Sasha Argov

Alexander "Sasha" Argov (; born Alexander Abramovich; Moscow, 26 October 1914 – Tel Aviv, 27 September 1995) was a prominent Israeli composer.

Life and career

Argov was born Alexander Abramovich in Moscow, Russia in 1914. Later he changed his last name to its Hebrew version, Argov, in 1946. His father was a dentist and his mother a concert pianist. He never made a living with his music, working first as a bank clerk and later owning and operating a bookshop. Among them were "Hareut" and songs for the Israel Defense Forces, film, and theater. In 1948 he published Ha’Chizbatron, a collection of his songs written for the entertainment of Israeli troupes. He also composed several film scores and musicals for the stage; of which the most successful was Shlomo hamelech ve’Shalmai hansandlar (‘King Solomon and the Cobbler’), based on a comedy by Sammy Gronemann in Nathan Alterman's translation, which premiered in 1964.

Dramatic works Rak lo be’Shabat (film score, 1964)

In collaboration with singer Roni Ginosar, Gon Halevi produced an album featuring new interpretations of the works of Argov. The album presents a contemporary take on Argov’s music, with Halevi reimagining the original compositions through intricate harmonies.