8. The Chazzanus of Eastern Europe Through the 1700s Flashcards
What was the role of the chazzan?
Jewish life had little outside influence and the chazzan was the one to satisfy the desire for music.
stadt-chazzan
C. Larger cities paid stadt-chazzan, who could focus only on chazzanus, without worrying about typical side-jobs of chazzanim like shechitah
Polnisch
The Eastern European chazzanim created a special brand of synagogue music which the German Jews called Polnisch
Is it similar to gipsy or Romanian music?
- Similar to gipsy music in mode and use of improvisation
- Different in that gipsy music voices nothing but primitive wild passions, quite remote from the doctrines and sentiments of Judaism
- Compared to Romanian, Jewish version is richer in motives, range, conception, expression, and modulation
The voice of the chazzan
preferred the sweet voice, were able to move people to tears and repentance.
Education of the chazzan
- Usually had to serve chazzanim from childhood and travel with them, forfeiting other education
- Such apprentices should have a good voice and a good memory - they would help the chazzanim remember the tunes, since many chazzanim could not read music
Ahron Beer
Chazzan in Berlin, a. Known for fine tenor voice and attractive singing
b. One of the first chazzanim with music knowledge - he could write music and even compose
c. Gathered compositions of all his contemporaries and traditional songs in a collection of over 1200 pieces
d. Arranged different tunes for every Shabbos of the year so that the people would not sing along and confuse the chazzan
Meir Leon / a.k.a Leon Singer
a. London; Kingston, Jamaica
b. Composer of famous tune for Yigdal and tunes for Yamim Noraim
c. Singing attracted gentiles to attend synagogue, but he refused to perform for them on stage on Shabbos
d. Thomas Olivers, a Christian minister, adopted one of his tunes to use in church
e. When his salary was reduced, he became a stage singer for a while, but later returned to synagogue practice
