, they have organized three concerts: so it is that before attacking the Concerto of Mendelssohn, the violinist Tossy Spivakovsky makes a speech…and dedicated this evening to Bloch! Ovation! He had to get up, bow, etc.
Les Quatre Épisodes are performed on January 5 in New York by Thomas Scherman at the head of the Little Orchestra.
Schelomo is performed in Minneapolis on January 16 by Dimitri Mitropoulos and Yves Chardon, solo cellist of the orchestra.

February 1948
A young Canadian cellist, Zara Nelsova, unaffected, modest, incomparable artist, came to study with him. Since she is a vegetarian, they all followed her diet and he finds himself much improved.
Le premier Concert Grosso is performed in New York on February 5, 6, 7, and 8 by Charles Munch directing the Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra.
In England, the BBC continues to broadcast his works (Hiver-Printemps, Concerto pour violon).

March 1948
He finally finished his Concerto Symphonique on March 6, this heavy machine which he has been dragging around for two years.
He is going to direct Hiver-Printemps on March 14 in Portland, to the request of the amiable head of the orchestra, Werner Janssen.
The deuxième Quatuor is broadcast on March 19 by Radio Geneva in its Swiss première, with the interpretation of the Végh Quartet.

April 1948
His student, the pianist Sophia Melvin, interprets les Poèmes de la Mer on April 19 in New York (Town Hall).

May-June 1948
He leaves on June 9 by car for Berkeley because his classes begin June 21.
The Trois Poèmes Juifs are performed in Tel-Aviv by Izler Solomon at the head of the Palestine Orchestra, in the midst of a war.

July 1948
He gives his classes at the University of Berkeley, two hours each day, on the “Musical Language” and on the Fugues of the Clavecin bien tempéré.
The deuxième Quatuor is performed in Vienna by the New Italian Quartet during the second International Festival of Music.

August 1948
He spends several days at Los Gatos on the property of his doctor, Dr. Ostwald, then to the home of his friend Nathan Fryer and he returns on August 20 to Agate Beach.
The premier Quatuor is performed on August 29 at the University of Berkeley by the Griller Quartet which was named “Quartet in residence”.

September 1948
He had to go to Linfield College in McMinnville (Oregon) on September 16: they awarded him the title of Docteur Honoris Causa of Humane Letters. During the course of this moving ceremony, they played the final hymn from America, his Psaume 22 and some organ works of Bach.

October 1948
He spends a month in Salt Lake City where a young friend organized some lectures in a school connected to the Mormon Temple. He really felt at home. He had much satisfaction in exposing his ideas in front of this audience. All the professors attended his lectures and even the head of the orchestra Maurice Abravanel (who subsequently wanted to study Schelomo with him!).
The Suite pour alto et orchestre is performed on October 23 in New York (Carnegie Hall) by Dimitri Mitropoulos directing the Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra, with the assistance of William Lincer, first violist of the orchestra.

November 1948
He worked fiercely, day after day, on his Scherzo Fantasque which is almost finished.
Baal Shem is performed on November 25 in New York (Carnegie Hall) by Georges Enesco accompanied on the piano by Nadia Reisenberg.

December 1948
Ivan and his family came to visit them for several days.
The Service Sacré is performed on December 12 at the University of Berkeley by Edward Lawton directing the Orchestra and the Choir of California and with the assistance of baritone Edgar Jones.
He puts the finishing touches on the Scherzo Fantasque on December 23, a work which he began in April.

1949

January 1949
He is still in the grip of the sudden death of his best and most loyal friend—the only one!–in Agate Beach, the former detective, J.M. Tackabery, who supported them in everything.
Schelomo is performed on January 30 in New York by Leopold Stokowski direction the Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra, with the assistance of Leonard Rose.

February 1949
They had the visit of their friends Lacombé from San Francisco for five days. Corinne Lacomblé studies the Concerto Symphonique with him that she will create in Edinburgh.
Voix dans le Désert is performed in San Francisco February 3, 4, and 5 by Pierre Monteux directing the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra and Boris Blinder, solo cellist of the orchestra.
Bloch directs America February 21 in Portland at the head of the Portland Orchestra with a triumphal success.

March 1949
The Trois Poèmes Juifs are performed March 3 in Rochester (NY) by Erich Leinsdorf directing the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra.
Zara Nelsova, an admirable cellist, came from Los Angeles to practice Schelomo and his other cello works with him before leaving for England.

April 1949
If he had known all of the miseries his future European trip would cause him, he wouldn’t have undertaken it. He doesn’t live any more. One complication after another. In one week, he writes 45 letters without counting the telegrams and the cables.

May 1949
He leaves Agate Beach May 1, stopping in Portland (4 days), in Salt Lake City (5 days) and in New York (8 days).
Then he leaves May 19 by air for Geneva where he lives with his sister, Loulette.

June 1949
In Italy, he directs a concert at Milan’s La Scala on June 8:
-Concerto pour la Nuit de Noël of Corelli
-Trois Poèmes Juifs
-Évocations
-Suite Symphonique (Italian première).
Back in Geneva he receives the visit of a Canadian musician, Ethel Stark, violinist and head of the orchestra in Montréal, who wants to study his works with him.

July 1949
He leaves for three weeks with his family in the Swiss montains at Maloja, in the Grisons Canton.
In Israel la Symphonie Israël is performed in its Israeli première, in Tel-Aviv by Izler Solomon directing the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.

August 1949
He leaves August 16 from Geneva for London. Then he spends four days in Birmingham at the home of Alex Cohen.
September 1949
On September 3 he directs the world première of the Concerto Symphonique in Edinburgh at the head of the BBC Scottish Orchestra with the assistance of the pianist Corinne Lacomblé.
He performs the Concerto Symphonique again on September 4 in Glasgow in the Studio of the BBC and it is broadcast live.
And September 6 he directs again this work with the same interpreter in London (Promenade Concert) at the head of the London Philharmonic; the BBC broadcasts the concert live.
The September 14 in Geneva (Studios of Radio Geneva) he directs the Orchestre de Suisse Romande (broadcast live):
-Suite Symphonique
-Évocations
-Concerto Symphonique (with Corinne Lacomblé)

October 1949
On October 11 he directs le Service Sacré in London (Studios of the BBC) at the head of the London Philharmonic Orchestra and with the assistance of his friend the Yugoslavian baritone Marko Rothmuller. The BBC broadcasts the concert live.
On October 13 in London (Royal Albert Hall) he directs the London Philharmonic Orchestra in a public concert:
-Suite Symphonique
-Schelomo (with Zara Nelsova)
-Service Sacré (with Marko Rothmuller)
This concert is broadcast live by the BBC as well.
From the 14th to the 19th of October in five sessions Decca records the Service Sacré under his direction. Then at the end of the month, Schelomo and From Jewish Life (with Zara Nelsova).

November 1949
He leaves from Southhampton on November 5 on the Veendam to return to the United States. After a short stay in New York, he returns to Agate Beach.
The deuxième Quatuor is performed on November 26 in Amsterdam (Dutch première) by the Griller Quartet.
The Deux Interludes de Macbeth are performed on November 3, 4, 5, and 6 in New York (Carnegie Hall) by Leopold Stokowski at the head of the Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra.

