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space does not permit to name
them all.
The American Chazzan
The first Jewish settlers who
came here more than three
hundred years ago soon real
ized that America was the land
of longed-for freedom, that the
endless, dark period of bitter
oppression and seclusion in
Europe’s walled ghettos was
over—and thus an important
spiritual change grew and de
veloped gradually. Part of the
Jewish song inheritance lost
its significance. No more was
Israel in exile, no more was
its dwelling place only of a
temporary nature. More than
in any other cultural sphere,
this psychological change man
ifested itself in the synagogue
song has always been a genu
ine expression of emotion and
sentiments. At this time, the
rabbi again became the central
figure in the synagogue being
both preacher and precentor.
Many famous chazzanim
came from Europe, such as
Samuel Welsh who was born
in Prague in 1835 and became
cantor of Ahavad Chesed, New
York, in 1865 ;but homesick, he
returned to Prague in 1880
where he died in 1901.
Then there was Morris Gold
stein, born in Hungary in 1840.
His father was the well-known
Chazzan Shmelke, a singer who
died young in 1849 leaving ten
small children. The oldest boy.
Joseph, who was at the tender
age of eleven at his father’s
death, succeeded his father.
Later he ganied fame as Chaz
zan in Vienna where he work
ed from 1858 to 1899. He studied
music in Vienna, was called to
New York to accept the posi
tion as cantor in the Norko
Synagogue. Later he went to
Cincinnati and sang there in
B’nai Israel Temple. He held
this position until he died in
1906.
These three chazzanim, re
alizing the need of new music
for the American synagogue
compiled a collection of songs
in Hebrew, English and Ger
man. These songs, published in
New York from 1871 to 1886 in
four volumes, were for the Sab
bath the festivals and other
occasions. Many more books of
music followed.
There is a rich literature de
voted to the interest of the
Chazzan and one not less abun
dant pertaining to their bio
graphies and evaluation. The
most famous is by the German
Aron Friedman “Lebensbilder
der beruehmten Cantoren,”
(Berlin 1819 to 1927).
The “Jewish Ministers Can
tors Association of America”
in New York has published a
history of the Chazzanuth in
Yiddish (1924).
We can give no more than
passing attention to the legion
of famous singers of Israel. Let
us only mention Josef (Yos-
sele) Rosenblatt, whose biog
raphy has recently been pub
lished by his son, Rabbi Dr.
Samuel Rosenblatt. Nor must
the great Koussevitzky remain
unmentioned. Countless can
torial records have been made
of the songs by great chaz
zanim.
An Evaluation
The chazzanim keep alive the
great, millenia-old sacred tra
dition of our people. It is well
that all those stirring old songs
be kept alive. For they have
helped to keep our people
alive.
The words are from the
Bible and Prayer Book. Some
songs were sung on the way to
the gas chambers by those who
proclaimed at the very door of
death their undying faith in
the Messiah and the life there
after.
These the chazzanim pre
served as well as songs that
are sung with children at Jew
ish tables, those tables which
are the high altars of the Dia
spora “An altar will I build
out of the broken pieces of my
heart.” Their age-old words are
replete with untranslatable al
literations. Their deeper mean
ing intoxicates the mind and
the beautiful melodies gladden
the heart. Thus heart and mind
are entwined in symphonic
harmony.
The Jewish people have
created a special type of music
which represents the true in
terpretation and expression of
the rich spiritual life, its mil
lenia-old precious heritage, but
' also of its ideas and emotions.
The chazzan, as the chosen
interpreter of Jewish song,
thus voices the spirit and his
tory of a people who, for thou
sands of years have been fight
ing relentlessly for its exist
ence, scattered in thousands of
small groups among the mil
lions of diverse tongues, cul
tures and creeds. Jewish song
has always been a genuine
echo of Jewish religion, ethics,
history of the inner life of the
Jews and their external vicis-
-aitudes.
The cantor, when singing for
the children o| Israel, will
utter a devout silent prayer
that harmony shall always
reign and that the Messiah
may come soos of whom the
prophet says, “and he will turn
the hearts of the parents to
wards the children and th>
hearts of the children towards
their parents.” Thus the cantor
chosen interpreter of the greal
songs born of Jews, helps t"
keep them alive. And they ar <-
well worth to be kept aliw
for deeply are they steeped
Jewish folklore and folkson
vibrant with Jewish emoti<
sensitive to Jewish sorrov
joys, hope and unshakable e<
victions.
The Southern Israr