Cantors Assembly Journal of Synagogue Music

J O U R N A L

OF' SYNAGOGUE

MUSIC

January 196S/TEVET 5728
VOLUME I
Number 3

CONTENTS

HAZZANUT In Iran Laurence D. Loeb 3

A SECOND Landmark Case 7

J oshua Samuel Weisser Paul Kavon 16

Lazar Weiner: A Tribute Albert Weisser 43

We i ner's Cantata on BONTCHE Schweig Israel Emiot 46

DEPARTMENTS

PIRKEI HAZZANUT

; of New Music

Max Wohlberg 49

Charles Davidson 53

The Last J udgement by Samuel Rosenbaum and Lazar Weiner

The Lord I s My Strength by Bennett Penn

Elegy For Organ by Herman Berlinski

Cause Us Lord Our Cod by Albert Rozin

We Strode Through The Waves by j ulius Chajes

Aria of La pi doth by J ulius Chajes

Other Newly Published Music

From the Readers

journal of synagogue music, Volume I, Number 3

January 1968/Tevet 5728
Published by The Cantors Assembly of America

editor: Charles Davidson

itor: Samuel Rosenbaum

ard: Gerald Hanig, Joseph Levine, Morris Levinson,
Solomon Mendelson, Morton Shames, Morton Shanok, Kurt Silber-
mann, Hyman Sky, George Wagner, Max Wohlberg, Arthur Yolkoff.

officers of the cantors assembly: Hazzan Arthur Koret, President;
Hazzan David J. Leon, Vice President; Hazzan Morris Schorr, Vice
President; Hazzan Yehudah Mandel, Treasurer; Hazzan Solomon
Mendelson, Secretary; Hazzan Samuel Rosenbaum, Executive Vice

President.

journal of synagogue music is a quarterly publication. The sub-
scription fee is $5.00 per year; $10.00 per year for patrons. Second-
class postage paid at New York, New York. All articles, commun-
ications and subscriptions should be addressed to Journal of
Synagogue Music, Cantors Assembly of America, 3080 Broadway,
New York 10027.

Copyright © 1968, The Cantors Assembly of America

HAZZANUT IN IRAN

Laurence D.LOEB

The J ews of Iran have flourished for 2500 years under conditions
which have varied from difficult to impossible. I am now here in I ran
through the generosity of the Cantors Assembly to try to unravel
some of the broken threads of knowledge concerning this, the
largest J ewish community in Asia.

My wife and I are living in Shiraz, a city of about 200,000
located in the southwest of I ran. There are 8,000 to 10,000 J ews still
living here. Although 12,000 have gone on aliya to Erets Yisra'el,
the natural increase in recent years has somewhat offset emigration
losses.

About one half of the Jews live in a ghetto area called the
Mahalleh. These people have tended to group in certain neighbor-
families (often 8 to 9 children). Many such families live in one
room having little or no furniture, and raise their children on sun-
baked mud floors.

The other half of the community has recently escaped the
Mahelleh. These people have tended to group in certain neighbor-
hoods and most of them belong to the middle class.

The foregoing introduces you to the Jew of Shiraz, whose
economic condition is precarious, but whose religious life is per-
meated with warmth and security. Shiraz is known among Iranian
J ews as a pious, religiously-oriented community.

The J ewish school system is run by Otsar Hatora. Many of the
Jewish children, however, attend non-Jewish schools. Total school
attendance among J ewish children is 100% whereas it is only 45%
among non-J ews. Many of the men speak some Hebrew which they
have learned from the daily repetition of tfillot.

There are fourteen Synagogues in Shiraz; eleven are in the
Mahalleh, and three — outside. Those outside the Mahalleh are
new and quite nice; richly carpeted and, as far as the torot are
concerned, expensively ornamented. A few of the Synagogues in
the Mahalleh have been newly decorated. The others are mostly
dilapidated.

Members of the Cantors Assembly will be interested to know
that the roles of Hazzan and Shaliah Tsibbur are distinct here,

LAURENCE LOEB is a graduate of the Cantors Institute of the Jewish
Theological Seminary of America. He is pursuing important field research
in Iran, on a grant from the Cantors Assembly, which will lead to a PhD. in
Ethnomusicology.

and their manner of performance is worthy of discussion.

The Hazzan functions as an administrator of the Synagogue. He
conforms to the old Mishnaic understanding of the term, which
meant "overseer." The collection of money for the selling of kbodot
( aliyot, etc.) is his responsibility. It is he who announces important
events in the life of his congregation. He takes the responsibility for
announcing important decisions of the community leadership. In
Shiraz, the Hazzanim have a committee of three who, since the Six
Day War, have undertaken to raise money from all the congregations
for Israel. Substantial amounts have been raised this way, since even
the poorest donate something. As far as I have observed, the Hazzan
does not act as a shaliah tsibbur, although it is not yet clear whether
this is coincidental or intentional.

Before we proceed to discuss the shaliah tsibbur, there are two
other positions within the orbit of Synagogue organization that are
particularly interesting:

Shamash: his task is the physical maintenance of the Synagogue
including the turning on of electricity and keeping the building and
courtyard clean. His duties include those of watchman. The shamash
lives on the Synagogue grounds with his family and is frequently
non-Jewish. The Jewish shamash is usually destitute and accepts
such a position out of need rather than choice.

Gabay: His function in the community is mainly extra-synagogal.
He is responsible for collecting and distributing money for the poor.
A part of this money is collected daily in the Synagogue. He knows
the needs of all the poor and allocates accordingly. There are very
few gabayim in Shiraz, and only one is completely trusted by all
members of the community.

It is the role of shaliah tsibbur that I find most interesting.
Anyone may serve as shaliah tsibbur and all are amateurs, i.e. none
are paid for their services. Every knisa (Synagogue) has several
persons who serve in this capacity.

Outside the Mahalleh, most shlihey tsibbur are graduates of the
Yeshiva who are in great demand for their superior command of
Hebrew, and ability to read Tora according to the ta'amim. However,
the shaliah tsibbur need not always be a ba'al kore. Here, outside the
Mahalleh, prayers are almost always recited entirely in Hebrew.
Sometimes the haftora may be translated at sight into 'judji
( Judaeo-Persian),

It is inside the Mahal leh that the role of shaliah tsibbur assumes
its greatest import.

The shaliah tsibbur who presently serves as my chief informant
takes great pride in his competence. "I'm the last shaliah tsibbur in
Shiraz who weeps while praying. On Rosh Hashana many women
come to knisa only in order to hear me." I can attest that this was
not merely boastful bragging; indeed many men came there for the
same reason. There are, however, other shlihey tsibbur who also
weep during tfilla.

In many respects this informant is typical of most shlihey
tsibbur here. He is close to fifty years of age, has a wife and five
children and lives in a small clean house at an extreme end of the
Mahal leh. He is a poor man, who earns a living by working part-time
with his brother selling cloth, and part-time assisting a gold mer-
chant. His father was shaliah tsibbur in the same knisa before him.

In the Synagogue, poverty and misery are wellsprings of
kawanna permeating the tfilla of the shaliah tsibbur. On Monday
and Thursday, Shabbat and Yom Tob, and especially during Slihot,
his demeanor assumes a new dignity as he ascends the bima.

Likeall ba'aley tfilla here, he is able to chant at a paceunequaled
by Ashkenazic J ews. Since tfillot are recited out loud by the shaliah
tsibbur and the total volume of prayer recited here each time exceeds
that of the Ashkenazim, there is a necessity for haste.

Nevertheless, the art of Hazzanut is highly-developed here,
although it is different in style from our own. The Persian shaliah
tsibbur can easily produce as many elaborate trills as any Ashkenazic
or Oriental Hazzan, but this is usually not done. My impression has
been that (except for very few prayers) Synagogue music is sub-
stantially different from either Persian art music or folk music.

The artistry of the shaliah tsibbur lies in his choice and interpre-
tation of tfilla. Here, for the first time, I have seen shlihey tsibbur
free to choose which prayers they wish to recite and how they wish
to recite them. The matbe'a shel tfilla remains, but piyyutim and
limmud of all kinds may be spontaneously selected by the shaliah
tsibbur. Sometimes, he may introduce an old prayer not found in
modern siddurim but which may exist in kitbey yad. Occasionally,
he is aided by a 'samikh' who stands nearby and alternates with him
in chanting the piyyutim. Certainly, the western Hazzan with his
closely regimented service suffers by comparison with his Persian
counterpart who still retains this traditional prerogative of the
shaliah tsibbur.

The uniquely creative aspect of the Shirazi shaliah tsibbur lies
in his interpretation of tfilla. The shaliah tsibbur not only allows
himself complete emotional involvement in his prayer, giving vent to
joy, sadness, contrition and awe, but he makes these prayers under-
standable even to the least educated man or woman present. He
translates at sight from poetical Hebrew and Aramaic into the
J udaeo-Persian speech of the Mahalleh. In this personal, individual-
istic translation the text is elaborated on, enlarged upon, examined
and even explained (though not in a pedantic manner). These
translations, as much as I understand of them, are quite beautiful
and represent a remarkable artistic achievement. During these trans-
lations the shaliah tsibbur is either maintaining the basic rhythmic
pulse (if the Hebrew version has one), continuing the same melody
(if it is a set one), or improvising within the mood of the text.
Tension is highlighted by the use of Sprechstimme, shouting, barely
audible whispering and voice masking. Indeed, few of the vocal
dramatic techniques of western opera are lacking here. Many in the
congregation, both men and women, weep with the shaliah tsibbur.
H is performance is entirely motivated by the text; as the mood of the
text changes, a parallel transition is apparent in the mood of the
shaliah tsibbur. Frequently he alternates between Hebrew and Per-
sian using the latter to accentuate those aspects of the tfilla which
he considers most important or most pertinent to his congregation.

Although the shaliah tsibbur's comprehension of Hebrew is
clearly substantial, the older shlihey tsibbur have studied very little
Hebrew formally. Where does this mastery of Hebrew emanate from?
Perhaps this translation-interpretation itself, serves as an important
pedagogic mechanism here, and possibly a covert role of the shaliah
tsibbur is that of teacher.

From this brief analysis of the importance of Hazzanut in the
religious life of the J ews in Shiraz, we can come to understand the
interesting separation of roles among the various Synagogue func-
tionaries. Further elaboration on the Synagogue as an institution
here, will follow at some later date.

A SECOND LANDMARK CASE

On November 13, 1967 the United States Court of Appeals for
the Second Circuit handed down a decision of historic significance
to the cantors of America.

In the case of "IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION
OF STUART M. KANAS, BY MATTHEW KANAS, HIS
FATHER, FOR A WRIT OF HABEAS CORPUS" the Court
held that Cantor Kanas had been unlawfully induced into the
United States Army and granted the Writ of Habeas Corpus
directing the Army to release him forthwith, without prejudice to
whatever further classification procedures may be in order within
the Selective Service System. The Court held that he had estab-
lished a prima facie case for a ministerial IV-D Selective Service
classification, and that his Queens, New York Local Draft Board
had no basis in fact nor any evidence before it that gave them the
right to deny him a ministerial exemption.

This decision establishes for the first time in American juris-
prudence a number of guide lines by which the ministerial status
of a hazzan may be determined. It establishes thereby a significant
legal precedent to buttress a similar decision in the recent Tax
Court Case (Salkov vs. Commissioner of Internal Revenue).

For these reasons the Editors include here the entire decision
rendered by the United States Circuit of Appeals.

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
For the Second Circuit

No. 120-September Term, 1967

(Argued September 19,1967 Decided November 13,1967)

Docket No. 31516

im the Matter of the Application of Stuart M. Kanas, by
Matthew Kanas, His Father, for a Writ of Habeas Corpus,

Pe titio ner-App e lla n t.

Major General T. R. Yancey, Commanding Officer,
Fort Hamilton, Brooklyn, New York,

Respondent- Appellee.

B ef ore:

L u M B a r d , Chief Judge,
Waterman and Feinberc, Circuit Judges.

Appeal from a judgment of the United States District Court for
the Eastern District of New York, J ohn F. Dooling, J r.,J., denying
a petition for a writ of habeas corpus on the ground that registrant's
classification by the Selective Service System in Class 1-A rather
than Class IV-D was based upon a sufficient basis in fact. Reversed.

Herbert S. Garten, Baltimore, Maryland (Fedder and
Garten, S. Ronald Ellison, Baltimore, Maryland; Joel
L. J acobson, Commack, Long Island, New York, on
the brief), for Petitioner- Appellant.