December 1949
When he thinks of these European months so rushed, of the immense work and of the innumerable complications which he had to face, he tells himself he is really solid.
He replays all of his Decca records. He thinks that it will be useful to other heads of orchestras who are fixated on interpreting his music in a sentimental and dawdling manner.

1950-1959

January 1950
The Concerto Symphonique is performed for its American première January 21 in New York (Radio City), by Ernest Ansermet at the head of the NBC Symphony Orchestra, with Corinne Lacomblé as soloist.
In spite of the imperfect radio reception here, it seemed excellent to him except he took the first movement almost two times slower than Bloch did—which forced them to stupidly cut the cadence which is so “organic”.

February 1950
He finished six Préludes pour orgue which Schirmer had requested.
Suzanne came for three days. Her mother hadn’t seen her since 1943. Her concert in Portland was superb and truly interresting.
The Suite Symphonique is performed on February 6 in Paris in its French première (broadcast) by Edmond Appia directing the National Orchestra.

March 1950
He finishes the Marches Nuptiales which someone commissioned.
The Suite Symphonique is performed on March 16 in Florence in its second Italian performance by Edmond Appia directing the Orchestra of the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino.

April 1950
He works a little on a work for the Juilliard School, a Concertino pour flûte solo, alto solo et cordes.

May 1950
Toscanini (83 years old) who is on a orchestra tour in the United States plays on May 9 in Portland. He indicated he wanted Bloch to attend “as his guest” which Bloch therefore couldn’t refuse.
Howard Taubman, music critic of the New York Times, who accompanied him, profits from this by interviewing Bloch.

June 1950
He has been invited to Israel—at the government’s expense—to direct the Service Sacré this summer.
Unfortunately it is impossible because of his courses at Berkeley which take place from June 19 to July 22.

July 1950
His teacher and friend, Emile Jaques-Dalcroze, dies July 1. Bloch refers to his memory during his courses, as he has done for years. He will remain as an example of honesty and of health amid the current muddle.
His daily classes (from 9 to 11) interest him but make him very tired.
He survived his 70th birthday: they celebrated at the University of Berkeley, at the Conservatory of San Francisco, at Lucienne’s in Mill Valley…Innumerable letters and telegrams to which he hasn’t been able to respond yet.

August 1950
In Agate Beach he finishes the Concertino pour flûte solo, alto solo et orchestre à cordes on August 30.
In London the BBC plays him often:
-the premier Concerto Grosso is performed on August 7 by Georges Enesco directing the Boyd Neel Orchestra.
-Baal Shem pour violon et orchestre is performed August 16 in its English première by the violinist Yfrah Neaman accompanied by Ian Whyte directing the BBC Scottish Orchestra.

September-October 1950
He restudies all of the program which he is going to direct at the Bloch Festival of Chicago in November, utilizing, the score in hand, all of the records he owns (his as well as those of other orchestra heads!).
In Châtel in 1938 he wrote a pièce pour quatuor but it is only on October 4, 1950 that he was able to compose the seconde pièce pour quatuor which must follow the first.
Voix dans le désert is performed on October 23 in New York by Thomas Scherman directing the Little Orchestra Society and the cellist Milton Prinz.
The Suite pour alto et piano is performed on October 28 in Washington by the violist Milton Katims accompanied by Kahn on the piano.

November-December 1950
A Bloch Festival is given in Chicago in honor of his 70th birthday during six days from November 28 to December 3 in the presence of his family and his friends.

Tuesday, November 28 at the Sholom Temple:
-Premier Quatuor by the Fine Arts Quartet.
-Premier Quintette avec piano by the same ensemble and the pianist Florence Kirsch.

Wednesday, November 29 at the Sinai Temple:
-Première Sonate pour violon et piano by Ludmila Bertlova and the pianist Florence Kirsch
-Voice in the Wilderness pour violoncelle et piano by George Sopkin and Florence Kirsch
-Second Quatuor by the Fine Arts Quartet.

Thursday, November 30 and Friday, December 1 at Orchestra Hall, Rafael Kubelik at the head of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra plays:
-Premier Concerto Grosso
-Suite pour alto et orchestre with Milton Preves, first violist of the orchestra.

Saturday, December 2 at the Orchestra Hall, Bloch directs the Chicago Symphony Orchestra:
-Deux Interludes Symphoniques de Macbeth
-Scherzo Fantasque pour piano et orchestre (world première) with Ida Krehm
-Schelomo with Zara Nelsova
-Suite Symphonique.

Sunday, December 3 at the Knickerbocker Hotel: Large dinner in his honor with a musical program.

Monday, December 4 at the Covenant Club: large banquet in the afternoon where all of the musicians are invited.

What moved him the most is the true understanding—on the part of people who don’t know him—of his work and of him, the affection, the tenderness, the devotion of all.

His 70th birthday brings about numerous concerts which take place at this year’s end.

In the United States:
Schelomo is performed twice:
-in Minneapolis on November 4 (Antal Dorati and Gregor Piatigorsky).
-in Washington on November 8 (Howard Mitchell and John Martin).
The Quatre Épisodes are performed on December 3 in New York by Thomas Scherman at the head of the Little Orchestra Society.
The Concertino is performed on December 8, in its world première in New York by Jean Morel directing the Juilliard School Orchestra, the violist Milton Katims and the flutist Arthur Lora.

In England:
The Suite pour alto et orchestre is performed at the BBC on December 5 and 14 by Charles Groves directing the BBC Northern Orchestra and Paul Cropper, first violist of the orchestra.

In Israel:
The Trois Poèmes Juifs are performed in December in Tel-Aviv, Haifa and Jerusalem by Serge Koussevitzky directing the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.

1951

January 1951
In Agate Beach, above the garage he sets up a “Studio”. There is a large room, a bedroom, and a bathroom. It is ideal. Each morning he goes there for two or three hours. Immediately, without transition, he is in another world—alone with the best of himself—and the music comes by itself.
At the head of the Portland Symphony Orchestra he directs his Trois Poèmes Juifs and the Suite Symphonique in two Oregon cities: January 22 in Portland and January 23 in Salem.
Schelomo is performed January 31 in Baltimore by Reginald Stewart directing the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra with the assistance of Gregor Piatigorsky.

February 1951
He finishes five pieces for viola and piano of a Hebrew nature. He will choose three to form a Suite Hébraïque pour alto et orchestre.
The Trois Poèmes Juifs are performed February 1 and 3 in Cleveland by Georges Szell directing the Cleveland Orchestra.
Baal Shem pour violon et orchestre is played by Charles Munch at the head of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the violinist Ruth Posselt February 2 and 3 in Boston, February 16 in Brooklyn (NY), February 17 in New York (Carnegie Hall).
In Italy, Schelomo is performed February 11 in Florence by Jean Martinon directing the Orchestra of the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino with the assistance of Massimo Amfitheatrof.
In England the premier Concerto Grosso is performed February 11 in London (Albert Hall) by Nicolai Sokoloff directing the London Symphony Orchestra.

March-April 1951
His health is bad: he has a recurrence of spasmodic rhinitis and four blackouts in two months.
In spite of everything he finishes the Suite Hébraïque pour alto (ou violon) et orchestre.
Schelomo es performed on several occasions:
-in Washington March 21 by Howard Mitchell directing the National Symphony Orchestra and with the assistance of John Martin.
-in New York on April 5, 6, and 8 by Dimitri Mitropoulos directing the New York Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra and with the assistance of Leonard Rose.

