“PSALMS AND PRAISES” (2020) for soloists, mixed choir and symphony orchestra (OP.99)
An oratorio, or a Psalms Symphony, if you will, composed on the original Hebrew text of the Psalms 6,8, 13, 23, 81 and 150. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u61AdsHFD6c&t=18s
“MORPHES” five improvisations for piano (2020) OP.100
Five pieces, originally improvised in a free studio session, re-transcribed and revisited, featuring elements of aleatoric technique together with elements of jazz and fusion. Might be a great platform for the advanced pianists to start improvising themselves! Listen to AERIS Listen to FIELDS OF QUIET Listen to GROUND SPEED Listen to MORPHES Listen to REFLECTIONS Listen to SPRING DROPS
CHAMBER SYMPHONY № 1 (2020) (“POCKET SYMPHONY”) FOR STRING ORCHESTRA (OP.101)
The Symphony consists of four movements and was composed using Neo-classic and Neo-romantic techniques. It is labeled the "Pocket Symphony" due its compact size and concentrated content, with a length of around 15 minutes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMpAtW0IOyE
CHAMBER SYMPHONY № 2 (2020) FOR STRING ORCHESTRA OP.102
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQkdZSO363Q
CHAMBER SYMPHONY № 3 (2020) FOR STRING ORCHESTRA (OP.103)
A piece in two movements is dedicated to Alban Berg and opens with a direct quotation from his Piano Sonata. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DpdfiOUysM
“THREE DIALOGUES WITH SHOSTAKOVITCH” for piano (2020) OP.41
(I. Aphorism II. Elegy III. DS Cakewalk) Three pieces based on piano pieces by D.Shostakovich, interpreting them in a somewhat humoristic, jazzy way. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ao8h4BXA-us&feature=youtu.be
Concerto for Piano No.3 (“Andalouse Concerto”) (2020) OP.104
Much of the musical material in the piece comes from Jewish prayer chants (`piutim`) of the Northern Africa, Spain, Morocco and Andalusia communities tradition, going back many hundred years back in time. Such is the main theme of the first movement, based on the Yom Kippur piut "Shamati Shim`ekha" ("שמעתי שמך") as well as the ending motif, which is a melody from another Yom Kippur piut "Ki Gadol Yom" ("כי גדול יום"). The last movement is based on the melody from a Kabbalistic prayer before breaking the bread - "Lemivyza Al Rifta" ("למבצע על ריפתא"). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkR4XtFCamI
`ARCHITEXTURES` for strings (2020) OP.105
"Architextures" is an attempt to explore the famous saying by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe "Music is liquid architecture; architecture is frozen". The structure of the piece is actually just a hint of what is concealed within a seemingly simple melodic line. The compositional technique used is a mega-canon, which reveals all the harmonic ramifications of that particular melodic line, as uncovered by its exact repetition with a fixed one-bar step, much like in a building structure, when a certain geometric feature repeated many times creates a certain architectural feature.This creates a natural-acoustic equivalent of an electronic delay, like a sort of
“INVOCATIONS” (2021) for symphony orchestra (OP.106)
A genuine mixture of symphonic writing with fusion, jazz-rock and more are all found in this crossover piece. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09SgCjXW97k&list=PLcoQ08B_vaEdO433k9PFgh7tAZSHOkPTB
Sonata for Violin and Piano Nr.2 (2021) OP.107
The Second Sonata for violin and piano in E minor was written as a tribute to the neo-romantic tradition, with the central tonal axis existing alongside many other different colors, both polytonal and atonal. Motifs of the first movement resonate with those characteristic of Rachmaninoff, the last of the late romantics. The second movement, much in a spirit of "De Profundis" ("Out of the depths") is a type of monody that strives to reach out from the lowest register to new heights each time only to collapse to the bottom again, all this without any harmonic foundation. Only in the
“Three Imaginary Dreams” (1993 -2021) for Trumpet and Piano (OP.23)
I. "Dream of Venus" II. "Golconda" III. "Lightstream"
“DANSE MACABRE” (2021) VERSION FOR VIOLIN AND PIANO (OP.107A)
A piece commissioned by and premiered at The Tibor Junior International Violin Competition 2022, Switzerland
“DANSE MACABRE” (2021) FOR VIOLIN AND CHAMBER ORCHESTRA (OP.107B)
A piece commissioned by and premiered at The Tibor Junior International Violin Competition 2022, Switzerland https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXvuVzCMmpg
“MAGIC CARPET” (2021) for Viola da Gamba and Harpsichord (OP.108)
A piece commissioned by members of the unique Israeli-Iranian cooperation project, Myrna Herzog, Israel (Viola da Gamba) and Mahan Esfahani, Iran/Czech Republic (Harpsichord), was premiered by the Duo at the Felicia Blumenthal Festival, Tel-Aviv, 2022. he piece is based on traditional Persian tunes. The particular instrumentation imparts specific sound color to the music, akin to that of Persian instruments, such as santur and tar. Publications: Scodo (Universal Edition) Performances: 24 March, 7 pm., Myrna Herzog, viola da gamba (Israel-Brazil) and Mahan Esfahani (Iran - Czech Respublic), harpsichord at the Felicja Blumental Music Festival in the gallery of the Mizne-Blumental Collection of the Tel-Aviv
“MAGIC CARPET” (2021) for Violoncello and Harpsichord (or Piano) OP.108A