Carl Golden, Assistant United States Attorney (Joseph
P. Hoey, United States Attorney for the Eastern Dis-
trict of New York, on the brief), for Respondent-
Appellee.

Feinberg,C ircuit J udge:

Stuart M . Kanas was inducted into the Army on J une 28, 1967.
His father, Matthew Kanas, petitioned the United States District
Court for the Eastern District of New York, on his son's behalf, for
a writ of habeas corpus. The application claimed that Stuart's induc-
tion was unlawful because he was a cantor employed by a J ewish
congregation in Pennsylvania, and thus entitled to exemption from
the draft as a "minister of religion.'" On J une 29, following a hearing,
J udge Dooling denied the writ, but stayed his order pending this
court's review. We reverse. The writ releasing Stuart M. Kanas from

' 50 U. S. C. App. §456(g) provides: Regular or duly ordained ministers
of religion shall be exept from training and service (but not from registra-
tion under this title. 50 M. S. C. App. §466(g) provides: (1) The term "duly
ordained minister of religion" means a person who has been ordained, in
accordance with the ceremonial, ritual, or discipline of a church, religious sect,
or organization established on the basis of a community of faith and belief,
doctrines and practices of a religious character, to preach and to teach the
doctrines of such church, sect, or organization and to administer the rites and
ceremonies thereof in public worship, and who as his regular and customary
vocation preaches and teaches the principles of religion and administers the
ordinances of public worship as embodied in the creed or principles of such
church, sect, or organization. (2) The term "regular minister of religion" means
one who as his customary vocation preaches and teaches the principles of
religion of a church, a religious sect, or organization of which he is a member,
without having been formally ordained as a minister of religion, and who is
recognized by such church, sect, or organization as a regular minister. (3) The
term "regular or duly ordained minister of religion" does not include a person
who irregularly or incidentally preaches and teaches the principles of religion
of a church, religious sect, or organization.

the Army is granted without prejudice to any reclassification his
local board finds proper following a new hearing.

From September 1961 until June 1966, the registrant was a
student at the Hebrew Union College-J ewish Institute of Religion,
School of Sacred Music in New York. There, while he studied to
become a cantor, he enjoyed a I l-S deferment.2 I n a J une 1962 letter
to the local board, the Hebrew Union College described the regis-
trant's program and the College's goal as follows:

The program of studies in which Mr. Kanas is currently en-
rolled . . . requires five full years of attendance and leads to the
degree of Bachelor of Sacred Music and diploma as Cantor. Our
graduates are trained to serve as qualified functionaries in con-
ducting religious worship and other religious activities in syna-
gogues of all denominations in J udaism.
Upon graduation, the registrant received this degree and certification
as a cantor. On J une 24, 1966, the registrant notified his local board,
No. 66 in Flushing, New York, of the change in his status, and told
the board that he had been "elected as a resident clergyman" by
Congregation Melrose B'nai Israel, a synagogue in Cheltenham,
Pennsylvania. On J uly 7, the Congregation informed the board that
the registrant was employed "for an initial period of two years as
Cantor and Musical Director of our Synagogue," and that the
Cantor and his wife "have taken residence close to the Synagogue."
The local board thereupon initiated reclassification procedures;
it invited the registrant to appear at the next board meeting and to
bring all information pertinent to his status. The board also sent
him SSS Form 127, entitled "Current Information Questionnaire."
The registrant did not attend the meeting, but completed and re-
turned the Form; on it he characterized his job as "Cantor" and,
in response to the request that he "give a brief statement of his
duties," described them as "Pastoral duties, Conduct Worship
Services, Teach children in Hebrew School." He also noted "other
occupational qualifications" — "Play Saxophone and Clarinet." On
this record, without written opinion, the local board on August 10,
1966 unanimously classified registrant l-A.

By letter to the local board dated August 14, 1966, the Con-
gregation defined the position of "Reverend Cantor Kanas" in more
detail.

'Arguably the registrant was eligible for a IV-D exemption as a divinity
student during this period. However, his failure to claim such a status while
in school neither waived nor jeopardized his present claim.

He is a regular minister of our Congregation, co-officiating
with the Rabbi at all worship services. As a minister of our
Congregation he also has the right to perform marriages and
funerals and any other such ministerial duties.

Reverend Kanas is also a teacher of the principles of our
faith in our Religious School and is director of all music at the
synagogue, etc.

This letter was construed as an appeal by the registrant's employer
from the l-A classification, see 32 C. F. R. 51626.2. The Government
Appeal Agent also appealed. The latter referred to the Congrega-
tion's letter, and then stated his "strong personal belief" that IV-D
should and does include cantors, because they are "vitally needed as
an instrument of the Jewish religion and its observance." He also
thought that IV-D should include "lesser officers than merely
ministers and priests in other religions."

In January 1967, the New York City appeal board, two to one,
upheld the l-A classification. The board found that registrant's
"regular" vocation was that of "Cantor and Musical Director," and
that "by far the major portion of his time" was spent in that
capacity. Moreover, "most, if not all, of his claimed ministerial
functions involve, in major degree, the exercise of his ability and
qualifications as Cantor." The board concluded, without more ex-
planation, that these ministerial functions in his role as cantor were
"more or less irregular and incidental to his duties as Cantor and
Musical Director." The board also noted the apparent "concession"
of the Appeal Agent that cantors were not presently within the IV-D
exemption, and refused to act in a manner which might enlarge the
class of those eligible for IV-D. An appeal to the President was un-
availing, and the registrant's induction in June 1967 followed.

Judical review of Selective Service determinations is severely
limited; only if there exists "no basis in fact" for a classification
will a court interfere. See United States v. Seeger, 380 U. S. 163,
185 (1965)) quoting from Estep v. United States, 327 U. S. 114,
122-23 (1946); Cox v. United States, 332 U. S. 442, 452-53 (1947) 3
This does not mean, however, that a local board is free to disbelieve
all evidence in the record in the absence of any impeaching or
contradictory material.

The task of the courts in cases such as this is to search the

record for some affirmative evidence to support the local board's

3 This test has recently been literally repeated in the statute. 50 U. S. C.
App. §460(b)(3), as amended, Pub. L. No. 90-40, §8 (c) (June 30, 1967.)

overt or implicit finding that a registrant has not painted a
complete or accurate picture of his activities.
But when the uncontroverted evidence supporting a registrant's
claim places him prima facie within the statutory exemption,
dismissal of the claim solely on the basis of suspicion and
speculation is both contrary to the spirit of the Act and foreign
to our concepts of justice.

Dickinson v. United States, 346 U. S. 389, 396-97 (1953).

We have carefully searched the record before us, and have set
out its relevant portions above. We note that there is no intimation
in the record that the registrant is not in fact performing full time
the duties for which the congregation hired him. Moreover, the basic
facts in the record appear undisputed. We find that the registrant
made out a prima facie case for classification IV-D and that there is
no affirmative evidence to rebut his claim. We make these findings
with full awareness that the registrant must bear the burden of
establishing his right to an exemption, and that the ministerial
exemption is a narrow one. See Dickinson v. United States, 346
U. S. at 394-95; 32 C. F. R. 11622.1 (c).

The only Selective Service statement before us concerning the
basis of the registrant's l-A classification is the appeal board's
opinion. One possible interpretation of that opinion is that because
registrant is a "Cantor and Musical Director" his primary occupation
is musical by definition. Consequently, the ministerial functions he
performs are secondary and he does not qualify for a IV-D exemp-
tion. This theory constitutes a ruling that a person denominated
"Cantor and Musical Director" is per se not qualified. Judge Dooling
did not so construe the action of the board, and we would also be
loath to do so since each classification must be determined on its
particular facts, not on the basis of any blanket characterization.
See, eg., United States ex rel. Hull v. Stalter, 151 F. 2d 633, 637-38
(7th Cir. 1945). Moreover, we believe that at least in some instances
cantors may qualify for IV-D.4 There is a surprising paucity of cases
on the point; whether this shows that such exemptions are usually
allowed, we simply do not know. In any event, the statute requires
that a "regular minister of religion" be one who "as his customary
vocation preaches and teaches the principles of religion . . . ." 50
U. S. C. App. §466( g) (2). In Dickinson, the Supreme Court iden-
tified "regularly, as a vocation, teaching and preaching the principles

of his sect and conducting public worship in the tradition of his
religion" as the "vital test" of a registrant's claim. 346 U. S. at 395.
The legislative history of the ministerial exemption reveals that IV-D
classification is intended "for the leaders of the various religious
faiths and not for the members generally." S. Rep. No. 1268, 80th
Cong., 2d Sess. 13 (1948). We are aware that this standard was
formulated with the particular problems of J ehovah's Witnesses in
mind, but it seems likely that under this test the cantor described
in Abraham A. Salkov, 46 T. C. 190 (1966), would qualify for IV-D
exemption. To give the tenor of that decision, we quote from it briefly,
46 T. C. at 198:

Regardless of the theoretical power of a J ewish layman, what
in fact does Cantor Salkov do and what are his functions? He
is a spiritual leader. He teaches. He performs pastoral duties.
He is the minister-messenger of the Chizuk Amuna Congrega-
tion, commissioned and licensed by the congregation and by
the Cantors Assembly of America to officiate professionally and
regularly in the sacred religious service of the J ewish people.
His functions are beyond any "minister of music." .. For
long periods of both prayer and service he is the only person
standing at the pulpit. At all times he and the rabbi share the
pulpit. Historically and functionally he is a sui generis minister.
We do not decide whether Stuart M. Kanas is such a cantor. But
he cannot be denied IV-D solely on the ground that he is a "Cantor
and Musical Director."

An alternative interpretation of the board's opinion, and the
one adopted by the district court, is that the board found as a fact
that the registrant's activities as a minister were merely "irregular
and incidental" to his other functions, which it regarded as non-
ministerial. The difficulty with this approach is that the distinction
between the two types of activities is nowhere stated and, even if it
were, there is a total lack of evidence to support any such break-
down. The record shows that the registrant co-officiates with the
rabbi at services of worship, conducts funerals and, perhaps, mar-
riages^ teaches Jewish principles to children, and supervises all

5The Government contends that despite clai ms that the registrant has the
right to conduct marriages, the law of Pennsylvania forbids it. See Purdon's
Penna. Stats. Ann., Tit. 48, §1-13. In United States v. Burnett, 115 F. Supp.
141 (W. D. Mo. 1953), inability to perform marriages was held irrelevant. In
any case, in view of the basic evidentiary flaws in the record, we need not now
resolve this question. We note, however, that on a SSS Form 127 received by
the board in May 1967, the registrant states that he does officiate at marriages.

music at the synagogue. Nowhere is there any record support for
an allocation of time between the admittedly ministerial duties,
which the board found "irregular and incidental," and the music
supervision which the board apparently thought to be registrant's
primary occupation. 6 In addition, the record is totally devoid of any
consideration whether the musical aspect of a cantor's work is, in
fact, unrelated to preaching and teaching the principles of the faith.
As already noted, "suspicion and speculation" cannot fill the need
for som e "affirmative evidence" to support the board's conclusion.
See Witmer v. United States, 348 U. S. 375 (1955). It seems to us
that the registrant has made out a prima facie case at least equal
to others that have been held sufficient, eg., Blatter ton v. United
States, 260 F. 2d 233 (8th Cir. 1958); Schuma n v. United States,
208 F. 2d 801 (9th Cir. 1953); United States v. Scott, 137 F. Supp.
449 (E. D. Wise. 1956).

The board possesses broad investigative powers. It may subpoena
any necessary witnesses, 32 C. F. R. 91621.15, and invoke the facili-
ties of local, state and national welfare and governmental agencies,
32 C. F. R. 91621.14. Before this court, both parties referred to
material which might have been helpful to the local board or the
appeal board; eg., appellant relied on Salkov, supra, which contains
a detailed description of the functions of a cantor, and the Govern-
ment brought to our attention a decision of the Department of
Health, Education and Welfare, which incorporated the results of
a survey of leading authorities of the three major branches of
Judaism.' In cases such as this, involving difficult determinations of
whether a complex of activities are sufficient to qualify for IV-D
status, placing informed opinions before the local or appeal boards
in a proper manner would seem desirable. Cf. Eagles v. United States
ex rel. Samuel s,329 U. S. 304 (1946) ; United States ex rel. Goodman
v. Hearn, 153 F. 2d 186 (5th Cir.), cert, granted, 328 U. S. 833, case
dismissed, 329 U. S. 667 (1946); United States ex rel. Trainin v.
Cain, 144 F. 2d 944 (2d Cir. 1944), cert, denied, 323 U. S. 795
(1945) ; United States ex rel. Leuy v. Cain, 149 F. 2d 388 (2d Cir.
1945).