May 1951
The “Three Choirs Festival” of the Emanu-El Temple of New York performs:
-May 4 the Préludes pour orgue played by Robert Baker
-May 6 the premier Concerto Grosso played by Léon Barzin at the head of the National Orchestral Association.
In England Baal Shem pour violon et orchestre is performed on May 1 in Birmingham by Rudolf Schwarz directing the CBSO and the violinist Ifrah Neaman.

June-July 1951
He arrives on June 11 in Berkeley where he is going to give his courses for the last time.
To celebrate the end of his courses some devoted friends organized a large concert on July 21 in San José (CA): he listened to the Service Sacré with his family.

August 1951
In Agate Beach they had a young violinist, Camilla Wicks, for a week. She is a superior being and an enormous talent. Marsick was right – in 1895 – “One must have gone to the Good Father’s Conservatory.”

September 1951
The records of Gregorian chants sent by his niece transported him far from this Pacific Ocean. Then he once again plunged into Bach’s Fugues.
In England the Scherzo Fantasque pour piano et orchestre is performed on September 10 in London during a “Promenade Concert”, in its English première by Basil Cameron directing the London Philharmonic Orchestra and with the assistance of the pianist Iris Loveridge.

October 1951
A young pianist, Sophia Melvin, comes to spend a weekend in Agate Beach to study with him.
His second Quatuor is performed in Portland by the Italian Quartet, but he was unable to attend.
In England the BBC presents:
-Hiver-Printemps on October 20 under the direction of John Hopkins
-The premier Quintette on October 28 interpreted by the Chigiano Quintet.

November 1951
He sketches out the first movement of a third Quartet.
The premier Concerto Grosso is performed November 1, 6, and 10 by Rafael Kubelik directing the Chicago Orchestra during its tour.

December 1951
He finished with great difficulty the first movement of his troisième Quatuor.
The biologist Kitty Ponse then his son Ivan and his family have come for Christmas.
Then, it is Sidney Griller who arrived to study the last Quatuors of Beethoven with him.
The Concerto pour violon is performed on December 15 in San Francisco by Massimo Freccia directing the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra and the young violinist Teresa Vannin.

1952

January 1952
He finished the first two movements of a new Quatuor (the third) dedicated to the Griller Quartet.
The Concerto pour violon is performed on January 29 in San Francisco by Pierre Monteux directing the Symphony Orchestra of San Francisco and the violinist Teresa Vannin.

February 1952
Two to three hours of daily work exhaust him. However he finished the Scherzo of his Troisième Quatuor.
Israël is performed February 6 in Baltimore by Reginald Stewart at the head of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.
In England the première Symphonie is performed February 9 and 10 at the BBC by Clarence Raybould at the head of the BBC Symphony Orchestra.

March 1952
March 25, he finishes his troisième Quatuor.
At the end of March he receives the news that the American Jewish Congress awards him a prize of $1,000: the Stephen Wise Award.
The Suite Hébraïque pour alto et piano is performed on March 3 as a world première in Chicago (Covenant Club) by the violist Milton Preves and the pianist Helen Brahm.
The Concerto Symphonique is performed March 6, 7, and 8 in San Francisco (local première) by Pierre Monteux at the head of the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra with the assistance of Corinne Lacomblé.
Israël is performed on March 6 and 8 in Cleveland by Rudolph Ringwall directing the Cleveland Orchestra.
In England Schelomo is performed March 1 and 2 at the BBC by Vittorio Gui at the head of the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Zara Nelsova (whom he nicknamed Mrs. Schelomo!)

April 1952
He receives a record of Israël recorded in Vienna by Franz Litschauer for the Vanguard company: that human beings so far away, probably non-Jews were able to feel, to live the imponderables, that which can’t be learned, details which one can’t write of in black and white, it is a miracle…
In England, the Service Sacré is performed on April 3 in Hanley by Harold Gray directing the CBSO.

May 1952
In spite of a terrible state of fatigue he sketches out a new Concerto Grosso (the second).
The premier Concerto Grosso is performed May 3 in Chicago by Rafael Kubelik.

June 1952
He leaves for San Francisco by air where his old friend Ada Clement is slowly dying of a cancer. He plays the slow movement of his troisième Quatuor for her.
In England the BBC broadcasts two of his works:
-June 7 and 8 the première Symphonie directed by Clarence Raybould
-June 19 Hiver-Printemps directed by John Hopkins.

July 1952
Ada Clement passes away in the “Shack”, the hut of Mill Valley in California, surrounded by trees and hills which she loved so much, and not in a hospital, persecuted by doctors hopelessly trying to outwit nature. It is thus that he himself would like to die

August 1952
He worked constantly every day, even at night and without fatigue!
He finished his second Concerto Grosso on August 1. And he sketches out a new Concerto Grosso which will become in fact a Sinfonia Breve.
Ada is living in his heart. He feels her presence. He is certain that she helped him. How? He doesn’t know. Mystery. But he feels it. Now she is liberated from all the human sufferings and miseries.

September 1952
He is named “Professeur Eméritus de l’Université de Berkeley”. It is rather flattering because he wasn’t a full time professor. And even more touching, at the unanimous request of the Music Department, they will continue to pay him the interest from the Stern Funds created in 1930—for the rest of his life which removes all worries for his old age.
At the end of September the Griller Quartet comes to Agate Beach for three days to study the troisième Quatuor with him which is dedicated to them and about which they are enthusiastic.

October 1952
Working continually, he finishes the first three movements of his Sinfonia Breve.
In England Voix dans le Désert pour violoncelle et orchestre is performed on October 4 and 5 at the BBC by Zara Nelsova accompanied by Rudolph Schwarz at the head of the BBC Symphony Orchestra.

November 1952
He goes to Portland to meet Nicola Rossi-Lemeni who sings some fragments from Brois Godounov on November 7. This admirable artist is going to interpret Macbeth in Rome next February.
He sketches out the finale of the Sinfonia Breve.
The Concerto Symphonique is performed in Boston November 28 and 29, then in New York on December 3 by Pierre Monteux directing the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Corinne Lacomblé.
In England Israël is performed November 8 at the BBC by Clarence Raybould at the head of the BBC Symphony Orchestra.

December 1952
He finished the Sinfonia Breve on December 3, the most concentrated work he has ever written (it should last 18-19 minutes).
He also writes “In Memoriam”, a very short work (3 minutes) to the memory of Ada Clement…he almost sees Ada near him, with her marvelous smile.
The Deux Psaumes 137 et 114 pour soprano et orchestre are performed on December 8 in New York by Thomas Sherman directing the Little Orchestra Society and the singer Winifred Cecil.
In England the premier Concerto Grosso is performed December 9 and 10 at the BBC by Anthony Lewis at the head of the Philharmonia Orchestra.
In Switzerland the Scherzo Fantasque is performed December 24 on Radio Geneva as a Swiss première with Ernest Ansermet directing the Orchestra of the Suisse Romande and the pianist Jacqueline Blancard.

