The list of songs that the musician, conductor, arranger, pianist and, of course, composer, Nurit Hirsch, introduced into the canon of Hebrew music is enormous. ‘The Lilac Flower’ performed by Chava Alberstein in 1967, originally performed by the Sherid Trio in 1965, and ‘Blue as a Dream’ performed by the Gesher Yarakon Trio from 1965, were the first hits that paved the way for a brilliant career. This week, 80 Avivim will be celebrated, and in honor of the exciting event, the music editor of 103fm, Yoav Hanani, has gathered the best of her works that will forever be considered the assets of the Iron Sheep.
Hirsch began her musical journey at a young age, when she made a living accompanying Israeli opera singers, playing piano in a ballet studio and private lessons in theory and solfege. Also, she was the pianist of the Hammam theater in Jaffa, the house pianist of the Habima theater and accompanist pianist of the Theater Club Quartet. In her military service, she served in the Armored Corps Band.
Since the beginning of her journey until today, Hirsch has composed over 1,600 songs. Over the years she has collaborated with the most prominent Israeli singers and artists. Let’s mention a few notable collaborations: with Ehud Manor, Hirsch created dozens of hits, including ‘Only in Israel’ by the Navy Band, ‘Bashana Neba’ and ‘Ba’akvotich’ by Ilan and Ilanit and ‘Avnivi’ by Yizhar Cohen. With Yoram Taharlev, she created, among others, the hits ‘Angel from the Ladder of Ya’akov’ by the Hawi Nahal team, ‘You are my land’ by Jordana Arzi, ‘In the orchard near the trough’ by Yoram Gaon and ‘Hasmel in your palms’ by Ruthi Navon.
Lachava Alberstein wrote, among other things, ‘Mechhala Aliza’ and ‘Etz HaKohavim’. For Ilanit she wrote a number of hits, including ‘Confort’, ‘Hana Yamim Baim’, ‘El Degara’ and ‘Teresa Dimon’s Love’. Yehoram Gaon performed, among others, ‘With You Without You’, ‘The Silver Tray’ and ‘Allenby Bridge’ written by Hirsch. Larveka Zahar wrote, among other things, ‘God’s Plot’, ‘Ben Jaffe Nold’ and ‘The House by the Rail’. The multitude of songs that Hirsch wrote over the years for the military bands were also successful. It is possible to mention ‘Zemar Shaqza’ by the Nahal Hevi team, ‘El HaNahal’ and ‘L’ahed Ha’Shiili’ by the Nahal band, and ‘Love is a flower’ and ‘Just before’ by the Northern command band.
In addition, Hirsch composed pleasantries and songs for many films. The most prominent of them were Ephraim Kishon’s ‘The Policeman Azulai’ which won the Golden Globe Award in 1972, when the theme song ‘Ballad for the Policeman’ performed by Oshik Levy, became one of the most iconic and beloved songs ever in Israel. Beaz Sharabi performed the song ‘Tani Li Yad’ composed by Hirsch for the movie ‘Behind the Bars’. Hirsch composed the choruses for the musical ‘Saleh Shabti’ by Ephraim Kishon at the ‘Habima’ theater and among them the song that became a big hit ‘Ah Ya Rab’ performed by Ze’ev Vazh.
Hirsch’s talent spanned the world, which gave her many achievements when she represented Israel with great honor at festivals around the world. Eurovision was the main arena where Hirsch’s star shone. In 1973 she composed the song ‘I Shem’ performed by Ilanit and conducted by Hirsch herself, which came in fourth place in the competition. The peak of success was in 1978 when she composed the song ‘Avnivi’ for Yizhar Cohen and beat the Eurovision orchestra, all the way to winning first place in the competition.
Over the years, Hirsch also conquered the field of children’s songs. Among the best known are the hits ‘Barbaba’ by Tzipi Shavit, ‘My Family’ by Shlomo Nitzan, ‘The Road to the Village’ by Rivka Zahar and ‘Mekhala Aliza’ by Chava Elberstein. She also composed the well-known introductions to the children’s programs ‘The Magic Door’, ‘Nice Butterfly’ and ‘The House of Pistachio’. In 1992, Hirsch together with Michal Hasson produced the children’s tape of many game and dance songs for children ‘Dig Dig Dog’. The tape was very successful and sold hundreds of thousands of copies, which led to follow-up tapes and a children’s show.