In view of our decision we need not consider the other bases of

*ln meeting his burden of presenting a prima facie case, registrant would
have been well advised to do more than merely file SSS Form 127, with its
short and general job description. However, he has done enough in the absence
of any contradictory evidence.

'In reGershon Ephros. S. S. Account No. 155-26-9022 (Decision of Appeals
Counsel. March 11, 1965).

14

appeal or the propriety of J udge Dooling's action on the motions
made below. One claim deserves mention, however. The appeal board
emphasized a "concession" made by the Government Appeal Agent;
the registrant argues that under these circumstances he was denied
due process because the Agent filed his handwritten appeal on the
registrant's behalf without consulting with him at all. An appeal
agent is called upon 'To be equally diligent in protecting the in-
terests of the Government and the rights of the registrant in all
matters"8 — a demanding if not impossible obligation. See Note,
The Selective Service, 76 Yale L.J. 160, 168-69 (1966). It has been
suggested that an appeal agent tends to identify with the local board 9
and that most registrants are unaware that his service is available
to them. 10 We do not know whether these critisms are accurate, but
at least as to the latter, the Selective Service System now commend-
ably provides that:

Whenever a local board places a registrant in ... I-A ... it
shall, at the time the Notice of Classification ... is mailed, also
inform the registrant that the Government Appeal Agent is
available to advise him on matters relating to his legal rights,
including his right of appeal. "
However, this does not deal with the problem presented here where
apparently the registrant himself did not appeal (although his em-
ployer did) and the Appeal Agent took his own appeal in support of
the registrant's position without consulting with him. Such a situa-
tion is probably unusual, but whether an appeal agent is protecting
the interests of the Government or the rights of the registrant, it is
essential that the registrant receive a copy of the memoranda sub-
mitted to the appeal board by the appeal agent and be given suffi-
cient time in which to reply. In such a case, the registrant should
be in no worse position than if he had taken his own appeal; in the
latter event, he has the right to file a statement on his own behalf
before the appeal board. 32 C. F. R. 01626.12 "[T] he right to file a
statement before the Appeal Board includes the right to file a mean-
ingful statement, one based on all the facts in the file and made with
awareness of the recommendations and arguments to be countered."

8 32 C.F.R. §1604.71 (d)(5).

'See Note, Fairness and Due Process Under the Selective Service System,
114 U. Pa. L. Rev. 1014,1030 (1966).

'"See Note, The Selective Service System: An Administrative Obstacle
Course, 54 Calif. L. Rev. 2123, 2148 (1966).

'Selective Service System, National Headquarters, Local Board Memo-
randum No. 82 (as amended J uly 27, 1967).

Gonzales v. United States, 348 U. S. 407, 415 (1955). If a special
theological panel had been set up to pass upon the validity of the
registrant's claim to a IV-D exemption, he clearly would have had
the right to examine its report in order to explain, correct, or deny it.
Eagles v. United States ex rel. Samuels, 329 U. S. 304 (1946). A
registrant should be given equal procedural safeguards when an
appeal agent interposes his views as to a registrant's theological
status.12

The writ of habeas corpus is granted and Stuart M. Kanas is
ordered released forthwith from the Army, without prejudice to what-
ever further classification procedures may be in order with the
Selective Service System. See United States v. Jakobson, 325 F. 2d
409, 417 (2d Cir. 1963), aff'd sub nom. United States v. Seeger, 380
U. S. 163 (1965); United States ex rel. DeGraw v. Toon, 151 F. 2d
778 (2d Cir. 1945); United States ex rel. Levy v. Cain, 149 F. 2d
338,342 (2d Cir. 1945)

Judgment reversed.

l2 That such a procedure is possible is supported by the language of the
regulations dealing with Government Appeal Agents under the 1917 and 1940
Acts. In each case, the Agent was required to

care for the interests of ignorant registrants and, where the decision

of the local board is against the interests of such persons and where

it appears that such persons may not take appeals, dut to their own

non-culpable ignorance, to inform them of their rights and assist them

to enter appeals

32 C. F. R. §603.71 (a) (Cum, Supp. 1944); Selective Service Regulations §47

(1917). Interpreting an earlier part of this regulation, which directed agents

to appeal deferments which should he reviewed, the New York City Director

of Selective Service, Arthur C. McDermott, told Agents under his jurisdiction

that

In the interests of justice, it would seem only fair that when a Govern-
ment Appeal Agent takes an appeal, he should notify the registrant
and also furnish him with a copy of any memorandum submitted to
the Appeal Board in support of the appeal in time to afford the
registrant an opportunity to submit a memorandum in reply.
New York City Selective Service Headquarters, Bulletin No. 16 (J an. 30, 1941).

JOSHUA SAMUEL WHSSER: HIS UFE AND WORKS

Paul Kavon

J oshua Samuel Weisser ( Pilderwasser ), throughout his life-
time, actively strove to maintain the finest traditions of Hazzanut
both in America and abroad. At a time when Hazzanut, particularly
in the orthodox synagogues, was degenerating into cheap theatri-
cal ism and vulgar sensationalism, J oshua Weisser was one of those
who vigorously and dramatically opposed this desecration of our
religious services.

Hazzanut during Weisser's younger years, shortly after the turn
of this century, was in a chaotic state. The era of the "star hazzanim"
had brought with it seemingly endless displays of vocal acrobatics
and operatic exhibitions replacing the once-dignified, traditional,
nusachdik service. In many synagogues one could hear the latest
tune from vaudeville set to a sacred text, or a prayer like £/tz Chayim
Hi being chanted to an aria from Pagliacci. The synagogue had
become the concert hall, opera house or theater, and the congregants
came no more to pray, but to listen and be entertained.

It was in this climate that J oshua Weisser began to publish his
works for the synagogue. Well aware of this deterioration of the
religious service, Weisser fought to return the synagogue to aoodath
hakodesh through liturgical compositions that combined the best
elements of traditional Hazzanut with the materials of pure nusach.
In all his works for the synagogue, Weisser constantly employed
traditional nusach, nusach many generations old, nusach that had
sustained our liturgy from time immemorial. He strove continually to
eliminate what he collectively termed "the foreign elements" that
had made their way into the service. A review of his music for the
synagogue proves that Weisser followed this plan to the letter. In
any history of synagogal music, J oshua Weisser must be named
as one who helped restore sanity to the synagogue service out of
the chaos that was rampant at the time.

Joshua Weisser made his greatest contribution in the area of
the Hazzanic recitative. Despite being "single-line" music, the crea-
tion of the recitative is no easy matter. Weisser, in a combination of
nusach and traditional motives, gave form and style to the artistic
recitative and brought it to its highest level. Suffice to say that in
addition to being the most prolific, Weisser was also one of the fore-

PAUL KAVON is a member of the first graduating class of the Cantors
Institute of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America. He is presently the
Director of the Department of Music of the United Synagogue of America.

most composers of the recitative the history of Hazzanut has known.

However, Weisser's work did not begin and end with the reci-
tative alone. As will be revealed by this study, he also wrote
synagogue choir compositions, secular songs, incidental music and
notated a vast number of Hassidic nigunim.

J oshua Weisser also made important literary contributions in a
considerable number of newspaper articles detailing the problems of
the Hazzan and of hazzanut in America. His work in this area (each
article is discussed in detail in the section "Literary Contributions")
resulted in a number of beneficial reforms.

Finally, a personal word about Joshua Weisser. The writer of
this article was a member of the Weisser choir during the years
1934-37, and sang in many services and concerts under his personal
direction. At a time when the field of J ewish religious music was
saturated with untrained and make-shift choir leaders and conduc-
tors, Weisser was a virtual oasis in the desert. He was a highly
accomplished musician and was exceptionally gifted in the handling
of diverse musical forces. I fondly remember several concerts in which
Weisser sang and conducted his choir of twenty male singers plus
an orchestra of twenty-five players in many of his much requested
compositions. (Weisser also made the orchestrations himself.)

Joshua Weisser devoted his lifetime to the best interests of
synagogue music. He worked tirelessly on behalf of the Hazzan and
for the constant improvement in the Cantorate. Above all he sought
to further the finest traditions of J ewish life generally. One could
only have profited, working and associating with this religiously
devout and musically gifted man.

J oshua Samuel WEISSER (Pilderwasser) was born in 1888 in
Nova Ushitza, in the province of Podolya, Russia. The son of
Abraham Aba and Sarah Pilderwasser, Weisser was bred from his
early childhood on the Hassidic melodies and zemirot of his father.
Young Weisser first learned solfeggio from the local Hazzan, Sachna
Kagan and his son, Reuben. He soon became a "noten fresser,"
proficient at reading music at sight, taking rapid musical dictation
and composing melodies. In addition, Weisser had a pleasant alto
voice and added to his musical knowledge by singing in the choirs
of Hazzan Samuel Weinman2 in Saroke, Bessarabia, Hazzan Leib
Shapiro' in Vinitsa, Russia, and in the choir of a Hazzan Eiliyohu
Yablontchick also in Vinitsa.

'Literally "note-eater a term used to denote one who can read music
rapidly and correctly at sight.

While at Vinitsa, Weisser studied theory and harmony with a
Professor Karatkoff of the local conservatory. It was during this time,
at the age of 16, that Weisser wrote his first composition for Hazzan
and choir, Moh Oshiv a selection from the Hallel. This first compo-
sition was to bring Weisser more than local fame, and to this day
it is sung in many congregations.

At 21, Weisser was appointed Hazzan of the Synagogue of
Vinitsa, his first position as a Hazzan. He now had the opportunity
to perform the many synagogal compositions that flowed from his
prolific pen. It was while he was Hazzan of Vinitsa that the famed
Hazzan-Composer of the Rostov-on-the-Don Synagogue, Mordecai
Eliezar Gerowitsch came to Vinitsa. Gerowitsch was enthusiastic
at the beauty of Weisser's (then Pilderwasser's) compositions. One,
originally written as a Mimkomcho Malkenu Sofia Gerowitsch
adapted to the text of Ernes Ki Ato Hu Yotsrom. In addition to
frequently performing this composition himself, Gerowitsch later
included it in his own compilation "Shirei Zimroh, Volume IV,"
under the name of "Joshua Pilderwasser."

In 1914, at the beginning of the first World War, Weisser
migrated to the United States. With the adoption of a new land,
the young Hazzan-Composer also adopted a new name, dropping
Pilderwasser for the name Weisser. In America Weisser began a
highly productive career where he developed into the most prolific
composer of music for the synagogue. In addition to gaining promi-
nence as a composer, Hazzan, conductor and teacher, Weisser also
became active in setting the standards of traditional Hazzanut here.

For a time, after his arrival in America, Weisser took only high
holiday positions. However, with his appointment, in 1923, as Hazzan
of the large Allen Street Synagogue, 'Tifereth Israel" on New York's
lower East Side, Weisser began a long series of yearly positions as
Hazzan. After four years at 'Tifereth Israel," Weisser held the
following posts as Hazzan: The Nachlat Tzvi Synagogue on East
109 Street (4 years); the Tremont Talmud Torah Synagogue in the
Bronx (4 years) ; Shaare Tefiloh Synagogue, Brooklyn (2 years) and

2Eliyohu Zaludkowsky, writer on Hazzanic subjects and figures, in
KVLTUR-TRAECER FUN DER IDISHER LITURGIE. Detroit. 1930,
identifies Weinman as a well-known Hazzan of Saroke, Tarnopole and other
cities in Russia, and states that Weinman was a son of the famous Hazzan
Ephraim Lutzker.

31 bid. Zaludkowsky identifies Shapiro as the Hazzan of the Dubow-Kiev
Province. Shapiro was a facile improvisor and a composer of a large number
of liturgical selections.

the Chevrath Tehillim Synagogue, also in Brooklyn (2 years).

After this Weisser did not hold down yearly positions, but de-
voted more and more time to teaching and composing, taking only
high holiday and Passover assignments. His last active period as a
Hazzan was during the years 1944-1950, when Weisser officiated
as Hazzan for the high holiday and Passover Services annually at
the Flagler Hotel in New York's Catskill Mountains.