1953

January 1953
Leaves for Italy on the Saturnia which leaves New York on January 20.
In America the concerts of his works are on the increase:
-The Suite Hébraïque pour alto et orchestre is performed January 1 and 2 in Chicago in its world première by Rafael Kubelik directing the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the violist Milton Preves.
-The troisième Quatuor is played on January 4 in New York in its world première by the Griller Quartet.
-Visions et Prophéties is performed this same day in Chicago by the American pianist Florence Kirsch.
-Baal Shem pour violon et orchestre is played on January 23 and 24 in Cincinnati by Thor Johnson at the head of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and the violinist Sigmund Effron.
-The premier Concerto Grosso is performed January 31 in Baltimore by Massimo Freccia directing the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.
In England the BBC broadcasts two of his works:
-The Concertino pour flûte, alto et orchestre à cordes on January 9 in its English première by Anthony Bernard at the head of the London Chamber Orchestra with the assistance of the flutist Geoffrey Gilbert and of the violist William Primrose.
-Hiver-Printemps on January 12 by John Hopkins directing the BBC Northern Orchestra.

February 1953
He is celebrated in Rome where they perform his works.
Macbeth is performed on February 19, 22, and 28 at the Rome Opera under the direction of Gianandrea Gavazzeni with the mezzo-soprano Gianna Pederzini and the bass Nicola Rossi-Lemeni in the title roles.
The Concerto Grosso No. 2 (in world première) and the Suite pour alto et orchestre are performed on February 24 by Roberto Lupi directing the Orchestra of the RAI with the assistance of the violist Lodovico Coccon.

March 1953
In Italy a Bloch Festival takes place on March 4 in Rome.
-Bloch directs the first part of the concert: Suite Symphonique and Schelomo.
-Franz Litschauer directs the second part of the concert: Israël. Bloch would never have believed that Israël was so moving. Finally a great director who knows and feels what Bloch is, what he was. He feels he will be able to die in peace.
In America the première sonate pour violon et piano is triumphantly performed on March 3 in New York by Jascha Heifetz and Emanuel Bay.
In England numerous works are performed.
The Concerto pour violon is performed:
-March 13 in Birmingham by Harold Gray directing the CBSO and the violinist Raymond Cohen
-March 21 at the BBC by Sir Adrian Boult directing the BBC Symphony Orchestra and the violinist Raymond Cohen.
The Service Sacré is performed on March 24 in Westminster by Arnold Foster.
Israël is performed on March 26 at the BBC by Ian Whyte at the head of the BBC Symphony Orchestra.

April 1953
At the beginning of April he comes back to America on the Liberté but a tenacious bronchitis obliges him to stay in bed during the trip.
In Memoriam which he composed to the memory of Ada Clement is performed in its world première on April 28 in San Francisco by Kurt Herbert Adler directing the San Francisco Conservatory Orchestra.
In England the Concerto Grosso No. 2 and the Sinfonia Breve (in its world première) are performed on April 11 at the BBC by Sir Malcolm Sargent directing the BBC Symphony Orchestra.

May-June 1953
In his retreat at Agate Beach, he is still overwhelmed with fatigue, unable to work.
Every day he goes to polish agates for one or two hours.
In England the troisième Quatuor is played on June 14 in London (BBC studio) in its English première by the Griller Quartet. They play it again in public on June 21 in the Festival Hall.

July-August 1953
He was able to get back to work again with difficulty and he finished the first movement of a new Quatuor (the fourth).

September 1953
He wrote the first three movements of his fourth Quatuor.
In England the BBC broadcasts two of his works:
-The Suite Hébraïque pour alto et piano on September 11 interpreted by the violist Maurice Loban and the pianist Ross Pratt.
-The premier Concerto Grosso on September 26 interpreted by Walter Goehr directing the BBC Symphony Orchestra.
In Switzerland the Concertino pour flûte, alto et orchestre à cordes is performed on September 11 on Radio Geneva for its first Swiss performance by Edmond Appia at the head of the Orchestra of the Suisse Romande with the assistance of the flutist André Pépin and of the violist Aleardo Savelli.

October 1953
The Concerto Grosso No. 2 is performed on October 9 and 10 in Boston in its American première by Charles Munch directing the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
The Deux Interludes de Macbeth are performed on October 30 and 31 in Philadephia by Eugene Ormandy at the head of the Philadelphia Orchestra.

November 1953
After incessant revisions, he finishes his quatrième Quatuor on November 5. Then he begins the Symphonie pour trombone et orchestre.
In the United States numerous works are performed this month.
-The Concerto Grosso No. 2 is performed by Charles Munch directing the Boston Symphony Orchestra on November 10 in Cambridge (MA) and on November 24 in Providence (Rhode Island).
-Israël is played on November 11 in Washington by Howard Mitchell directing the National Symphony Orchestra.
-Schelomo is performed on November 26 and 27 in New York by Dimitri Mitropoulos at the head of the Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra and Leonard Rose.
-The Sinfonia Breve is played on November 26 and 28 in Cleveland in its American première by Georges Szell directing the Cleveland Orchestra. He receives a wonderful letter from his former pupil, the composer Herbert Elwell, music critic of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
-The Suite pour alto et orchestre is performed on November 30 in New York by Thomas Scherman directing the Little Orchestra Society with the assistance of the violist Herbert Feldman.

December 1953
His friend Alex Cohen dies on December 17 as the result of a hemiplegia. It is a very large loss.
In Italy, Macbeth triumphs in Trieste on December 3, 5, 8 and 10.
In the United States in spite of everything, his music is played more and he is surprised to see the royalties increase each year.
The Concerto Grosso No. 2 is performed by Charles Munch at the head of the Boston Symphony Orchestra on December 1 in Newark (New Jersey) and December 2 in New York (Carnegie Hall).
The Sinfonia Breve is played in New York (Carnegie Hall) on December 10, 11, and 12 in its New York première by Georges Szell directing the Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra.

1954

January 1954
His old friend Yehudi Menuhin came to visit them on January 9. Bloch hadn’t seen him since 1939.
For two months, Bloch is working on a new work for solo trombone and orchestra which the trombonist Davis Shuman commissioned.
Schelomo is played twice in the United States:
-In New York on January 11 by Léon Barzin at the head of the National Orchestra Association and Bernard Greenhouse.
-In Tulsa on January 25 by H. Arthur Brown directing the Tulsa Philharmonic.

February 1954
In the United States they play several of his works.
The première sonate pour violon et piano is played in New York twice in the same evening on
February 9:
-by Jascha Heifetz at the Brooklyn Academy, accompanied by Emmanuel Bay on the piano.
-by Camilla Wicks at Town Hall, accompanied by Brooks Smith on the piano.
The Sinfonia Breve is performed on February 16 in Philadelphia by Georges Szell directing the Cleveland Orchestra.
The deuxième Concerto Grosso is played February 27 and 28 in Saint Louis by Vladimir Golschmann at the head of the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra.
In Israel the Concerto Symphonique is performed in Tel-Aviv, Jerusalem and Haifa by Walter Susskind directing the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra with the assistance of the pianist Pnina Salzman.

March 1954
The Music Critics Circle of New York awards him two of their three honors:
-The troisième Quatuor as the best chamber music work
-The deuxième Concerto Grosso as best orchestral work
It is the first time that a composer is rewarded in two categories during the same year.
Schelomo is performed March 18 and 19 in Chicago by Fritz Reiner directing the Chicago Symphony Orchestra with the assistance of Pierre Fournier.
The deuxième Concerto Grosso is played March 26 in Minneapolis by Antal Dorati at the head of the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra.
In England the Service Sacré is played and rebroadcast by the BBC on March 24 in Leeds by Malcolm Sargent directing the Yorkshire Symphony Orchestra with the assistance of the baritone John Cameron.

