Mordechai Rechtman

Mordechai Rechtman (; 16 May 1926 – 27 May 2023) was an Israeli bassoonist, conductor, academic teacher and arranger. He was principal bassoonist of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra from 1946 to 1991. He was professor of bassoon at the Tel Aviv University from 1968 to 2002, and taught as a guest professor internationally, including the Indiana University School of Music, the Juilliard School and the Royal Academy of Music. Rechtman was also known for transcriptions and arrangements for wind quintets and other ensembles that he had founded and conducted, specifically of concertos.

Life and career Rechtman was born in Barmen, German Reich (now part of Wuppertal, Germany) on 16 May 1926. He immigrated to Mandatory Palestine with his parents in 1934. Rechtman began playing the bassoon at age 12. He appeared as a soloist with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and other orchestras in Israel and abroad, He founded the Israel Woodwind Quintet in 1963 and the Philharmonic Woodwind Ensemble in 1976, serving as its music director and conductor. Rechtman conducted many of Israel's major orchestras, such as the Jerusalem Symphony, Sinfonietta Beer-Shiva, Kibbutz Chamber Orchestra, Tel Aviv Academy of Music Orchestra, and Israel Camerata Orchestra Jerusalem. Rechtman's arrangements were published by various publishers including Edition Wilhelm Hansen, Belwin Mills Publishing Corp., June Emerson Wind Music, Accolade Musikverlag, McGinni and Marx, and Schott Music. In 2014 he began arranging late-classical and romantic concertos for chamber ensembles, published under his own company, Rechtman Concerto Reductions. His composition teachers included Ödön Pártos, Hanoch Jacoby, Moshe Lustig and Zeev Steinberg. Sony Classics and Meridian Records.

Academic career From 1968 to 2002, Rechtman was professor of music at the Rubin Academy of Tel Aviv University. He was guest professor at Indiana University School of Music from 1977 to 1978. As a guest professor, he not only taught bassoon but also coached chamber music and large wind ensembles and orchestras at the New England Conservatory, the Juilliard School of Music, and the Royal Academy of Music.

Chess career Rechtman held the IM (International Correspondence Chess Master) title of the International Correspondence Chess Federation. Rechtman was an International Master in Correspondence Chess and played over the board chess in the Israeli league (May 2015). His best result was a 4:4 draw in a Correspondence Chess match versus Samuel Reshevsky.

Awards and recognition In August 1994, Rechtman was elected to Honorary Membership of the International Double Reed Society. In 2004, he received the award of the Minister of Education, Culture and Sports Prize of Music Performances for his contribution to music in Israel. He died on 27 May 2023, at the age of 97.