Bensman, Mateusz (yiddish: Mattathias) (Matteo) 1877-6.apr.1922 Russia, Minsk - USA NY, New York Bronx
violinist, pianist, conductor, jewish, 1905 graduated from the Conservatory in Milan Italy, 1905 he won the Verdi prize for his opera libretto Iramis, he was a personal friend of Puccini, Leoncavallo, Mascagni, Mahler, Stokowsky and Zimbalist, 1910-1917 teacher of singing at the Chopin Music School in Lodz Poland where the mezzosoprano Lidia Gablerowna was his pupil, 1912-1913 also conductor of opera with the Hazamir in Radomsk near Lodz, 1915 he founded the Lodz Operatic Society with the ambition to exhibit a classical opera repertoire, with Lidia Gablerowna in leading roles he staged Verdi's Il Trovatore and January 1916 Bizet's Carmen, in Poland he collaborated with musicologist Menahem Kipnis (1878-1942) who later published his works, 1917 he left Lodz and traveled Germany, France and Italy, he conducted the Mahler Orchestra in Berlin and Vienna, 6.oct.1920 from Trieste Italy he emigrated as single and as laborer to the USA settling in New York City at 1318 Stebbins Avenue Bronx, he was not able to finance performances of his works because the Musicians Union demanded payment in advance for rehearsals and even for the concert itself, he died from a heart attack 'the day' before his debut in the USA was finally planned for Carnegie Hall on 9.apr.1922, in place of the debut a memorial concert was held by the Synagogual Choral Alliance with the cantors Rosenblatt, Herschman, Schlisky and Kwartin, soon after his death newspapers reported 'we have committed a crime in neglecting him'