April 1954
He finished the second movement of his Symphonie pour trombone et orchestre.
In the United States NBC broadcasts a Bloch Concert on April 25 on the occasion of the New York Music Critics Award: Milton Katims at the head of the NBC Symphony Orchestra plays the two Concertos Grosso and Évocations.

May 1954
They had Bloch’s former student with them, the composer Herbert Elwell…Bloch hadn’t seen him since 1920!
In Switzerland the deuxième Concerto Grosso is performed May 19 at Radio Geneva by Ernest Ansermet directing the Orchestra of the Suisse Romande.

June 1954
On June 24 he finishes the Symphonie pour trombone (ou violoncelle) et orchestre. He has been at it for six months and he is happy to have finished.
On June 29 he begins a troisième Concerto Grosso which, actually, will become the Symphony in E flat major (Symphonie en mi bémol majeur).
Finally his new agate polishing machine is working. When he can’t see any more where he is musically, instead of uselessly getting stuck on a questionable passage, he goes down into his little studio and he refreshes his mind for an hour.

July 1954
The quatrième Quatuor is performed by the Griller Quartet twice:
-in England on July 18 in London (Wigmore Hall) as a world première broadcast live by the BBC.
-In the United States on July 28 in Lenox (Massachusetts) in its American première under the auspices of the Berkshire Festival.

August 1954
After two months of work, he finishes the Scherzo of a new Concerto Grosso.
The Psaume 22 is performed on August 19 at the Hollywood Bowl by the baritone Robert Merrill accompanied by William Steinberg directing the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra.
In England the premier Concerto Grosso is performed August 4 at the BBC by Ian Whyte directing the BBC Scottish Orchestra.

September 1954
He finished the slow movement of his new work.
His friend Herbert Elwell who was supposed to come help him organize all of his pedagogical material for a possible publication has fallen gravely ill.
In England the BBC broadcasts two of his works:
-Hiver-Printemps on September 20, directed by John Hopkins at the head of the BBC Northern Orchestra (this work will be played again October 9 and 15 and November 24).
-the Suite Hébraïque pour alto et orchestre, in its English première on September 24 directed by Leo Wurmser at the head of the BBC Midland Orchestra with the assistance of the violist Maurice Loban.
In Switzerland Radio Geneva broadcasts two of his works:
-the Suite pour alto et orchestre, September 2, directed by Edmond Appia at the head of the Orchestra of the Suisse Romande with the assistance of the violist Lodovico Coccon.
-the deux Interludes Symphonique de Macbeth on September 22, directed by Edmond Appia at the head of the Orchestra of the Suisse Romande.

October 1954
He is going to hear his troisième Quatuor in Eugene where the University of Oregon is located and whose dean invited him with Marguerite.
A Bloch Concert is organized in New York on October 10:
-the Enfantines are played on the virginal by his daughter Suzanne.
-the Quatre Épisodes and the premier Concerto Grosso are performed by Emanual Vardi directing an orchestra made up of former members of the NBC Orchestra.
-the troisième Quatuor is played by the WQXR Quartet.
-the Suite pour alto et piano is played by the violist Emanuel Vardi and the pianist Miron Kroyt.
In England the Service Sacré is played and rebroadcast by the BBC on October 19 in Birmingham by David Willcocks at the head of the CBSO, with the assistance of the baritone Hervey Alan.
In Switzerland the Poème Mystique is broadcast on October 19 at Radio Geneva by the violinist Chil Neufeld accompanied by Lottie Morel on the piano.

November 1954
They had, unfortunately for only three days, the visit of the cellist Zara Nelsova, it was an enchantment for Bloch.
Israël is performed November 17 in Washington by Howard Mitchell directing the National Symphony Orchestra.
Schelomo is played on November 24 in Atlanta by Henry Sopkin at the head of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra with the assistance of cellist Donovan Schumacher.
In France the Concerto Symphonique is performed November 6 at Radio France by Eugène Bigot directing the Radio Symphonic Orchestra with the assistance of the pianist Thérèse Cochet.

December 1954
While there is still time, he must burn the mass of letters and documents that he stupidly saved, so that when he is gone they don’t fall into the paws of these musicology idiots who distort everything!
In the United States:
-the troisième Quatuor is played December 11 in Chicago by the Fine Arts Quartet.
-the deuxième Concerto Grosso is performed December 30 in Detroit by Paul Paray at the head of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.
In England the Suite pour alto et orchestre is broadcast on the BBC December 29 by Ian Whyte directing the BBC Scottish Orchestra with the assistance of the violist Herbert Downes.
In Israel, Schelomo is played in December in Tel-Aviv, Haifa and Jerusalem by H. Freudenthal directing the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra with the assistance of Gregor Piatigorsky.

1955

January 1955
In Portland, Stravinski admirably directed, with a mediocre orchestra, a whole concert of Bloch’s works. No one is able to reveal his music as he can! No superfluous gestures, no posturing as do charlatan conductors. During the supper which followed the concert he showed himself to be charming and affectionate as well as his wife to whom Bloch offered some agates which both of them admired.
In America his works are played much more often.
America is performed January 2 and 3 in Indianapolis by Fabien Sevitzky at the head of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra.
The deuxième Concerto Grosso is played January 9 in rochester by Erich Leinsdorf directing the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra.
Baal Shem pour violon et orchestre is performed January 12 in Atlanta by Henry Sopkin at the head of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and the violinist Robert Harrison.
Schelomo is played January 13 and 14 in Los Angeles by Alfred Wallenstein directing the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra and Gregor Piatigorsky.
In England the Suite Hébraïque pour alto et orchestre is performed January 26 at the BBC by Ian Whyte at the head of the BBC Scottish Orchestra with the assistance of the violist Maurice Loban.

February 1955
In the United States Schelomo is played February 8 in Baltimore and February 9 in Washington by Howard Mitchell directing the National Symphony Orchestra with the assistance of Gregor Piatigorsky.
In Switzerland Schelomo is performed February 7 at Radio Geneva by Ernest Ansermet at the head of the Orchestra of the Suisse Romande and Zara Nelsova.
In Israel the premier Concerto Grosso is played in February in Haifa by George Singer directing the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.

March 1955
On March 8 he finishes the Symphonie en mi bémol (E flat) and he begins the Proclamation pour trompette et orchestre dedicated to Samuel Laderman.
In America the orchestra head Eugène Ormandy who directs the Philadelphia Orchestra finally discovered Bloch!!
He performs:
-Schelomo with the assistance of the cellist Lorne Munroe
-In Philadelphia March 18 and 19
-In Richmond March 21
-In Washington March 22
-In Baltimore March 23
-The deuxième Concerto Grosso in Philadelphia March 25 and 26.
In England the BBC broadcasts two of his works:
-The Service Sacré which is performed March 9 in London (Festival Hall) by Sir Malcolm Sargent directing the BBC Symphony Orchestra with the assistance of the baritone Bruce Boyce.
-Hiver-Printemps which is performed March 24 by Harold Gray at the head of the BBC Midland Orchestra.

April 1955
Reed College grants him a “Doctorat Honoris Causa en Lettres” on April 17. What especially touches him is that they booked the Griller Quartet to play his first and his fourth Quartet for this occasion.
Eugène Ormandy performs the deuxième Concerto Grosso with the Philadelphia Orchestra
-In Washington April 12
-In Philadelphia April 18
In New York April 19
In England the Service Sacré is broadcast April 1 and 2 at the BBC by John Hopkins at the head of the BBC Northern Orchestra.