From his earliest days in the United States Weisser championed
many beneficial reforms for the Cantorate, and was instrumental in
many of the advances made by the Cantorate, especially in America.
I n 1937 he was one of the leaders in the formation of 'The Cantors-
Ministers Cultural Organization" consisting of some of the foremost
Hazzanim of the time, such as Kwartin, Hershman, Roitman, Glantz,
Katchko, etc. In 1939-40 Weisser was president of The Jewish
Ministers Cantors Association of America. In addition, Weisser was
a member of the Society of J ewish Composers.

J oshua Weisser was also renowned as a teacher and coach of
hazzanim. He wrote countless recitatives and compositions to fit
the particular style of each his many students.

Weisser was twice awarded the first prize in world-wide contests
for the best liturgical composition. In two separate competitions
conducted in 1937 by the cantorial publication "Die Chazonim
Welt," published in Warsaw, Poland, Weisser won the first for his
musical setting of the Musaph K'dushah of the Sabbath Morning
Service and the second for his Ml Sheoso Nisim (see below).

After a long and successful career as composer, teacher and per-
former of Jewish liturgical and secular music, and while in the last
stages of preparation for printing his "Shirei Beth Hakneseth, Volume
1 1, "J oshua Weisser passed away on March 12, 1952.

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF PUBLISHED WORKS OF

EVALUATION OF ALL PUBLISHED WORKS OF

JOSHUA WEISSER

a) LITURGICAL WORKS'

NAME OF
PUBLICATION:

CONTENTS OF
WORK:

YEAR PUBLISH-
ED and PUB. CO.

NO.
PGS

OF

.: SIZE:

*T'filah J eschua2

50 Recitatives for the
High Holy Days

1915; Eagle Adver-
tising and Novelty
Co., Brooklyn. N.Y.

50

Quarto

Kinoth LTishoh
Beov

4 Recitatives for
Tishoh Beov

1918; Published by
the composer. New
York.

12

Small

*Shiroh Chadosho3

60 Compositions for
Hazzan and choir for
Selichoth and the
High Holy Days

1919; J oseph P.
Katz, New York.

205

Quarto

Rinath J oshua,
Vol. 1

75 Recitatives for
Sabbath and Festivals

1927; J oseph P.
Katz, New York.

88

Octavo

Rinath J oshua.
Vol. II

80 Recitatives for
Selichoth and the
High Holy Days

1929; Metro Music
Co., New York.

67

Octavo

Minchath J oshua

Mincha and Maariv

1930: Metro Music

30

Small

Baal T'filoh.

Baal T'filoh,

Service (Weekday)
for Hazzan alone

Selected Recitatives
for radio and concert
performance

140 Recitatives for
Selichoth and the
High Holy Days

Avodath Hahazzan, 150 Recitatives for
Vol. I the Sabbath: congrega-

tional singing; Sabbath
zemiroth: Hebrew and
Yiddish folk songs;
30 Hassidic melodies

'All of the liturgical works are unaccompanied
SHIRE1 JOSHUA which has a few introductory
beginning of each selection.

*The name "J eschua" is obviously a printing t
"J ehoshua" for it stands correct in the Hebrew title.

and should read

collaboration with Hazzan Samuel Kavetsky.

Avodath Hahazzan,239 Recitatives for
Vol. II the High Holy Days;
congregational singing;
compositions for two
voices; 10 Recitatives
for radio and concert
performance; 36
Hassidic melodies

1948; Metro Mu;
Co., New York.

Shirei Beth
Hakneseth,
Vol. 1

26 compositions for
Hazzan and choir for
Sabbath and Festivals,
as well as 13 Recitatives
for Hazzan alone

1951; Shul singer
Pub. Co., New
York City.

Shirei Beth
Hakneseth.
Vol. II '

88 compositions for
Hazzan and choir for
the High Holy Days,
as well as 15 Recitatives
for Hazzan alone

1952; Shulsinger
Pub. Co.. New
York City.

b) SECULAR SONGS FOR VOICE AND PIANO

TITLE:

WORDS BY:

YEAR PUBLISH-
ED and PUB. CO.:

Erwach Mein Folk

Dr. D. DeWaltoff

1927; Dr. DeWaltoff.
New York

*Der Alter Hazzan

J oshua Weissrr

1928; Metro Music
Co., New York.

*Der Lamden Reb
Sender

Morris Rund

1932; Metro Music
Co., New York.

Bar-Mizva

Abraham Singer

1932; Weisser and
Singer. New York.

Shenkl

Morris Rund

1934; Metro Music
Co.. New York.

Die Drei Shlumiels

Abraham Singer

1935; Weisser and
Singer, New York.

Bain Mishmor
H oemek

Philip M. Raskin

1939; Metro Music
Co., New York.

Oy-Oy, Cha-cha!

H. Nomberg

1939; Metro Music
Co.. New York.

El-Shaday

Morris Rund

1939; Metro Music
Co., New York.

Dem Flichtling's

Alice M. Jaffin

1939; Metro Music
Co., New York.

1 Love You
America

Dr. Ezekiel Leavitt

1941; Metro Music
Co.. New York.

1 srael

Aaron Chait

1949; J oshua

All selections are in Yiddish except
i both Yiddish and English.

by Henry Lefkowitch.

LOVE YOU O AMERICA which

c) INCIDENTAL MUSIC AND MISCELLANEOUS WORKS

135 Poems of Eliezer
Schindler, 60 of which
were set to music
by Weisser

1950; Shulsinger
Publishing Co.,
New York.

1950; Shulsinger
Publishing Co.,
New York.

243 Octavo

d) NOTATION OF HASSIDIC MELODIES

Publication of Grand
Rabbi SaulTaubof
Modzitz for which
Weisser notated the
Hassidic nigunim of
Rabbi Taub and other
Hassidic Rabbis
175 Hassidic songs, some
with words, transcribed
and arranged by Weisser.
Also contains Habad
version of Torah trop
as notated by Weisser.

YEAR PUBLISH- NO. OF

ED and PUB. CO.: PGS.: SIZE:

Varies Small

Published period-
ically during years
1943-1946 by Shul-
singer Publishing
Co., New York.

LITERARY CONTRIBUTIONS'

TITLE OF ARTICLE:

(Choir Singing in the Synagogues,

Part I)
(Choir Singing in the Synagogues,

Part II)
(Hazzanut in the Form of

Compositions and Recitatives)
(Hazzanut Auditions)

YEAR AND
DATE OF
PUBLICA-
TION:

Die Hazzonim Welt2,
Warsaw, Poland
Die Hazzonim Welt,
Warsaw, Poland
Die Hazzonim Welt,
Warsaw, Poland
Die Shul und Die Hazzonim
Welt, Warsaw. Poland

i All articles are written in Yiddish.

i of Poland, published monthly in

3 Name of publication changed from Die Hazzonim Welt to Die Shul und
Die Hazzonim Welt. November, 1936.

TITLE OF ARTICLE:

(The Year 1935 for the Hazzanim)

(My Associations with the
Recently Deceased Hazzan
Arya Leib Rutman)

The J ewish Morning

(An Article Concerning the
Establishment of a Cantorial
School)

(The Plans to Collect and Publish
Cantorial Creations and the
Useful Effort of Hazzan Gershon
Ephros in This Area)

YEAR AND
DATE OF
PUBLICA-
TION:

Mar. 1938
J uly. 1935
Sept. 1935
Sept. 1935
Sept. 1935

J an. 25, 1943
Mar. 4, 1943
Mar. 11, 1943
Mar. 18. 1943
Apr. 13, 1945
Apr. 27, 1945
May 4, 1945
May 4.1945

May 25, 1945
J une 1. 1945
J une 8, 1945

Jo

al, Nev

York

40rgan of the Jewish Ministers Cantors Association of America.

5Published under Weisser's original name of Tilderwasser."

'These articles appeared in The Jewish Morning Journal (a Yiddish

language daily newspaper published ii

In Dcr Welt fun Hazzanut un Neginah,

TITLE OF ARTICLE:

(On the Late J oseph Katz)

(Selicha Moods)

PLACE OF
PUBLICATION:

YEAR AND
DATE OF
PUBLICA-
TION:

The Jev
J ournal

vish Morning
New York

J une 29, 1945

The Jev
J ournal,

/ish Morning
New York

J uly 6, 1945

The J ev

i/ish Morning
New York

J uly 13, 1945

The J ewish Morning
J ournal. New York

J uly 20. 1945

The J ev\

ish Morning
New York

Aug. 3,1945

The Jev
J ournal.

i/ish Morning
New York

Aug. 31, 1945

The Jev
J ournal,

vish Morning
New York

Sept. 7. 1945

The J ewish Morning
J ournal, New York

Sept. 14. 1945

Although Joshua Weisser made important contributions in sev-
eral areas of Jewish vocal music, his greatest productivity and most
valuable creativity was in the field of the Hazzanic recitative.
Weisser's highly prolific output in this area covered practically every
conceivable type of sacred service a hazzan could be called upon,
to perform.

Analysis of Weisser's liturgical works reveals the development
and evolution of several different styles of composition, the styles
changing to constantly keep pace with the needs of the time.
Weisser, continually aware of the changing attitudes in both religious
and secular music, did not isolate himself and continue to write in
an outmoded style, but was flexible enough to adjust to the changing
demands made upon the composer. If his earlier works were often
written in a highly emotional style, with many melismas, frequent
repetition of words and an overabundance of grace notes, Weisser's
later creations were much more conservative, with a cleaner and
purer vocal line, and invariably devoid of the ever-emotional
approach, the endless melismas and grace notes, and the constant
repetition of words.

The most significant factor to be noted in an analysis of the
composer's liturgical publications is the great emphasis and import-
ance Weisser himself placed on the retention of traditional nusach
in all of his works for the synagogue. Actively opposed to the
inclusion of operatic and theatrical tunes in the music of the liturgy,
Weisser was always conscious of his responsibility to perpetuate the
age-old traditions of Hazzanut. Regradless of how modern the writing
might be, the inclusion of traditional liturgical motives was always
of primary importance to Weisser. Because of this, his liturgical
compilations are virtual storehouses of these motives of traditional
H azzanut.

The following, from Weisser's own introduction to AVODAS HAHAZ-
ZAN. VOLUME I, clearly defines his credo regarding liturgical composition:
"I have attempted while writing these recitatives to draw from the oldest,
most authentic sources of Jewish music, and at the same time from the rich
creative Jewish music of a much later period; namely. THE ANCIENT
TRADITIONAL PRAYER CHANTS AND THE VARIOUS CHASSIDIC
MELODIES. I have been very careful, however, to select that which is purely
Jewish in character, and have cleansed the old melodies of the foreign elements
that have slipped into and entrenched themselves upon our Jewish melodies
during the many years of the diaspora I have aimed to create a liturgical
work based on genuinely JEWISH TRADITTONAL PRAYER CHANTS
(Ed.; The capitals are Wrisser's.)

Prior to an analysis of Weisser's individual liturgical works, it is
necessary to discuss the composer's frequent use of the Ahavoh
Rabboh mode. This mode is found in abundance throughout all of the
works for the synagogue.

A. Z. Idelsohn in "Jewish Music"2 discusses the Ahavoh Rabboh
mode in detail, and the following from Idelsohn applies to this study
of Weisser's liturgical works:

"The (Ahavoh Rabboh) mode is based on the tetrachords
e-f-g#-a+ b-c-d-e, or their equivalent steps in other notes ...If
we investigate the traditional songs of the various communities, we
find the interesting fact that this mode is not at home in all of
them. Proceeding geographically we find that the Yemenite, Persian,
Babylonian, Moroccan, Italian, Portuguese, and Western German
communities do not use this mode at all, while those communities
which are living in environments that are or were predominantly
Tartaric-Altaic use it very much; for example, in Egypt, in Palestine,
in Syria, in Asia Minor, on the Balkan (sic), in Hungary, Roumania,
in Ukraine and Volhynia. Going further north to Poland, Lithuania
and Northern Germany, we find that the usage of this mode dimin-
ishes gradually."

This mode came to be much liked by the Jews of the countries
mentioned above, so that it became a real channel of Jewish expres-
sion, especially for moods of excitement, for the stirring passion of
pain, of love, and faith in God. The more the Jewish people in those
countries were persecuted for their religion, the more passionate
became their expression of love for it. For such intense sentiments
they adopted this Tartaric Oriental mode, full of fire and roman-
ticism.