Title	Parts

[] L'Annunziazione. Oratorio. Istituto dei Ciechi, Milan 29jun1905 words Corrado Bratelli won the Gold International Medal in Milan 1905
[] Nuova. Opera. Conservatorio Giuseppe Verdi, Milan ?1905 later performed in Paris France
[] Palestine. Symphony with ballet performed 40 times in one year in Europe planned for, but not performed because the Musicians Union demanded payment in advance, Carnegie Hall New York 18mar1922 planned for, but not performed because the Musicians Union demanded payment in advance for rehearsals and on too short notice even for the concert itself, Carnegie Hall New York 9apr1922	a colossal symphony in five movements and a ballet which in the opinion of admirers, place the composer among immortals, ranking him with Meyerbeer, Mendelssohn, Mahler and Beethoven (text of 1922)
[] Eretz-Yisroel. Symphony performed by the Warsaw Philharmonia and in America
[] Violin concerto
[] The Jews. Opera performed under the composers direction in various European cities
[] Erasmus. Opera performed under the composers direction in various European cities
the following compositions are all from the time he was active in Lodz 1910-1917 but published after he had left Lodz until after his death
[] Di Jidische frajhajt. Voice and piano pub Amkraut & Freund, Przemysl Poland 1920
[] Het unter di bergalech. Voice and piano melody by S. Steinhardt, arranged by Mattathias Bensman pub Amkraut & Freund, Przemysl Poland 1920
[] Of'n buzym fyn'm jam. Voice and piano pub Amkraut & Freund, Przemysl Poland 1920
[] Makabeer-himne (Hymn Machabeuszow) "Vakh dikh oyf mayn folk/Wach dich oif mein folk". Voice and piano words Lazarus Monfried pub Hakinor, Verlag fur judische Volksmusik, Amkraut & Freund, Przemysl Poland 1921
[] Oy Avrohm (Oi Avram) (Oy, Avraham). An Odeser folkslid. Voice and piano mit pyano-begleytung bearbeyt fun M. Bensman fun Zimrah Zeligfeld's repertuar fun M. Kipnis'es zamlung pub Kipnis Ferlag, Warsaw 192?
[] A meydel in di yohren. Folkslid. Voice and piano fun Z. Zeligfeld's repertuar fun M. Kipnis'es zamlung, oyfgenomen in "Perets-Hayim" in Berlin pub Kipnis Ferlag, Warsaw 192?
[] Birkat 'am (Birchas am). Mixed choir and piano words Hayyim Nahman Bialik 'arukh le-makhelah be-livyat ha-pesanter 'al yede M. Bensman pub Hotsa'at "Zimrah", Warsaw 192?
[] A pastakh'l. An alte Yudish-Ukraanishe folkslid. Mixed choir and piano fun M. Kipnis'es zamlung, oyfgenomen bay Mendl Elkin in Vilna, bearb. fun Bensman un Kipnis pub Kipnis Ferlag, Warsaw 192?
[] Mai ko mashme lon. Voice and piano verter fun A. Reyzin (Abraham Reisen), das gezang oyfgenomen fun Menahem Kipnis, bearbayt. M. Bensman pub Kipnis Ferlag, Warsaw 192?
[] Re'itiha (shir ahavim). Voice and piano ha-panim veha-ne'imah nimsaru 'al yede ha-meshorer Yitshak Katsenelson, arukh le-pesanter me'et M. Bensman mi-yalkuto umeha-repertuar shel M. Kipnis pub Hotsa'at "Zimrah", Warsaw 192?
[] A haver'te (A chaver'te). Folkslid. Far ayn shtime mit piana. Voice and piano fun Z. Zeligfeld's repertuar fun M. Kipnis'es zamlung, oyfgenomen in Grodno pub M. Kipnis, Warsaw 192?
[] Shterendel. Far ayn shtime mit piana. Voice and piano be'arbayt Bensman un Kipnis fun M. Kipnis'es repertuar, fun der serie "Milhomeh-lieder" pub M. Kipnis, Warsaw 192?
[] Feygele iz geven a voyvile moyd. Balade. Voice and piano fun Z. Zeligfeld's repertuar fun M. Kipnis'es zamlung, ibergegeben fun Leah Vayntroyb in Varsha (Warsaw) pub Kipnis Ferlag, Warsaw 192?
[] Tayer Yankele!. Voice and piano verter un melodie fun Hersh David Nomberg, bearbeyt M. Bensman fun Z. Zeligfeld's repertuar fun M. Kipnis'es zamlung pub Kipnis Ferlag, Warsaw 192?
[] Er zol zayn a beter. Apikorsish. Voice, mixed choir and piano fun M. Kipnis'es zamlung, melodie un verter ibergegeben fun S. L. Kovo, bearbeyt fun Bensman un Kipnis pub Kipnis Ferlag, Warsaw 192?
[] Po Hasidatskomu (Po Chasidatzkomu). An alte Idish-Ukrainishe folks-lied fun M. Kipnis'es zamlung, oifgenumen bay Hayim Yisrael Perelman in dorf Ushitse in Ukraina, bearbeyt Bensman un Kipnis pub Kipnis Ferlag, Warsaw 192?
[] Mamenyu, liubenyu. Voice and piano fun Z. Zeligfeld's repertuar fun M. Kipnis'es zamlung, verter un melodie ibergegeben fun H. Yafeh in Brisk, bearbeyt M. Bensman pub Kipnis Ferlag, Warsaw 192?
[] Mikitka. An alte Yudish-Ukrainishe folks-lied. Voice and piano fun M. Kipnis'es zamlung, verter un melodie ibergegeben fun Hayim Yisrael Perelman fun Dorf Ushitse in Ukraina, bearbeyt fun Bensman un Kipnis pub Kipnis Ferlag, Warsaw 192?
[] Shir ha-Galil. Mekhorati, shir bedu'ini. Voice and choir unaccompanied Shir ha-Galil transcribed by Yitshak Katsenelson in Lodz, Mekhorati by M. Indelman in Warsaw 'arukh le-solo be-livyat ha-makhelah 'al yede M. Bensman pub Hotsa'at "Zimrah", Warsaw 192?
[] Gut vokh!. Voice and piano mit piana be'arbayt M. Bensman Kipnises folks-lieder zamlung pub Kipnis Ferlag, Warsaw c1935
[] In droysen iz a triber tog. Folkslid. Voice and piano mit piana be'arbayt Bensman un Kipnis fun Menahem Kipnis'es zamlung, ibergegeben fun H. D. Nomberg pub Kipnis Ferlag, Warsaw 193?
[] Yoshke fohrt avek (a Vilner folks-lied) Menahem Kipnis, be'arbeyt M. Bensman fun Frl. Z. Zeligfeld's repetvar pub Kipnis Ferlag, Warsaw 193?
[] Rahmana raham (shir Temani) (Mi-shire ha-Arets). Voice and piano arukh le-solo be-livyat ha-pesanter 'a.y. M. Bensman. mi-yalkuto shel M. Kipnis umeha-repertuar shelo ha-panim veha-neimah nimsaru 'a.y. Fromah Vaytsman pub Hotsa'at Zimrah, Warsaw 193?

2008-05-30 00:00:00