May-June 1955
He finished the Proclamation pour trompette solo et petit orchestre on May 17.
After having performed the deuxième Concerto Grosso on May 8 at Ann Arbor, Eugène Ormandy at the head of the Philadelphia Orchestra plays it again during his European tour:
-In Brussels May 17
-In Bordeaux May 21
-In Paris May 24.
In England the premier Concerto Grosso is performed May 29 at the BBC by Stanley Pope at the head of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

July 1955
His terrible fatigue makes him renounce the trip to Europe which he planned and all of the festivals that they organized here and there for his 75th year!
On this occasion his friends publish numerous articles, notably Olin Downes in the New York Times, Franz Walter in the Journal de Genève and Ernest Chapman in Tempo.
He undertakes a fifth Quartet but he doesn’t hear his music here, the radio being impossible or almost.
In England to celebrate his 75 years the BBC broadcasts the Concerto pour violon on July 24 interpreted by John Hopkins at the head of the BBC Northern Orchestra and the violinist Ifrah Neaman.

August 1955
Olin Downes dies August 22 in New York. He is an old and true friend – Boston 1917 – who leaves. Solitude is developing, more and more.
He finishes the first movement of his cinquième Quatuor.

September 1955
Zara Nelsova spent a few charming days with them. With her she had her recording of Schelomo and of Voice in the Wilderness. Marguerite and Ernest found it excellent and Ansermet surpassed himself.
He finished – not without a thousand alterations – the second movement of the cinquième Quatuor.

October 1955
He finished the third movement (Scherzo) of his cinquième Quatuor and began the last movement.
They are thrilled by the recordings they received: the four Quatuors interpreted by the Griller quartet.
He has prostate surgery October 28 in the Portland Hospital.
His friend Herbert Elwell wrote a nice article about Bloch in Musical Courier; another one appeared in Étude (less good). Both of them publish the photograph with his Christ in front of him.
That will cost him stupid and outrageous letters from Jews!
In England the BBC broadcasts two of his works:
-the premier Concerto Grosso October 6 interpreted by Harold Gray at the head of the BBC Midland Orchestra.
-the Concerto pour violon October 21 and 22 interpreted by Eugène Goossens directing the BBC Symphony Orchestra with the assistance of violinist Ruggiero Ricci.

November 1955
After two weeks in the hospital he returns to Agate Beach and he recovers slowly.
The deuxième Concerto Grosso is played November 17 and 19 in Cleveland by George Szell at the head of the Cleveland Orchestra.

December 1955
Music is resting for the moment. He profits from this by belatedly slowly liquidating the enormous correspondence and organizing his innumerable papers and letters, while destroying 95% – purified by fire!
In the United States Schelomo is often played to commemorate his 75 years:
-In San Francisco December 1 and 3 by Enrique Jorda and the cellist Zara Nelsova
-In Cleveland December 1 and 3 by Rudolph Ringwall and the cellist Leonard Rose
-In San Antonio December 11 by Victor Alessandro and the cellist Maurice Eisenberg
-In Kansas City December 13 by Hans Schwieger and the cellist Norman Hollander.

1956

January 1956
He had to go to Portland every two weeks to consult with the surgeon. He is getting better slowly but all of this interrupts his work which he really has trouble getting back to: the finale of his fifth Quartet.
The Service Sacré is performed again – after twenty years – in San Francisco on January 8 by Edward Lawton directing the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra with the assistance of the baritone Stanley Noonan and of the Cantor Rinder as narrator.
Schelomo is played on January 20 and 21 in St. Louis by Vladimir Golschmann at the head of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra with the assistance of Leslie Parnas, first cellist of the orchestra.

February 1956
On February 24 he finally finishes his fifth Quatuor: ten measures of coda tormented him for ten days!
Schelomo is played on several occasions in the United States:
-in Baltimore February 15 by Peter Herman Adler and the cellist Yves Chardon.
-in New York February 16, 17, and 19 by Dimitri Mitropoulos and the cellist Laszlo Varga
The Sinfonia Breve is performed February 16 in Rochester by Erich Leinsdorf.
The Poème Mystique is played February 18 in New York by Jascha Heifetz and Brooks Smith:
all of the press believes that it is a première of this work, neglected for thirty years!
The deuxième Concerto Grosso and the Suite pour alto et orchestre are played February 27 in Portland by Theodore Bloomfield with the assistance of the violist William Primrose. Bloch attends this concert accompanied by Suzanne.
A Bloch concert is organized February 27 in the Cleveland Institute of Music:
-Service Sacré directed by Reuben Caplin with the assistance of the baritone Irvin Bushman
-Premier Concerto Grosso and Quatre Épisodes directed by Marcel Dick.
In Switzerland the Suite Symphonique is performed Febraury 23 at Radio Geneva by Edmond Appia at the head of the Orchestra of the Suisse Romande.
In England the Symphonie en mi bémol (E flat) is performed in its world première February 15 in London by Efrem Kurtz directing the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

March 1956
He works at a première Suite pour violoncelle solo requested by Zara Nelsova.
In England the Service Sacré is performed March 15 in London by Sir Adrian Boult directing the London Philharmonic Orchestra with the assistance of the baritone Martin Lawrence.

April 1956
He finishes the première Suite pour violoncelle solo April 5 and he begins the seconde Suite pour violoncelle solo which will be finished April 28. These two Suites are dedicated to Zara Nelsova.
The symphonie pour trombone et orchestre is performed as a world première April 4 in Houston (Texas) by Leopold Stokowski with the assistance of the trombonist Davis Shuman to whom the work is dedicated.
In France the premier Concerto Grosso is performed April 2 on Radio France by Jean Ruggiero directing the Orchestra of the ORTF.

May-June 1956
He is stuck in bed because he had to move and saw a large tree which fell during the last storm. The X-ray detects a fractured vertebra which necessitates wearing an orthopedic corset for six months and forces him to give up his planned trip to Europe.
In England they broadcast several of his works on the BBC:
-the deuxième Concerto Grosso and the Sinfonia Breve are performed May 16 by John Hopkins directing the BBC Northern Orchestra.
-Baal Shem pour violon et orchestre is performed June 10 by Hugo Rignold directing the Liverpool Symphony Orchestra with the assistance of Ifrah Neaman.
In France the premier Concerto Grosso is played June 28 in Paris by Louis Fourestier at the head of the French National Orchestra and rebroadcast by Radio France.

July-August 1956
He is very distraught and he has no liveliness. Every day he cuts and polishes some new agates; that “distracts” him.
For two days they had the visit of one of his former Berkeley students, the pianist Margaret Tilly who is going to play his Sonate pour piano in Europe.
On August 31 he finishes a Suite Modale pour flûte et piano started six weeks ago and dedicated to the flutist Elaine Shaffer.