For certain parts of the prayers on Sabbaths and Festivals, but
foremost on the high holidays, the Ahavoh Rabboh mode is em-
ployed in those countries. Especially in Ukraine and Volhynia it
became the vehicle of tense emotion. We can perceive the power of
this mode only when we study the compositions of the hazzanim
in Eastern Europe of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

It is therefore little wonder that to Weisser, born in the Ukraine,
and bred in traditional Eastern-Ash kenazic Hazzanut, the Ahavoh

*A. Z. Idelson "Jewish Music in its Historical Development," 1929 Henry
Holt and Company, New York. (535 pp)

Rabboh mode was of extreme importance and was utilized extensively
in many of his compositions.

With his first published work T'FILATH JESCHUA (Recita-
tives for the High Holy Days published in 1915), Weisser already
demonstrated the ability to create a varied melodic line within the

confines Of traditional nusach. The Chamol Al Ma'asecho and Zerok

Olenu are good examples of Weisser's melodic writing:

L£ Cm A 7»Hta.£f — CMztft

Of the longer and more involved recitatives, the V'al Kein is
the best of this particular collection. These opening measures illus-
trate the style in which the composition is written:

] the Hebrew title.

"W Ctftf jHnTMi vcaoLh'f/ei'BQitAiklb &iri m cho fa i& 6l'W *£ ~ e *-

A few of the recitatives of this first publication are written in
a highly emotional style typical of a good deal of Eastern-Ashkenazic
hazzanut of this period (1915), and employed with great success by
many of the "star" hazzanim at the turn of the century, both in
Europe and America.

A representative example of this over-emotional writing, with its
frequent repetition of words, and its inclusion of "extra-textual"
material (e.g. "oy"), isthe>4/ Tashlichenu Minfonecho:

n TgphmtOTB "UfTOrt

Prominent in this work, as well as the composer's other earlier
creations, is the overabundance of grace notes and appoggiaturas to
be found in each recitative. It is apparent that Weisser wanted to
notate even the smallest nuances he felt belonged to a particular
composition. Perhaps Weisser, aware of a lack of ability on the part
of a number of hazzanim to properly interpret a recitative, wanted

to prevent the interpolation of incorrect grace notes in his compo-
sitions. In any event, a study of these grace notes, and how Weisser
applied them to the hazzanic recitative, would be profitable to the
student of Hazzanut in the learning of his craft.

KINUS LTI5HOH BEOV, written in 1918, fulfilled a need for
a work of its kind in the field. Consisting of four recitatives, Tzadik
Rabbi Elozor, Eini Eini Yordo Mayim, Socho Hoisho L' Novi
Yirmiyo and Eli Tziyon, it is written in old style, much like the
material found in Weisser's first work. The same comments made
there are also applicable here, with the additional point that this is
not as vocal a work as his first, the tessitura often lying much too
high throughout all four selections.

The only work in which Weisser collaborated jointly with an-
other composer was the SHZROH CHADOSHO,' (Sixty compositions
for Hazzan and Choir for Selichoth and the High Holy Days), written
with Hazzan Samuel Kavetsky and published in 1919. However,
there are no Weisser-Kavetsky compositions as such, half of the
book being by Kavetsky and the other half composed by Weisser.
For the purposes of this paper we will deal only with the material by
Weisser, and since much of the material is later included, in modified
form, in "Shirei Beth Hakneseth, Volume II," analysis and com-
parison of the two works will be made later in our discussion of
"Shirei Beth Hakneseth, Volume II."

In RINATH JOSHUA, VOLUME I, (75 Recitatives for Sab-
baths and Festivals published in 1927) we can readily see the com-
poser's development in his handling of the recitative. Although we
still have the repetition of words plus the excessive grace notes, now
the modulations are more varied and the entire work much more
singable because it is written in a comfortable and essayable tessitura.
Now the vocal line is more majestic because the emphasis is taken
away from the continual high notes and the complete range of the
voice is utilized. An excellent example of this is to be found in this
fragment from Ono B'choach:

4Weisser later took many of his compositions found in this volume, modified
them musically (to avoid repetition of words), applied correct Hebrew accen-
tuation to the text, and published them together with new material in SHZREZ

Hamchabe Es Haner is a fine example of the Talmudic style,
a style in which Weisser was a master. It begins:

HfmMtx Ci H*M£

Hm m k **■ «* «>? ne t* «"•'< y ° ic ' «' p " £ 0/ 0t ** m *'

Beside being capably set and well integrated pieces, the Av
Horachamin (full of traditional nusach motives), and the Ribono
Shel Olom of Sfira (practically an exercise in sequences, and demon-
strating Weisser's capability of working with this device), could both
serve as excellent "lessons in hazzanut."

Another high point of this volume is the composer's setting of
the Psalms of the Hallel.

And finally, for the first time, we get a hint of congregational
singing in this Hassi die-sty led Yism'chu:

From its opening pages RINATH JOSHUA, VOLUME II, (80
Recitatives for Selichoth and the High Holy Days, published in
1929), is a work that frequently approximates "pure" nwach. While
continuing the advances noted in RINATH JOSHUA, VOLUME I,
this volume is written in a thoroughly traditional style and a section
from the Ovos will serve to adequately illustrate this feature of the
work:

60 —sou — -v*<

\MJ

. go &-K W —

ao M6L — crt>*> Pin To \J<q

1 <l> Xtvt+HAkHViWt&toUt 1

it — mC

vi is, £(. u/ u.

I y-M ntMLt*>J S-HMf- &M — Vo •

In addition, what we would call davening is set down in this book
in such a way that it gives the impression of not having been set
down at all, that in performance it is merely a spontaneous impro-
visation.5 This was one of Weisser's fortes, and in the Sochreinu
B'sikoron Tov we see an example of this:

5lsrael Rabinowitch, Canadian journalist and musicologist, in a letter ad-
dressed to Weisser and published in Rabinowitch's book "Musik Bei Yiden,"
Montreal; Eagle Publishing Co.. 1940, writes:

("The greatest value of your recitatives lie in the fact that although they
appear in "fixed form," they nevertheless give the impression of pure impro-
visation. With one of your recitatives a Hazzan can give the impression he is
improvising, because you utilize nusach with a noteworthy naturalness, inter-

MINCHATH JOSHUA (Weekday Mincha and Naariv Service
published in 1903), like the earlier "Kinoth LTishoh Beov" fulfilled
the need for a work of its kind in the field, since music for these
particular services was quite scarce. Written in traditional style,
with a good deal of coloratura, it gives the Hazzan many opportunities
for displaying a mastery of Hazzanut.

In several of his works, Weisser utilized an onomatopostic
device, providing a musical setting that vividly illustrated the text.
In this volume it is the T'ka B'schofor:

These opening measures to the Vfiu Radium, introducing the
Maariv Service, illustrate the style employed by Weisser throughout
the work:

SHIREI JOSHUA, published in 1935, is a compilation of reci-
tatives dealing with material found outside the realm of the prayer
book, and intended primarily for concert performance. For the first
and only time in his liturgical works, Weisser prefaces each compo-
sition with a two and, in most cases, four measure piano introduction
that 1) utilizes some of the thematic material found in the recitative
proper and 2) strongly establishes the key and mode of the particular
selection. Each composition contains clearer phrase markings than in
any previous work, as well as many more written indications regard-
ing the style and dynamics intended by the composer.

The best known selection from this collection is the recitative
from the Pirkei Ovoth; Akavyo Ben Mahalalel Omer. This piece was
recorded for Victor by the late Hazzan Mordecai Herschman, and is
held by at least one critic to have been Weisser's "crowning work."6
It is in the Talmudic style, a style in which Weisser, as stated
previously, had few peers:

AkA[/vo ($£/l/ maha&l a»e*)

Also among the best in this collection is the Eilu Devorim (in
the same style as the previously mentioned Akavyo); the Ad Shelo
Notsarti and the Shir Shehalviyim Omrim (Elohai).

With BAAL T'FZLOH, VOLUME I, (130 Recitatives for Sab-
bath and Festivals issued in 1936), Weisser starts a period of greater
creativity and productivity than any liturgical writing he had at-
tempted previously. His largest volume up to this time (143 pages),
it is again fielled with traditional nusach. However, the notation is
cleaner and clearer with less of the usual grace notes found in a
Weisser work. Although many sequences appear they are invariably
well integrated into the setting and are appropriate to the text.

This volume also shows Weisser's further technical development.
Atzabehem Kesef V'zohov is a good representative selection from this

6M. Yardeini "Hazzan Joshua Weisser; Shafer fun Hazonische Kompo-
sitzies," in Der Tog, August 29, 1943.

work to illustrate that development. It is interesting to note the more
varied intervals employed (rarely used previously by the composer) :
the octave skips and the intervals greater than a fifth. Also note the
chromaticisms and how tastefully they are used:

In addition to the Atzabehem, the best from this collection are:
Tov L'Hodos, Mogen Ovos, Kulom Ahuvim, B'richSh'mai (in the
Mishna mode), Ki Lekach Tov and the Ovos In addition, a fair
amount of congregational singing appears for the first time. All
written very much in hasidic style, these congregational tunes may
be found in Ahavas Olom, Kaddish, Oleinu, the K'dushas, the Hodo
and Ono Of Hallel.

As Max Wohlberg points out (in his introduction to a later
Weisser work) regarding BAAL T'FZLOH, VOLUME ZZ, (140 Reci-
tatives for Selichoth and the High Holy Days, published in 1940) :

... In Vol. II (1940) the graceful, sequential line is continued.
The phrases are clean and straight-forward. The numberless grace
notes which characterized the composer's early works gradually dis-
appear and assume their rightful place in the meter. The rhythm
is exact and the bar, correct.'"

7 From Max Wohlberg's preface to Weisser's last publication "Shirei Beth
Hakneseth, Volume II," Shulsinger Publishing Company, New York, 1952.
(332 pages)

The best selections in this volume are the Kiddush (with its
very distinctive shofor or trumpet-like call used very appropriately
as the predominating motif) and the Uvchan's and Ve'al Y'de's
(in both of which the traditional nusach is so beautifully integrated).

The hasi die-styled Hayom and K' Ohd Hanimtach have become
popular in many congregations.

Included in this volume is Weisser's K'dusha for Musaf, a com-
position that won first prize in a world-wide contest conducted by
the publication "Die Shul and Die Hazzonim Welt," the organ of the
Agudas Hahazzanim of Poland and published in Warsaw, Poland.*

flrf,.».ifl:«& "t l iUAtfxfii ^

J 3(T MA %ft t'tt, — tVt Uti t U> «*' -A

8 "DieResultaten fun Undzer Ketshitativn-Konkurs," Music Supplement in
Die Shul und Die Hazzanim Welt, Warsaw, Poland, January 1938.

This composition may be found in its entirety on the following page:

In 1943 appeared AVODATH HAHAZAN, VOLUME I, (Reci-
tatives, Congregational Singing, Zemirot, Hebrew and Yiddish folk
songs and hasidic melodies; all for the Sabbath) which Max Wohl-
berg terms "perhaps the most interesting volume in our entire
Hazzanic literature' 9

Opening with musical settings of passages from Shir Hashirim,
the volume continues with the Sabbath Service for Hazzan and
Congregational Singing. ° Then follows Zemirot, songs in Yiddish
and English, Mincha for Sabbath afternoon and a large group of
Hassidic songs, all in all an unusual collection.

Although the idea of a service for Hazzan and Congregation is
an excellent one, this volume could only meet with partial success
owing to a puzzling misconception on the part of the composer
regarding the musical ability of his "congregation." Some of the
material which Weisser deems "congregational" is a misnomer since
it is much too difficult for non-professionals to sing, and hardly falls
into a "congregational singing" category. However, as a redeeming
factor, there are some tunes that are excellent and fairly easy to sing.

The most valuable section of this collection is that marked "Oneg
Shabbat," containing the Shabbat Zemirot and showing the marked
hasidic influence. Yob Ribon Oiam is a good representative piece
from this particular group:

V'ttCHtHlfSM I- tmKHiSmniim-

In this volume Weisser also includes, for the first time, the work
of another composer, a Shabbos Hamaikah of Pincus Minkowski. In

9 See footnote 7

IDA decade earlier Weisser had strongly opposed the use of congregational
singing. See discussion of article "Choir Singing in the Synagogues. Part II."
Die Hazzanim Welt, Warsaw, Poland, October 1934 to be found on page 41

addition the collection contains Weisser's Yiddish song Shabbos
Licht after words by Heinrich Heine. Also included is Weisser's
English selection "I Love You America" later published separately
(see section on secular songs).