We at 103fm are happy to accompany the 80th birthday of the Israel Prize Bride in the field of Hebrew singing, with sounds that make up the musical hysteria of all of us, we thank her for heart-expanding music and wish her and us many more years of exciting work and creation. Mazel Tov!
The list of songs:
- Yizhar Cohen – Avnivi
- Navy band – only in Israel
- Chava Alberstein – a cheerful choir
- Shlomo Nitzan – my family
- Ilanit – to the road
- Sexte – nothing
- close relatives (opening)
- Haim Moshe – Romancero Tel Aviv
- Yoram Gaon – in an orchard near the trough
- Pocket band – come in peace
- Rivka Zohar – The road to the village
- The Hoi Nahal team – an angel from Solam Ya’akov
- Chava Alberstein – The Lilac Flower
- David Broza – Don’t ask if I love
- Ephraim Shamir – fly with you
- Ilan and Ilanit – and again with you
- Gesher Yarkon trio – blue as a dream
- The Central Command Band – what a beautiful evening
- The Hoi Nahal team – how good
- Our father was born – how time flies
- Yigal Bashan – to the north with love
- Ran Eliran – keep your fingers crossed for us
- Yehoram Gaon – Allenby Bridge
- Ilan and Ilanit – next year
- Southern pair – Sunday a week
- The Navy Band – Whoever comes comes
- The Northern Command Band – The Rain Bird
- Hadva Amrani – what a golden morning
- Chava Alberstein – The magic door
- Ilanit – the home of pistachio
- The Howi Nahal team – such a singer
- Ilan and Ilanit – following you
- Yehoram Gaon – perhaps on the seashore
- Lior Yeni – Come to Eilat
- Oshik Levy – Ballad for a policeman
- Shlomo Artzi – before me
- Rivka Zohar – A beautiful son is born
- Miri Aloni – Ehvat Itamar ben Av’i
- Ilanit – Teresa Dimon’s love
- Our father was born – on the way back
- Jordana Arzi – We will not stop
- The Nahal band – to the river
- Ofra Haza – North Wind South Wind
- Ilanit – here are the days to come
- Yoram Gaon – I remember
- Chava Alberstein – a song as a gift
- Jordana Arzi – You are my land
- Yehoram Gaon – the Knessinini under your wing
- Ilanit – comfort
- Rivka Zohar – God’s Plot
- Hungry goat – give me a hand
- Yehoram Gaon – and perhaps the same silence
- Ilan and Ilanit – between two hearts
- Yoram Gaon – with you without you
- Yigal Bashan – makes peace
- Hawi combat engineering team and give blessings
- Ilanit – when they received the Torah
- The Northern Command Band – Love is a flower
- The Nahal band – we were here, we were there
- Ephra Fox – Threads of Rain
- Shoshik Shani – Gal is a child of the sea
- Chava Alberstein – The Star Tree
- Ilanit – a nice butterfly
- Ruti Navon – Electricity in the palms of your hands
- Ilanit – somewhere
- Ofra Haza – Every day begins a year
- Tzipi Shavit – Barbaba
- The Artillery Corps Band – Small Things
- Ilan and Ilanit – together forever
- Ilana Avital – first meeting
- The Northern Command Band – A gift from the sea
- The Hoi Nahal team – an imaginary vacation
- Shaika Ofir – we will not return even a Shale
- Dani Granot – many names for Jerusalem
- Motti Fleischer – My Jerusalem
- Yoram Gaon – The Silver Tray
- The Hwy Central Command team – stands on a skyline
- The Nahal band – for one of the soldiers
- Ilanit – to follow you
- Jordana Arzi and Horam Gaon are a different person
- Chava Elberstein – How the years passed
- North Command Band – just before
- Yigal Bashan – between us
- The Nahal band – Nahal Eitan
- Jordana Arzi – Dance for two
- Yigal Bashan – a song in the evening
- Gila Adri – Or Yasminim
- Ilanit – already after midnight
- Rivka Zohar, the house by the rail
- Ran Aliran – The houses that ended up by the sea
- Ze’ev Varach – Ach Ya Rav
- Jordana Arzi – Shovi harmonica
- Ilanit – here comes peace