Teacher

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

Aron Marko Rothmüller

Singer, composer and author

Born in Trnjani (today Ukraine). Studied in Zagreb and Vienna (1928-1932), was an opera singer, and performed across Europe. Immigrated to the U.S. in 1955, where he taught voice at Indiana University. Rothmüller composed chamber and choral music, and Sephardic and Ashkenazi songs. According to Eliot Kahn,[1] Rothmüller identified 20 of his compositions as Jewish music. As an author he published The Music of the Jews.

1908-1993

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

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