Of particular interest is the large group of hasidic nigunim,
some with words, that comes at the close of this volume. They are
separated into "Nigunei Habad," (Weisser later notated many of the
Habad melodies in a collection called SEFER HANZGUNZM,
Nichoach Publishing Company, New York, 1948); "Nigunei Mod-
&z," "Nigunei Hassidei Ukraine," and "Nigunei Hassidei Galicia"
(Wohlberg points out that a Hodu attributed to Galicia is really
from the Sadigora Dynasty" ) .

Weisser's work in the area of hasidic melodies will be discussed
in greater detail elsewhere in this paper. (See section marked "Nota-
tion of Hasidic Melodies.") It will suffice to remark here that the
examples given in this work point up the tremendous amount of
rhythmic variety and tunefulness to be found in Hassidic song. Each
is a little musical vignette that captures some of the flavor and
emotional impetus of the hasidic movement.

In 1948 Weisser issued his AVODATH HAHAZZAN, VOLUME

ZZ, (Recitatives for the High Holy Days; congregational singing, some
in two parts; 10 Recitatives for concert performance; and Hassidic
melodies). This work, in its entirety, is perhaps the finest and most
practical and useful of any of Weisser's compilations. In addition,
it is perhaps the most complete of its kind, for almost every Piyut
is notated. Modulations are varied and well -integrated, and despite
the fact that we still have considerable repetition of words, the cor-
rect Hebrew accentuation, for the first time, gets some attention.
The two-part "congregational singing" is simply harmonized, as
Israel Rabinowitch notes, "according to that style which was called
by cantors of the old school "tertzele" that is to say, a duet in which
the second voice follows the first, by thirds." 12

This fragment, S'u Sheorim, found in the L'dovid Mizmor of
siichos, is a good example of how Weisser handles the two voice
arrangement. Note the very short, almost canon-like figure, followed
by the harmonization in thirds:

"See footnote 7

"Israel Rabinowitch, "Of Jewish Music, Ancient and Modern." Eagle
Publishing Company. Montreal, Canada, 1952. 321 pages.

fiT. =■ / ', .

^ 'TT^ -; p i—

s

ofueafMioiuiltHai, <r

rfi »I4S </ As £Wf o- u*« '

As was true of all the Weisser liturgical works, this volume is also
abundant in traditional nusach. Hamaavir Bonov shows us a combi-
nation of nusach and the flow and variety of the Weisser Hazzanic
line, Note also the careful treatment of the Hebrew:

Ho ■ — 8'3/n tUa — XA U»- b'aM Hj MJ- l»m -

Occasionally, the Hazzan may have an obligato-type counter
melody against the originally stated melody. This feature is found
in a section from Ki K'shimcho:

c^L-esi- c(

f) K '

C.HO TvitYoi/£v(-

t/CH Tun* ^b — vec

JCM TUL a

uet -

WM

~K.U

" ""

J fc-

Auj «o Sfe^ \iei Jena Jo*, tote —

*«/

' CHj "CM* LC*t

»i*i

HAUHio-Jp

,1 *'

TJ*L

o-twt M)t o

*W e

"J" "»

?»' • • J* 1 .]] ) r^t , 'J i »i^_

The highlights of this volume are: The W Handinos, the
Uvchein's and all the Piyuttim. These are all almost pure nusach,
and again give the impression of impromptu "davening." The Haim
K'onu Lo of the Asoroh Harugei Malchus is another fine example
of Wei sser's handling of the Mishna Mode, completely capturing the
narrative quality of the selection. Excellent and very singable congre-
gational melodies may be found in Ki Vi Yirbu, Kaddish ShaLem,
L'Shonoh Haboh B'yirushalavim (all Hassidically influenced) and in
Eil Dar Bamorom, B'rosh Hashonoh, the V'al Kulom's, Ki Hine
Kachomer and K'ohel Hanimtach.

A major section of this work contains ten selected recitatives for
concert use, not unlike Weisser's earlier SHIREI JOSHUA. The texts
here employed are from the Siddur, the Psalms and the Talmud. An
additional, and highly desirable feature, is the stating of the text
alone, prior to its utilization in the musical setting proper. Several of
the recitatives are written in the Mishna Mode or Learning Mode,
and Weisser's consumate craftsmanship in this style is in great
evidence. As Wohlberg points out "in these numbers the composer
reached the zenith of his mastery in the field of the recitative." 13

i ^See footnote 7

The volume concludes with the notation of another group of
hasidic melodies, some with words. Among this group are the highly
popular Yivorech Es Bes Yisroet, Vayhi Bishurun Mefech and Simon
Tov.

With SHIREI BETH HAKNESETH, VOLUME I, (published
in 1951 and containing compositions from Hazzan and choir for
Sabbath and Festivals, plus an added section of new recitatives),
Weisser finally turned to the publication of his choral compositions.
The harmonization and style of presentation is typical of many old,
Eastern-European Ashkenazic choir works. Immersed in a predomi-
nantly hasidic idiom, each composition has its short but character-
istic nigun that is repeated again and again, each time treated dif-
ferently. For example, the composer might present his material in
the following manner:

1) The melody is stated by the Hazzan alone, or by one "voice"

of the choir, or in unison by the entire choir.

2) The melody is then taken over by the choir and sung in

its harmonization.

3) The Cantor adds an obligato section when the harmonization

is repeated for the second time.

The above procedure is very apparent in the Golel Or Mipnei
Choshech section of one of Weisser's best numbers in this collection
Asher Bidvoro or the Maariv Service. It is also evident in the
Yism'chu, an exciting hasidic composition that moves along brightly
and rhythmically and best exemplifies the idiom employed by the
composer. Weisser has also set both K'dushas very appropriately to
the mood of the prayers, with a really fine baritone solo in the
Boruch K'vod. In the Yismach Moshe, after the unison beginning,
we have duets in 3rds with soprano and alto antiphonally against
tenor and bass.

All of the choral compositions in this volume are SATB, with the
exception of Birchas Kohanim, arranged for male voices by Albert
Weisser 14 based on music by J oshua Weisser.

The volume closes with a number of Hazzanic recitatives for
Sabbath and Festivals.

The writer of this article (a member of the Weisser choir during
the years 1934-37) had the pleasure of participating in the perform-
ance of many of the selections contained in both SIREI BETH
HAKNESETH, VOLUMES I and II. The compositions always drew
much favorable response whenever they were performed, and were
frequently requested on Weisser's many concert performances.

14 Musicologist and nephew of J oshua Weisser.

SHIREI BETH HAKNESETH, VOLUME II, published in 1952
(posthumously) is a continuation of the choral work of Volume I,
with this volume being devoted to the High Holy Days. As noted
previously, also appearing in this volume (in addition to previously
unpublished material) are the following selections that originally
appeared under Weisser's name in the much earlier SHIROH CHAD-
OSHO (published in 1919 and containing the work of both Weisser
and Hazzan Samuel Kavetsky):

ZadikAdonoi Ernes Vayomer Adonoi

Mi Chomocho Oleinu S'lach No

Tiku the V'al Y'dei's Ki Hineh

Av Horachamin Hayom Haras Olom Vahakohanim

M'chalkeil Chayim Zochreinu B'zikoron Tov N'ilah Kaddish
El Dar Bamorom Halleluyoh Eil B'kodsho

B'rosh Hashono Kol Nidre

However, though the harmony remained basically the same,
Weisser edited the above listed compositions so that the accentuation
throughout would be Hebraically correct. For example, let us com-
pare the Oleinu as it originally appeared in SHZROH CHADOSHO
and as it appears in SHIREI BETH HAKNESETH, VOLUME II:

OLSi^O b*i>}

Since the Slichos Service was considered, in many orthodox con-
gregations, to be a "preview" of the High Holy Days as well as an
"audition" of the Hazzan and choir by the entire congregation
(admittance to Slichos was usually without charge, and if the con-
gregants liked what they heard, they purchased seats for the Holi-
days), I believe that Weisser put some of his greatest effort into the
Slichos Service, and in this volume we have one good composition
after another for the Slichos: L'chu N'ranneno, Eil Mdech, R'tze
Asirosom, and the T' vienu of Himotze Lonu are all fine pieces either
for the Service proper or as material for concerts.

TheMaar/v for Rosh Hashannah is very traditional and we find
here some well arranged and harmonized selections for this service.

The best of the Musaf is the entire Un'sane Tokef including the
Uvashofor Godol. The text is beautifully set, and the composition
is a virtual showpiece for Hazzan and choir. The concluding Hal-
leluyoh Eil B'kodsho and Hayom T'am'tzeinu of the Musaf are bright
and spirited compositions, apropos at this point in the service.

In this volume is also found the Ernes Ki Ato Hu Yotzrom
adapted by Gerowitsch. (See pages 1-2 of this paper.)

For the entire Kol Nidre and Maariv L'Yom Kippur Services,
Weisser utilizes traditional nusach and many traditional tunes. The
composer also gives several different Slach No's and Ki Hineh's to
lend variety to those prayers that call for a continual return to a
refrain.

Included in this volume is a complete Memorial Service for Yom
Kippur Day with the addition of two selections by Gerowitsch,
Adonoy Mo Odom and Baboker (both for Hazzan and Choir).

We then have a number of excerpts from the N'ila Service, all
in traditional style, concluding with a lively L'shonoh Habo B'Yru-
sholoyim arranged for choir. (Much of the material of this section
appeared in solo form in the earlier AVODA TH HAHAZZA N,
VOLUME II. )

The volume ends with 15 new recitatives for the High Holy
Days, among them a Hashir She Halviyim Omrim printed in the
facsimile of the composer's handwriting.

To briefly sum up Joshua Weisser's liturgical works would be to
say that Weisser, throughout his many and voluminous creations for
the synagogue, always adhered to traditional nuschaot. If at times
the quantity was greater than the quality, no matter, for the study
of his liturgical compositions reveals that Weisser always success-
fully fulfilled his goal of creating "liturgical works based on
genuinely Jewish traditional prayer chants" .15 Much of his material,
carefully edited, could be utilized with excellent results in conser-
vative, orthodox or reform services, for the ring of authenticity
sounds throughout every volume. Weisser's compositions and recita-
tives, reduced to their most basic elements, are examples of pure
nusach, nusach that has its roots in the deepest soil of Eastern-
European Ashkenazic synagogal life and history.

l5 See footnote 1

IAZAR WEINER: A TRIBUTE

Albert WEISSER

By far the most significant composer that the Yiddish milieu
in America has so far produced is Lazar Weiner. Born in Russia
in 1897, he came to the U nited States when he was seventeen. Thus
it was here that his real artistic maturation took place and where
his most important works were written and performed. I have little
doubt, too, that had Weiner's songs — which I consider his most
characteristic and personal works — been written to texts other
than Yiddish, say, French or German, he would today surely have
been reckoned among our finest contemporary art-song writers —
easily the equal of Poulenc and far more deserving of esteem and
approbation than most of our well advertised native talents.

This devotion to Yiddish on Weiner's part is indeed most touch-
ing, and one suspects that he has made it a banner and a raison
d'etre for his musical life. In most, other composers of this outlook
the results have too often been a stifling provincialism, a dreary
didacticism, and a sentimentality that knows no bounds. Happily,
Weiner has escaped these characteristics, perhaps because of his
prodigious musical ity, a subtle and severe sense of purely musical
values and a most fortunate temperament that looked outwardly
towards the world and was receptive to new and invigorating musical
and intellectual currents.

This it was that from almost the very beginning of his career
Weiner sought out and was associated with those movements which
were in the vanguard of modern Yiddish poetry. His finest songs
are settings of those path-breaking poets in twentieth-century Yid-
dish literature who belonged to Di Yunge (The Young Ones) and
Di Inzikhisten (The Introspectivists) groups. And what remarkable
settings he has provided these poets! His sensitivity to the sound
and structure of Yiddish is unmatched among all modern composers.
Weiner's method is never to be totally literal, making it possible for
him to always play with the inner life and color of the language;
so, for instance, musical rhythms never seem superimposed but flow
directly from what Weiner finds in the poetry.

