Mordkhe Shekhter
Philologist and Yiddish language teacher
1927- 2007
Aron Marko Rothmüller
Baritone, composer, voice teacher and author of Croatian-Jewish origin
Born in Trnjani (Austro-Hungarian Empire; a small locality near Slavonski Brod, today southern Croatia). Studied in Zagreb and Vienna (1928-1932), was a distinguished opera singer, and performed across Europe. Following Nazi persecution he settled in Zurich in 1935. Immigrated to the USA in 1955, where he taught voice at Indiana University.
1908-1993
Arnold Schoenberg
Composer, teacher and theorist
Arnold Schoenberg was an Austrian-born composer and music theorist. He developed the twelve-tone technique, and is widely considered one of the most influential composers of the 20th century.
Full biography at Wikipedia.
1874-1951
Josef Tal (Gruenthal)
Composer, pianist & teacher
Josef Tal (b. Pine, Germany 1910 - Jerusalem 2008, immigrated in 1934), composer, pianist, conductor, and lecturer, has gained an exceptional reception in the last decades. As one of the most published local composers, about 100 of his pieces have been published by the Israel Music Institute. He was the most distinctive among the first generation of composers who principally opposed the use of folklorism and orientalism. This may have reflected his education in Berlin in the late 1920's, where he was immensely influenced by the Second Viennese school.
1910-2008
Joshua Weisser (Pilderwasser)
Cantor & composer
Joshua Samuel Weisser (Pilderwasser) was born in 1888 in Novaya Ushitsa, Ukraine. As a child, Weisser was exposed to the tradition of Hassidic melodies and Hebrew zemirot through his father Aba Pilderwasser. Weisser began his formal musical education with the local hazzan of Novata Ushitsa, who taught him solfege and sight singing. He participated in many local synagogue choirs, studying under notable chazzanim such as Eliezer Gerovich.
1888-1952
Yehoshu'a Leib Ne'eman
Cantor & teacher
Born in Jerusalem, Israel. Studied under Solomon Rosowsky, later becoming a popular cantor in many of Jerusalem's synagogues, while also teaching at the Jerusalem Academy of Music. Ne'eman wrote extensively on subjects such as cantorial education, biblical cantillation, etc.
1899-1979
Andre Hajdu
Composer, Teacher, Scholar, Performer
1932-2016
Abraham Wolf Binder
Cantor & teacher
1895-1966
Max Spicker
Conductor, composer and teacher
Born in Köngisberg, Germany, and immigrated to the US in 1882. After settling in New York, he worked as a conductor for the Beethoven Mannerchor, served as director and instructor at the Brooklyn Conservatory, was an instructor at the National Conservatory, and served choirmaster at Temple Emanuel (1898-1910). He also worked for the publisher G. Schirmer, where he edited many musical anthologies. Spicker has written music for the synagogue, as well as choral and orchestral works.
1858-1912
Zalman Polak
Cantor, composer and teacher of Ashkenazi prayer and cantorial music
1901: Born in Yugoslavia.
1919: Immigrated to Israel with his mother.
1920: Injured in the riots in Jerusalem.
1921: Invited to serve as cantor in The Great Synagogue, (Beit ha-Knesset ha-Gadol) of Rishon LeZion.
1922: Returned to his homeland to recover, to serve time in the military, and to complete his training as a cantor. He finished his cantorial education with cantor Yehuda Lieb Miller in Vienna, and with Josef Baser Mesobotitza. During this time he was active with the Organization of Yugoslavian Cantors.
1901-1985
- A Polka Mazurka
- Niggun of the Meggid of Mezerich From the album, "The Hasidic Niggun as Sung by the Hasidim." This dance niggun is the seventh and last in a series of niggunim sung by Bratslav Hasidim as they dance after the Shabbat evening service on Friday night. Some have attributed the niggun to R. Dov Ber, the meggid of Mezerich.
- Kol B'ru'ei (Padua, Italy) From the album, "Italian Jewish Musical Traditions from the Leo Levi Collection (1954-1961)." The poem depicts "all creatures" singing and praising the unity of God, and was recited in the Italian rite during the daily morning prayer. This melody was sung only on Rosh Hashanah (New Year) in the Italian tradition of Padua.
- Yigdal From the album, "Judeo-Carribean Currents, Music of the Mikve Israel-Emanuel Synagogue in Curaçao," performed by Gideon Zelermyer. The Yigdal is part of the ceremonial section of the liturgical order of Shabbat and the Holy Days in the Curaçao synagogue. It is one of the ending hymns of the service.
- Eres Chiquita y Bonita From the album, "Judeo-Spanish Moroccan Songs for the Life Cycle," sung by Alicia Bendayan from Tetuan. This is a song about courtship, related to the Jewish rituals that mark the events of the life cycle.
- Sweet Shalt Be My Chant From the album, "Kulmus Hanefesh," performed by Yair Harel on voice and tar, and Matti Kovler on voice and piano. A sacred hymn attributed to Rabbi Yehuda ha-Chasid, this is a Chabad tune with a near-Eastern arrangement.
- Lyr II From the album, "The Music of the Mountain Jews." Lyr is a genre found among all Turkish peoples, consisting of long, complex compositions usually comprised of three parts.
- Gilu ha-Galilim (Rejoice Galileans) From the album, "Nights in Canaan, Early Songs of the Land of Israel (1882-1946)." This is a Second Aliyah (1904-1914) song which became an integral part of the historical repertoire of Hebrew song. Both native-born and newly arrived pioneers sang this song in all circumstances.
- Saperi Tama From the album, "With Songs They Respond: The Diwan of the Jews from Central Yemen." This is a girdle poem by Se'adia ben Amram. Saperi Tama is sung to many melodies and is one of Yemenite Jewry's most common poems.