September-October 1956
On September 5 he is taken by ambulance to the Good Samaritan Hospital in Portland for a myocardial infarction.
In England they play several of his works:
-The Service Sacré is performed September 6 in Gloucester by Herbert Sumsion directing the London Symphony Orchestra and with the assistance of the baritone Hervey Alan.
-The Symphonie en mi bémol is performed September 26 at the BBC by Ian Whyte at the head of the BBC Scottish Orchestra.
-The quatrième Quatuor is played October 9 in Birmingham by the Griller Quartet.
In Switzerland Radio Geneva broadcasts:
-the Sinfonia Breve September 5 directed by Edmond Appia at the head of the Orchestra of the Suisse Romande
-Helvetia October 17 directed by Ernest Ansermet at the head of the Orchestra of the Suisse Romande.

November 1956
He returns to Agate Beach but still a cripple: the least excitement gets his heart off kilter which beats too fast or irregularly.
The Symphonie en mi bémol is performed in its American première November 9 and 10 in Cincinnati by Thor Johnson directing the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.
The cinquième Quatuor is performed in world première in Duisburg in Germany in the fall of 1956 by the Griller Quartet.
The Sonate pour piano is performed November 12 on Radio Geneva by Margaret Tilly.

December 1956
He was able to get up to his Studio, resting every three stairs, and correct the drafts of the Suites pour violoncelle solo No. 1 and No. 2. Ernest Bloch becoming an “Andante molto moderato”, that makes him laugh himself.
The première Sonate pour violon et piano is played December 8 in New York by Joseph Szigeti and Carlo Bussotti.
In mid-December he begins a troisième Suite pour violoncelle solo.
They receive the visit of their friend Nettiemae at the end of December.

1957

January 1957
On January 21 he finishes his troisième Suite pour violoncelle seul.
Suzanne spent six too short days with them.
The Concertino is performed in its version for flute and clarinette on January 23 in New York by Clayton Westermann at the head of the New York Symphonia with the assistance of the flutist Samuel Baron and of the clarinetist David Glazer.
Schelomo is played January 29 in Providence (Rhode Island) by Charles Munch directing the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Gregor Piatigorsky.
The Fifth Quartet is performed January 30 in New York in its American première by the Griller Quartet.
In England they play two of his works:
-The premier Concerto Grosso January 13 in Manchester and February 1 in Bradford interpreted by John Barbirolli at the head of the Hallé Orchestra.
-The Concerto Symphonique pour piano et orchestre January 31 in Birmingham, interpreted by Harold Gray at the head of CBSO and Valda Aveling on the piano.

February 1957
He begins the second Quintette avec piano. He makes progress very slowly, like a snail: one or two hours in the morning and he is done for the rest of the day.

March 1957
The Suite Modale pour flûte et piano is performed March 10 in New York in its world première by the flutist John Wummer and the pianist Leonid Hambro.
The première Sonate pour violon et piano is played March 18 in Berkeley by Joseph Szigeti and Carlo Bussotti.

April 1957
He finishes the first movement of a second Quintette avec piano.
Macbeth, in the vocal and piano version, is performed in Cleveland in its American première by the Karamu Theater.

May 1957
He receives the Henry Hadley Medal awarded by the “National Association of Composers and Conductors” for distinguished services rendered to American music.
In England the BBC broadcasts two of his works:
-Schelomo May 26 interpreted by Zara Nelsova accompanied by Norman Del Mar at the head of the BBC Symphony Orchestra.
-The première Suite pour violoncelle solo May 28 in its world première interpreted by Zara Nelsova.

June 1957
He finishes the second movement of his second Quintette avec piano. It lasts six minutes and took him two months!I
In England the Suite Modale pour flûte et piano is performed June 27 in London (Wigmore Hall) in its European première by the flutist Elaine Shaffer and the pianist Bela Siki.

July 1957
On July 18 he finishes his second Quintette avec piano: five months of hard work for a work which lasts 20 minutes.
Then at the end of July he orchestrates the Suite Modale.
The Griller Quartet comes to play the Fifth Quartet for him.
In England Schelomo is broadcast July 4 on the BBC interpreted by Dimitri Mitropoulos and Lazlo Varga.

August-September 1957
He begins a new work for flute and orchestra which will become “Two Last Poems”.
Queen Elizabeth of Belgium sends him a charming and cordial letter commissioning a Concerto pour violon from him destined for the 1959 violin Competition which bears her name. Unfortunately, he must turn it down.
In England they perform two of his works:
-The Service Sacré September 2 in Worcester in the setting of the Three Choirs Festival interpreted by David Willcocks directing the CBSO and the baritone Hervey Alan.
-The Symphonie en mi bémol September 18 at the BBC interpreted by Ian Whyte directing the BBC Scottish Orchestra.
In Switzerland, Évocations is performed September 25 on Radio Geneva by Edmond Appia at the head of the Orchestra of the Suisse Romande.

October 1957
He has to give up going to Europe to see his sister again and to attend the première of Macbeth in November in Brussels. The little strength he has remaining goes to his work.
At the beginning of October he finishes the first part of his new work for solo flute and orchestra.
In Israel: Schelomo is performed October 2 in Tel-Aviv by Leonard Bernstein directing the Philharmonic Orchestra of Israel with the assistance of cellist Paul Tortelier.
In the United States: Israël is performed October 15 in New York by Izler Solomon at the head of the Symphony of the Air.
In England the deuxième Suite pour violoncelle seul is performed on the BBC in its world première October 20 by Zara Nelsova.
In Italy the première Sonate pour violon et piano is performed October 26 in Florence by Issac Stern and Alexandre Zakin.

November 1957
He has digestive problems but the rest isn’t going too badly.
In Belgium Macbeth is created November 9 in Brussels at the Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie.
The orchestra is directed by René Defossez; Jean Laffont and Huberte Vecray share the title roles. He receives a very enthusiastic cable from Queen Elizabeth of Belgium.
In France during the first International Congress of Jewish Music which is held in Paris Charles Bruck directing the Orchestre Colonne on November 13 gives the two first French performances:
-The Proclamation pour trompette et orchestre with the assistance of the trumpet player Ludovic Vaillant.
-The Sutie Hébraïque pour violon et orchestre with the assistance of the violinist Miriam Solovieff.
In the United States the Proclamation pour trompette et orchestre is performed November 18 in New York by Thomas Scherman directing the Little Orchestra Society and the trumpet player Robert Nagel.

December 1957
Zara Nelsova came for a day and played for him the seconde Sutie pour violoncelle seul.
He is stalled on the second movement of his new work for plute and orchestra.
The Symphonie pour trombone et orchestre is performed December 7 in New York by Siegfried Landau directing the Brooklyn Philharmonia with the assistance of the trombonist Davis Shuman to whom the work is dedicated.
The Concerto pour violon et orchestre is performed December 12 and 13 in New York by Yehudi Menuhin accompanied by Fernando Previtali directing the New York Philharmonic. The press declares itself consternated by the fact this work has been neglected for 20 years!

 

1958

January 1958
The doctors have diagnosed a cancer of the rectum (like Debussy…), but he escaped from the Portland Hospital three days before the horrible operation on which they had decided. Ivan took them back to Agate Beach so his father is able to finish the work in progress for flute and orchestra which will be finished January 22.
He finds the title he has been looking for so intently: “Two last Poems” (May be…) for solo flute and orchestra.
1.Funeral Music
2.Life again?…
3.Coda: Acceptance
and that reflects his feelings exactly.
Yehudi and Diana Menuhin came to see him on January 14 – from Portland, six hours by car for the round trip – to spend two very touching hours with them and to commission a work for solo violin.
In the United States Schelomo is performed January 21 in New York by Léon Barzin at the head of the National Orchestra and with the assistance of the cellist Maurice Gendron.
In England the Proclamation pour trompette et orchestre is performed January 25 on the BBC, in its English première by Sir Malcolm Sargent directing the BBC Symphony Orchestra and with the assistance of the trumpet player William Overton.