To best illustrate what I have been saying here, I would point
to Weiner's brilliant settings of that extraordinary modern Yiddish

ALBERT WEISSER is a well known Jewish musicologist. He is the
author of a definitive work on the folk and art songs of Russian J ewry. Cur-
rently on the music faculty of Queens College in New York, he is a nephew
of the late hazzan-composer, J oshua Weisser.

poet, Jacob Glatstein. Two songs especially stand out —Melalei
and Tzeta-Tzetdi, both from a collection of twelve published in 1948.
Glatstein's verbal virtuosity and powerful imagery are matched line
for line by Weiner's musical equivalents. And for its Biblical breadth,
passion and loftiness of utterance I think Weiner has done nothing
better than his song to a text by the poet M agister, Di Reicl Funem
Novi (The Words of the Prophet). His freedom of range is further
exhibited in a kind of song that is quite uncommon, for some reason,
in the realm of Yiddish art music — the truly convincing love song.
Zch Hob Far Dir a Sod (I have a Secret for You) with text by N. B.
Minkoff has just the right amount of mystery, wonder and tender-
ness to make its ardor credible to the uninvolved bystander.

In a sense, therefore, it can be said that Weiner has done for
these poets and the others he has so devotedly set what their literary
confreres should have, but perhaps could not, do. He has really
translated them, albeit metaphorically and into a different but
kindred sensory structure. Yet he has remained true to their vision
and has given them an added dimension. This must be said because
I have found previous few verbal translations of Yiddish poetry
that I could call, even vaguely, satisfying. So unfortunate have most
of these been that one shudders for the spoiled and possibly irrepar-
able reputations they have incurred. And, of course, the translations
I have seen of Yiddish folk songs have been preposterous. I would,
therefore, caution those adventurous singers who take up Weiner's
songs to make every effort to sing them in Yiddish.

Of course, Weiner must be also viewed within the larger con-
text of modern Jewish music. There is little doubt that he derives
stylistically and perhaps aesthetically from such composers of the
Eastern European Jewish movement as Moses Milner and Alexander
Krein. He has their almost occult passion for the efficacy and abid-
ing importance of the Yiddish folk song. He has, too, their ease and
expertness in building his melodic phrases and lines out of a com-
bination of this song type and Ashkenazi synagogue cantil lation.
But as far as sophistication, diversity of subject matter and in a
purely aural sense, he has gone quite beyond them. From another
composer of this group, Joseph Achron, Weiner has learned not to
be fearful of harmonic and contrapuntal experimentation. And, given
his expansive outlook, I feel quite certain his American experience
has had a profound influence on his work as have, no doubt, most of
the general music currents of this century.

In one area it would seem that Weiner has indeed been most
fortunate. Perhaps because of his devotion to Yiddish as a kind of

45

mystique, the problems contingent on self-identification and J ewish
alienation have never crept into his work or crippled his artistic
powers as has happened so frequently to composers of his genera-
tion, those going before and, alas, as we know too well, those follow-
ing. This is not to say that there are no tensions in his work as is
befitting a contemporary artist.

There is a public side to Weiner by which one supposes he is
perhaps best known. This is the dynamic conductor for many years
of the Workmen's Circle Choir and the ILGWU Chorus and here,
though his tasks were of utmost difficulty, the results in the end
proved invaluable and truly memorable. Conducting amateur singers
from a struggling immigrant community who worked long and hard
during the day, he fashioned remarkable singing groups of such
enthusiasm and facility that they were a delight to hear. These
singers remember Weiner with deep affection and gratefulness for
the beauty and joy of music-making he brought into their lives. And,
because of his association with groups such as these, he was stimu-
lated to write his works in the larger choral forms. Of these, the
cantatas Legend of Toil (1933) and Man In the World (1939) leave
powerful impressions.

Weiner has also been a most valuable composer for the syna-
gogue. Using to the full his delightful lyrical gifts and his brilliant
choral sense, services such as Likras Shabos (1954) and Shir
L'Shabat (1963) bring to the Jewish ritual works of warmth and
compassion.

But the authentic voice is still, to be found in the songs and
there, I think, the real dramas are enacted.

WBNEKS CAIST1ATA ON BONTCHE SCHWEIG

Israel EMIOT

A large crowd recently filled the beautiful sanctuary of Roch-
ester's Temple Beth El on the occasion of the premier performance
of a new cantata, 'The Last J udgment" with music by Lazar Weiner
on a text by Samuel Rosenbaum, which was based upon the story
of Y. L. Peretz, "Bontche Schweig." Temple Beth El is a Conserva-
tive congregation whose spiritual leader is the distinguished rabbi and
noted American J ewish historian, Abraham J . Karp.

The event was the culmination of an admirably courageous
project undertaken by Hazzan Samuel Rosenbaum, the author of the
text and Lazar Weiner, the composer. 'The Last J udgment" is not
the first of such undertakings on the part of the justly renowned
musical and literary innovator, Hazzan Rosenbaum, the cantor of
the congregation, to bring to musical and dramatic expression the
works of Yiddish classicists.

He has, in similar fashion, written a libretto to Peretz's "If Not
Higher" for which Sholom Secunda composed the score. The latter
work was recently shown over the television network of the Columbia
Broadcasting system. This performance, too, was marked by the
presence of CBS television cameras which filmed the event for future
presentation on CBS' "Lamp Unto My Feet."

It should be said, at the outset, that "Bontche Schweig" like "If
Not Higher" are not easily transposed into musical terms.

"Bontche Schweig" is basically a satire, as S. Niger, the literary
critic points out. Peretz takes pity on his protagonist, Bontche, who
remains silent and uncomplaining in the face of a lifetime of pain and
rejection. In spite of his compassion, Peretz nevertheless underscores
his opinion of Bonche in terms of the man's ironically simple striv-
ings: When Bontche finally comes to heaven after a harrowing life-
time of silence and receives the unanimous and favorable judgment
of the Court on High, he is told that he may have whatever his
heart desires. Poor, downtrodden Bontche can think of nothing
greater to wish for than a "hot roll with fresh butter."

Peretz alludes to the potential power which lay untapped in
Bontche. "Had he only raised his voice in protest his cries could have
shattered the walls of J ericho." Bontche is, for Peretz, a symbol of

ISRAEL EMIOT is an award-winning Yiddish port and essayist, who is
the author of a number of volumes of poetry, essays and literary criticism.
He is currently a feature writer for the J ewish Daily Forward,

47

the inert power of the individual and the mass. Even the usually
dullwitted Russian Czarist censor caught the unorthodox quasi-
revolutionary flavor of the implications and for a long time forbade
the publication of the story.

Peretz does not speak of a "Last J udgment." As Rosenbaum
expands the story, it is not so much Bontche that is on trial but
ultimately all of humanity is to answer for the degradation it per-
mitted to be perpetuated on Bontche. In the original Peretz goes to
great lengths to point up Bontche's culpability in his own misery.
Peretz cynically castigates Bontche for not having cried out. He
lists a long and purposely exaggerated list of unhappy events of
which Bontche is the silent victim who fails to cry out even in the
hospital "where such cries are permitted."

Rosenbaum, in retelling the story, pictures Bontche only as the
innocent and uncomplaining victim of life's trials. His Bontche
quickly earns the sympathy and the pity of the audience. Some day,
his text implies, those responsible for Bontche's pain and those who
permit it to exist will yet stand before the Great Court for a
"Last J udgment."

The libretto, up to the finale, shows great respect for Peretz's
language and ideas. The extension and manipulation of the text in
the finale were undertaken by the librettist only because of the
musical demands. It is not necessary, however, to agree with Rosen-
baum's interpretation of the story, especially since in this writer's
opinion Peretz had already made his points very well in his descrip-
tion of Bontche's first judgment.

But, perhaps it is unfair to criticize this deviation from Peretz.
It is understandable that a musical work cannot easily conclude in
mid-air, as does Peretz, with Bontche's pathetic request for a roll
with butter. It would seem that the musical forces cannot be quite
so abruptly and finally silenced.

The cantata was performed by the extremely talented forty voice
Rochester Chorale under the direction of Milford Fargo of the faculty
of Rochester's Eastman School of Music. Richard Volpe was the
authoritative accompanist. The chorus and, particularly, its con-
ductor substantiated in this performance the group's extraordinarily
tine reputation.

The soloists were the well known cantor, Arthur Koret of Eman-
uel Synagogue in Hartford, Connecticut (tenor), Ardis Obermeyer
(soprano), and Earl Obermeyer (baritone). The latter are well
known oratorio and solo singers in Rochester and Buffalo.

It must be pointed out that the distinguished and moving score
by Lazar Weiner, the extraordinarily sensitive contributions of all
the forces, including the spoken narration by the author all combined
to produce a superbly harmonious performance. The chorus proved
itself a top flight professional group that knew what the conductor
wanted and was always prepared to satisfy his requirements. The
soloists were in fine voice and sang their parts with artistry and
musicianship.

It is for me a foregone conclusion that the work will be successful
and particularly meaningful to those who are not acquainted with
Peretz's Bontche Schweig and will, therefore, have no reservations
about additions to the text. They will not miss Peretz's gentle, ironic
treatment of Bontche.

But "Fiddler On The Roof" which has enjoyed such fantastic
success is a great deal further from Sholom Aleichem's authentic
Tevya than is Hazzan Rosenbaum's rendering of Peretz's Bontche
Schweig.

Hazzan Rosenbaum has proven himself to be a valuable experi-
menter. He dares to accomplish much that others in the field have
never even thought about and every innovator deserves to be com-
mended. Even the great Edison needed uncounted experiments to
bring him to his final and successful experiment: the creation of light.

PIRKB HAZZANLTT

Max Wohlberg

By the year 1926 I had decided to become a Hazzan. My mother,
sister and brothers preceded me in emigrating to the United States
and had settled on the East Side.

Upon arrival here I found everyone busily occupied "earning a
living." Compared to our fairly prosperous way of life in Europe our
financial situation here was quite modest.

My knowledge of music was in a similar state. Since I could
not afford to pay for music lessons I managed to buy a piano. It
was so enormous that it filled one entire room of our not too
spacious apartment. I learned the rudiments of musical theory on
my own.

The arrival of the piano was a major event in our block. Be-
cause of its size it could not be maneuvered around the stairs. It
thus had to be hoisted with pulleys from the roof. When it was
parallel with our floor it was found to be too wide to go in the
window. Then the window-frames were removed, and, accompanied
by unholy oaths, it was eased into the apartment. As its shape was
oblong and its top was flat, it served as an extra bed in emergencies.
I clearly recall that the piano with its moving cost me twenty-five
dollars. My mother insisted that I give the movers a two dollar tip.
She, God bless her soul, was always extravagant. When, years later,
we moved, we left the piano for the next tenants.

I had an irrepressible urge to study. I tried to read every book,
pamphlet and article that had the remotest relation to the subjects
of J ewish music and liturgy. Every free moment was spent in one
of four libraries: the 42nd Street, the 5th Avenue, the Music Library
on 58th Street or at the J ewish Theological Seminary. I believe I
went through every item in their catalogues with relevance to my
subjects. English, German, Hebrew and Yiddish offered no prob-
lems. Articles in French I had translated into English for better
comprehension. Alas, there was very little of this literature in my
mother-tongue, Hungarian.

I continued with my secular studies in evening sessions and
worked at different trades during the daytime. I tried to sew neck-
ties and ended up pressing them. For a short while I also pressed
coat linings. I worked for a matzo bakery. I clerked in a dry goods
store. I sold spark plugs. Whatever I was doing was accompanied
by the humming of some liturgical music. I recall an occasion when
i was making picture-frames while singing some slow-moving High
Holiday music. The owner watched me for a while then said: "Max
sing a march!"

I received invitations from a few small synagogues to chant the
Sabbath Service, mostly without remuneration. One of these, Eitz
Hayim on Ave. C, actually had tickets printed for my davening on
Shavuot (1926). As my idealistic brother-in-law assured the con-
gregation that I would not accept money from his shul I was pre-
sented with a fine letter and a large woolen tallis.

There was another synagogue on Lewis Avenue where I fre-
quently led the service. Before the holidays, at a stormy congre-
gational meeting, a close decision was reached. In spite of my fine
davening they thought it would be unseemly for a congregation in-
cluding numerous venerable gentlemen to be led in High Holiday
prayers by a young boy.

Desirous of participation in the conduct of holy day services, I
approached my uncle who then served as Cantor in the large syna-
gogue on Tompkins and Willoughby Avenues and asked him if he
knew of a choir position for me. He referred me to a Cantor J acob
Schraeter in Brooklyn.

My visit to the Schraeter home was as delightful as it was
successful. But a word must be said about the Schraeter family.
J acob Schraeter was a good, matter-of-fact, practical-no-nonsense
Cantor and Mohel. He and his dear wife were warm and friendly;
qualities often found in J ewish homes. What was unusual about the
family was the extent of the role of music in its life. The two
youngsters I saw there at play grew up to be our colleagues Alvin
and Arnold. A brother of J acob was Henry Schraeter, a well known
cantor and vocal teacher. He was the first teacher of Leonard War-
ren. Henry's wife was the renowned dramatic soprano Viola Philo
who appeared at the Metropolitan Opera and became the perennial
star at Roxy's and at Radio City.