A piece commissioned by the prominent viola da gamba player Myrna Herzog and her Ensemble PHOENIX is based on traditional Persian tunes, among other things. Listen to the Magic Carpet for Cello and piano version
Sonata Nr.3 for piano (2021) OP.109
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPJu3BhPv40&list=UUqvXkVjjJRQ0k_CST3qNkaA&index=1
VARIATIONS ON PAGANINI`S CAPRICE 24 / VERSION FOR TWO CELLOS (2021) OP.94
This piece is a set of variations on the iconic tune by Paganini, very diverse in their technique and style. It continues a very rich and manifold tradition, starting with Liszt and Brahms down to Rachmaninoff and Lutosławski. Original version of the piece features two brass instruments (trumpet and trombone), which upon the first glance could not be more distant from violin in their sound and technique. In this version Paganini`s piece “homes home” back to the realm of string instruments and virtuoso cello technique. Another distinct characteristic of this piece is that almost every variation represents a different epoch,
“TRIBES OF ISRAEL” (2020) FOR TRUMPET, TROMBONE AND CHAMBER ORCHESTRA OP.110
The musical-visual show "12 Sons, Moons and Moods", composed in cooperation with a trombone performer and multi-artist Elias Faingersh, was commissioned and premiered at the International Festival "Promised Caucasus" in cooperation with the worldwide renown trumpet virtuoso Sergei Nakariakov. The show consists of short musical stories, each of which tells about the unique character of the forefather`s Jacob twelve sons, denoting the parallels between them and the signs of the Zodiac and imparting them with properties of archetypes. The use of such means as live electronics and video projection on an ultra-thin screen allows the audience to be immersed in
PIANO TRIO NR.3 “THE FLOW” for violin, cello and piano (2021) OP.111
The piece was commissioned by the "Atar" trio in 2021 and it is the third piece for this ensemble in Brener`s compositions list. The musical texture is built on a contrast between minimalistic and reflective elements, reminiscent of water flow (or energy or thought for that matter- hence the name of the piece, of course), and between more rhythmically defined elements, which have their roots in the world of jazz. The inherent contrast results in clashes between the two elements while each gets one gains some of its counterpart`s characteristics. In the bottom line, all the ingredients turn into one
“IMPROVISATION WITH DANCE” for Violin solo (2022) OP.112
Performances: 01-10-22 Switzerland, Sergey Ostrovsky, violin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21cCPgE6T8M&list=UUqvXkVjjJRQ0k_CST3qNkaA
Two Polyphonic Pieces for Saxophone, Bassoon and Cello (2023) OP.113
The two pieces were composed as a part of the music for a large multi-art project "Utopic Dialogues" in cooperation with a visual artist Max Epstein. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSOmce1X6qQ
Concerto for Violin and orchestra Nr. 2 (2023) OP.114
Second Concerto for Violin and orchestra in three movements. So far no performances took places, but you can listen to the computer simulation in the YouTube link below https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fejuU6EQ-w
“Chordae Spei” (“Strings Of Hope”) (2023) for voice and string quartet (OP.115)
The piece is a kind of a ballad composed on the text by a Russian-Israeli poet Igor Khentov, telling the story of musicians who perished in the Holocaust through the story of their respective musical instruments. The text is partially sung and partially recited by the soloist as a narration, thus creating a more dramatic way to convey the tragic account. Performances: World premiere Ashkelon, Yad Lebanim Hall, March, 3, 2023 w Nadezhda Gaidukova, mezzo , Tatjana Beltser, Evgeny Voskobojnikov, Irina Saveljeva and Anton Andreev https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TA6P5GnFv4A
SYMPHONY № 6 “LA DIVINA COMMEDIA” (2023) FOR BIG SYMPHONIC ORCHESTRA (OP.119)
Symphony based on the master piece by Dante in four movements. It reflects upon the notion of afterlife in the Renaissance and it`s rethinking from the perspective of our time, specifically after the atrocities and the mass destruction that occurred in XX century. I - "Midway upon the journey of our life, I found myself within a forest dark, for the straightforward pathway had been lost." (Dante) [Dante`s wood. Three beasts. Virgil. Dante`s doubts. Beatrice`s spirit.] II - "The path to paradise begins in hell." (Dante) [Acheron. Circles of hell. Restless wind. Furies.] III - "There is no greater sorrow
`EXILIUM DOMINI` for saxophone and strings (2023) OP.116
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1-ZZAAfqHE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmjE9zegaxE
“PRELUDE WITH RECITATIVE” (2023) for marimba solo (OP.117)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4w3MXHRY0_M
“CHASSIDIC ZEN SUITE” (2023) FOR BRASS TRIO (OP.118)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAVKXPFGNes
CONCERTO FOR VIOLONCELLO AND ORCHESTRA (2024) OP.120
Concerto in three movements with and under title "Shrines Of Memory" is also dedicated to the memory of the fallen Israeli soldiers, who sacrificed their lives protecting their country and people, particularly in the recent conflict of 2024. It features an Epigraph "
“JACOB AND ANGEL”, oratorio for a reader, mixed choir and orchestra (2024) op.121
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bo8F4pF7p6w
SONATA № 4 FOR PIANO in d minor (2024) op.122
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQjZj-kFHnE