February 1958
At the hospital he undergoes a radiocobalt treatment and he he tries to continue the work for solo violin that Yehudi Menuhin commissioned from him.
Schelomo is performed February 7 and 9 in Pittsburgh by William Steinberg at the head of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and Zara Nelsova.
The Psaume 137 and an excerpt from the Service Sacré are played February 23 in Baltimore by Massimo Freccia with the assistance of the soprano Phyllis Frankel.
The Fifth Quartet is performed February 21 in San Francisco by the Griller Quartet.
In Italy, the premier Quintette is played February 22 in Florence by the Chigiano Quintette.

March 1958
He spends three-fourths of his time on his bed, rereading Balzac! He died at age 50, Beethoven at 57 years, Debussy at 58 years…Therefore he has nothing to complain about!
The Service Sacré is performed on March 27 and 28 in Atlanta by Henry Sopkin directing the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and with the assistance of the baritone Haskell Boyter.
The Sinfonia Breve is played March 28 and 29th in Cincinnati by Thor Johnson at the head of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.
In England the Symphonie pour trombone et orchestre is played, in its English première, March 18 in Birmingham by Rudolf Schwarz directing the CBSO and with the assistance of trombonist Denis Wick.

April 1958
He is doing much better and on April 17 he finishes a première Suite pour violon solo for Yehudi Menuhin.
The deuxième Quintette avec piano is performed April 15 in its world première at the University of California at Berkeley.
The première Suite pour violoncelle solo is played April 22 in New York by Daniel Vandersall.
In England two of his works are performed on the BBC:
-The Suite Modale pour flûte et piano on April 22 interpreted by Elaine Shaffer and the pianist Bela Siki.
-Baal Shem pour violon et piano on April 29 interpreted by Michael Davis and the pianist Joséphine Lee.

May 1958
He undergoes a second treatment of cobaltotherapy at the Portland Hospital. But he is so overwhelmed by fatigue that they let him return May 30 to Agate Beach.
The Service Sacré is performed May 4 at Ann Arbor by Thor Johnson directing the Philadelphia Orchestra and with the assistance of the baritone Martial Singher.
The Suite Modale pour flûte et orchestre is played May 11 in New York by Ugo Di Dio at the head of a chamber orchestra and with the assistance of Frances Blaisdell on the flute.

June 1958
He tries to fiinalize a seconde Suite pour violon seul. Yehudi Menuhin is delighted with the première Suite pour violon seul and he is going to play it everywhere.
In England the Suite pour alto et piano is performed June 1 in London by Ernest Wallfisch and the pianist Lory Wallfisch.
In Italy Israël is performed June 28 at the RAI of Turin by Adler directing the Symphonic Orchestra of the RAI.

July 1958
On July 21 he finishes a seconde Suite pour violon seul destined for Yehudi Menuhin.
In France Visions et Prophéties is broadcast July 30 by Radio France, interpreted by the pianist Harriet Cohen.

August 1958
He began a Suite pour alto solo. He finishes the first three movements on August 14 but there is a fourth which is only sketched out.
He has an operation for rectal cancer August 29 at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Portland (Oregon).

September to December 1958
He survived but he stopped all correspondence and all work: the Suite pour alto solo will remain unfinished.
However, several concerts devoted to his works take place.
In the United States:
The Deux Interludes Symphonique de Macbeth are played October 17 and 18 in Cincinnati by Thor Johnson at the head of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.
Schelomo is performed by Richard Burgin directing the Boston Symphony Orchestra and with the assistance of cellist Samuel Mayes on five occasions:
-October 23 and 25 in Boston
-December 16 in Cambridge (Massachusetts)
-December 23 in Boston
-December 30 in Providence (Rhode Island).
A “Tribute to Bloch” to commemorate his 78th birthday is given November 16 and 17 in New York by Thomas Scherman directing the Little Orchestra Society:
Quatre Épisodes pour orchestre de chambre
Suite Modale pour flûte et orchestre with the assistance of the flutist Murray Panitz
Voix dans le Désert with the assistance of the cellist Zara Nelsova
Suite Symphonique.
In England the BBC performs:
Baal Shem pour violon et orchestre on two occasions.
-October 13, interpreted by Max Rostal whom Ian Whyte at the head of the BBC Scottish Orchestra accompanies
-November 16 interpreted by Ifrah Neaman whom Rudolf Kempe at the head of the BBC Symphony Orchestra accompanies.
Hiver-Printemps November 7
The Service Sacré December 22
In Italy:
The world première of “Two Last Poems” for flute and orchestra is performed October 5 in Naples by Efrem Kurtz directing the Orchestra of the San Carlo Theater and with the assistance of the flutist Elaine Shaffer Kurtz to whom the work is dedicated.

1959

January-February 1959
During his concert tour in Oregon, Joseph Szigeti meets Bloch. On January 21 Szigeti plays the première Sonate pour violon et piano in Portland and on this occasion the arts commission of the city of Portland awards to Bloch a “Certificate of appreciation”.
England continues to honor the composer:
-The première Suite pour violon solo is performed in its world première January 2 in London by the young Argentinian violinist, student of Yehudi Menuhin, Alberto Lysy.
-Schelomo is performed January 4 on the BBC by Sir Malcolm Sargent directing the BBC Symphony Orchestra with the assistance of Zara Nelsova.
-Israël is performed January 19 on the BBC by Ian Whyte directing the BBC Scottish Orchestra.
In the United States, the Service Sacré is played January 24 in Syracuse (NY) by Helen Hosmer with the assistance of baritone Harold Lerner.

March-April 1959
Suzanne Bloch visits her father who reads passages of Rabelais to her!
In the United States Schelomo is performed five times by Charles Munch directing the Boston Symphony Orchestra with the assistance of cellist Samuel Mayes:
-in Boston March 1
-In Northampton (Massachusetts) March 9
-in Baltimore March 12
-in Brooklyn (NY) March 13
-in New York (Carnegie Hall) March 14
In Israel the Concerto pour violon is performed in its Israeli première March 5 in Jerusalem then at Tel-Aviv by Yehudi Menuhin accompanied by the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra directed by Jean Fournet.
In France Abodah and Baal Shem for violin and piano are broadcast March 11 at Radio France by the violinist Ignace Speiser and the pianist Nadine Desouches.

May-June 1959
In Switzerland the deuxième Concerto Grosso and the Sinfonia Breve are performed May 20 at Radio Geneva by Ernest Ansermet directing the Orchestra of the Suisse Romande.
In England the deuxième Suite pour violon solo is performed in its world première June 27 at the Festival of Aldeburgh by Yehudi Menuhin.

July 1959
Ten days before his death the composer asks his daughter Suzanne to read to him some pages from the Malade Imaginaire by Molière.
His last wish was to see some photos of the Milky Way and some galaxies again.
He died July 15, 1959 at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Portland.
Suzanne was witness to his death:
“His death was simple, as simple as the end of slow movements of his quartets, each thing falling into place, in the ultimate peace so much desired.”

1963

Marguerite Bloch continued to live in the Agate Beach house until her death in 1963.