A sister of Jacob and Henry was Mrs. Rose Rappaport, the
mother of the excellent pianist and teacher J erome Rappaport now
on the faculty of the University of Arizona in Tuscon teaching piano,
composition, etc. A brother of J erome was Edward who became a
dentist but for the holidays conducted a synagogue choir.

For eight hours a day Jerome sat at the piano practicing. I
once engaged him in a discussion of J ewish music and wound up
collaborating with him in composing V'lirushalayim Ircha, a pencil
sketch of which I still have.

Cantor Schraeter asked me to sing for him. If my recollection is
correct, I sang a passage from the weekday Amidah. His comment,
I recall clearly, was concise. There were too many "ideas" I tried

51

to put across. My singing should not be too involved and cluttered
with too many elements. I should rather strive for simplicity and
clarity. This was, I know, excellent advice which, alas, I did not
always heed.

He also informed me that his nephew Eddy conducted the
holiday choir at the Glenmore Avenue Synagogue in Brooklyn and
was in need of a tenor. Eddy Rappaport promptly engaged me,
since I was a fairly good sight-reader.

As only a few compositions involved the cantor and since the
members of the choir knew their music, rehearsals were few and
pleasant.

The hazzan was competent, although not exciting.

The fair-sized choir stood surrounding the pulpit, facing the
conductor and behind him the cantor.

The first day of Rosh Hashanah passed uneventfully. On the
second day, as soon as the Hazzan began the Hineni, it became
evident that he was not well. After a few words, he slumped to the
floor and pandemonium broke loose. After some confusion, it be-
came clear that he had suffered a heart attack. He was placed in a
taxi and was driven home.

The rabbi of the Congregation was Goodblatt, a revered, elderly
gentleman. He was the father of Rabbi Goodblatt of Beth Am in
Philadelphia. As soon as the accident occurred, he approached the
pulpit asking the congregation to remain calm. He was joined by
the president of the congregation, a tall, stocky individual, and a
number of other officers and "machers."

Eddy turned to me and asked me if I could do the service. I,
of course, said, yes, whereupon Eddy turned to the rabbi and officers
saying that this youngster seems to know what it is all about and
is willing tojump into the breach.

Hearing this, the rabbi and president approached me and in-
terrogated me thoroughly. When they were satisfied with hy answers,
I was asked to walk around to the Cantor's place, in front of the
pulpit, and start again with Hineni. As an extra precaution, the
rabbi stood alongside of me to ascertain my acquaintance with the
liturgy.

With the confidence of youth, I launched into the service, sang
the solos, improvised and acted as if I did this every other week.
With a sigh of relief, the rabbi soon returned to his place and I,
encouraged by the evident satisfaction of Eddy and the congrega-
tion, concluded the Musaf. No sooner did I sing the last Omen, when

the president embraced me — my face against his diaphragm —
and exclaimed: "Oy, far vos hot yener noch nechten nit gechalesht!"

As the hazzan was not well enough for Yom Kippur, I again
replaced him. Thus did I make my debut in East New York.

Encouraged in my decision to pursue a career in the cantorate,
I continued with my Hebrew studies at the Herzliah. To gain choral
experience, I applied for a job in the chorus at the Metropolitan
Opera. I was rejected. A year later I reapplied, accepted and sang
there for two years. Among the permanent choristers were our
colleagues, the Steinberg brothers, sons of the renowned Yoshe Der
Bass.

My voice teachers were the aggressive, hard-drinking Russian,
Boris Starling (Skvartzoff) and later the gentle, soft-spoken Walter
Mattern.

As I felt the need for more knowledge of music, I began the
study of harmony and counterpoint with Arnold Powell, a first-rate
musician. Some of his compositions were performed by the New York
Philharmonic under Stokowsky. Powell, the son of Hazzan Zemach-
sohn, was a highly eccentric and outspoken individual. After a few
sessions with me, he candidly announced that in his opinion I'd
never amount to much.

In 1927 I accepted the high holiday position in Agudas Achim
on Gates Avenue, Brooklyn. The synagogue was in a renovated
movie theatre. My fee was either $900 or $950. However, for this
magnificent sum, I was also to furnish a choir. Since my octet in-
cluded my younger brother and two of my nephews, I managed to
clear approximately $700.

I had accepted the offer with alacrity, without realizing that I
did not have an appropriate choral repertoire. I turned to J acob
Schraeter. Without a moment's hesitation, he provided me with a
complete repertoire in simple arrangement.

The performance of my choir was less than modest. However,
the congregation retained my services for all the festivals and special
Sabbaths of the year. I thus completed my apprenticeship. In this
period I began to build my music library and continued my study
of hazzanic literature.

In 1928 I accepted my first full-time position, the first of six
I have filled to this date.

REVIEW OF NEW MUSIC

THE LAST JUDGEMENT: A Can-
tata for Narrator, Soprano, Tenor,
Baritone and Mixed Chorus and
Orchestra, Text by Samuel Rosen-
baum. Music by Lazar Weiner.
Mills Music Inc., N.Y.

The past several years have dealt
heavily with the cause of J ewish
Music in America. Men whose lives
have been dedicated to the service of
the community in terms of effort and
sincerity coupled with inspiration, no
longer serve with us. They are sorely
missed. They are missed even more by
those in a position to be acquainted
with the continued publication of new
works. There are fine and promising
talents among the younger composers
and the future may bear witness to
the maturation of their promise.
Among the older and established
creators of J ewish music are the
small handful of really exceptional
and craftsman I ike composers who
continue to write in their accustomed
manner. Unfortunately, there is also
an increasing flow of banal and medi-
ocre attempts at writing that we fos-
ter in lieu of the genuine article.

Where are the giants? And who
will take their places?

To say that Lazar Weiner has now
become one of the giants would be
unfair to the man himself. He has
always been the master-composer. He
has been blessed with a loving and
understanding family and a large
circle of friends who have recognized
his great creative abilities for many
years. Weiner sets his own heights
and having reached them proceeds
further and upward.

Compared with many of lesser
ability, his available output as a com-
poser is relatively small. His own
critical view is responsible and one is
sure that his over-cautious attitude

53

toward his own works has robbed us
of many beautiful and worthwhile
pieces. But it is this attitude of self-
criticism (that too many others lack,
even in small degree) that is probably
accountable for the sui generis quality
of his gem-like 'THE LAST JUDGE-
MENT."

Samuel Rosenbaum's exquisite text
compliments exactly the completely
natural and idiomatic flow of the

One wonders if the term cantata is
not misused in this instance. The
work is operatic in concept and one
can imagine the texts which are
spoken by the Narrator easily set to a
musical line. The chorus parts are
each individually beautiful and much
to be admired. What a field-day for
those who would wish to pick out
"J ewish" thematic material from the
marvelously "right" orchestral part.
The change of emotion and mood
which permeates the work is in-
stantly reflected in the music. The-
matic ideas are voiced in the text as
well as picked up and developed in
the music. Patterns of intervals, har-
monies, rhythms and other figures are
suggested, continued, inverted, re-
versed and tied together with Weiner's
own particular piquant harmonic
style. Indeed, Rosenbaum has some-
how managed to reflect the coloristic
approach of this post-Impressionist
in his own text which abounds in
colorful and warm sounds.

Those who know Weiner's
"GOLEM" will recognize this work
as the next major effort in the com-
poser's continued growth in his ex-
ceptional life as a giant in J ewish
music. One hopes that the collabora-
tion of these two potent forces in
J ewish creative life will extend well
into the future, and that the great
gifts of musical expression which are
Weiner's will continue unabated.

THE LORD IS MY STRENGTH
(SATB): by Bennet Penn, Trans-
continental Music Publications,
N.Y.

A short anthem, clean and unpre-
tentious, written ostensibly for pro-
fessional chorus. One laments the
fact that Mr. Penn felt it necessary
to state themes and then to abruptly
use new ideas without any develop-
ment other than the moving figura-
tions that ended with Lazare Samin-
sky. However, it exudes strength and
will sound well.

ELEGY FOR ORGAN: by Herman
Berlinski. Transcontinental Music
Publications, N.Y.

A short and lovely Elegy which
seems to be based upon the chordal
implications and relationship of C#
Minor and G Minor. A brief thematic
introduction is followed by a chordal
extension which is broadened into a
repeated slurred figuration. The main
middle portion, with its Chopinesque
overtones of descending chromatics, is
very beautiful.

CAUSE US LORD OUR GOD,
For Voice and Organ (or Piano)
by Albert Rozin, Transcontinental
Music Publications, N.Y.
Although it holds the promise of
an interesting and different approach
to the English translation of "Hash-
kivenu", Mr. Rozin might have utili-
zed his obvious ability in fashioning
a more musical setting.

WE STRODE THROUGH THE

WAVES, WHEN YISRAEL LEFT

MITZRAYIM (SATB). From the

Opera "Out of the Desert": by

Julius Chajes, Lyrics by Michael

A tzmoni Keen, Transcontinental

Music Publications, N.Y.

These two choral pieces, much in

Mr. Chajes' well-known open-fifth

style, suffer badly from an awkward

and very dated English prose-style.

Musically sound, if familiar, one won-
ders what choral group would use this
material and on what occasion.

ARIA OF LAPIDOTH, AND THE
WAVES STOOD STILL, For Solo
Voice and Piano, From the Opera
"Out of the Desert": by Julius
Chajes. Lyrics by Michael Atzmoni
Keen. Transcontinental Music Pub-
lications, N.Y.

Commissioned by Temple Israel of
Detroit on the occasion of its 25th
Anniversary. "Out of the Desert" is
represented on these pages again by
two of the solo aria from the work.
They fare slightly better than the
choral pieces already seen, but only
slightly. Of the two. "And the Waves
Stood Still" is the most practical. Mr.
Chajes knows how to construct a good
melody and underpins it with a per-
cussive and florid moving accom-
paniment.

CD.

OTHER NEWLY

PUBLISHED MUSIC

HOB ICH MIR A MANTL: Yiddish

Folksong, Arr. by Richard Neu-

ESHET CHAYIL: Voice and Piano,
by Charles Davidson. Transcontin-
ental Music Publications, N.Y.

THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD:
Voice and Piano, by Charles David-
son. Transcontinental Music Pub-
lications, N.Y.

NINE SONGS FOR THREE PART
CHORUS (SAB) : From "Dialogue
With Destiny" by Charles David-
son. Transcontinental Music Pub-
lications, N.Y.

SONGS FOR THE RECORDER
WITH PI AN ACCOMPANI-
MENT: Compiled and arranged by
Leona Molotsky. Anshe Emet Day
School, Chicago, III.

FROM THE READERS

A lady said something to me last Friday evening after Services
that disturbed be very much. She undoubtedly meant it as a com-
pliment but I think that it was a perceptive criticism. She said:
"I like your Services. I find them so restful."

The two phrases that hurt in that compliment are 'Your Serv-
ices" and "restful." The truth is that they aren't supposed to be my
Services, nor the Cantor's, nor the Choir's. They are supposed to be
the outpourings of the hearts of all the people who are present. The
essential differences between a concert and a Service, between a
lecture and a sermon, is precisely in this: to a concert or a lecture
we go to listen and to watch, to a Service or a sermon we go to parti-
cipate and to respond. When this lady said "your Services" she
changed the entire focus. She made it seem as if we were the actors,
as if the prayerbook was a prompter, and as if the congregation was
an audience. The truth is that in a religious service the congregation
are the actors, the pulpit officials are the prompters — and God is
the audience.

What disturbed me even more was her comment that she finds
our Services "restful." They aren't supposed to be, and if they are
then something is wrong. Do you know the old story about the
woman who came to her rabbi and said: "Because of your sermon,
I couldn't sleep all night." The rabbi felt flattered that his words
had affected her so much until she explained: "Whenever I sleep
during the day I can't get to sleep at night." My sermons, I would
hope, are not restful in that sense. I try my best to do two things in
them: to comfort the afflicted, and, what is equally important, to
afflict the comfortable. If people respond by telling me that they are
angry at what I have said, or that they disagree, or that they want
to debate the point, then I feel rewarded for my efforts, but if some-
one says to me that they feel rested, then surely I have failed.

What is true of the sermon is even more true of the Service. The
J ewish prayerbook has many moods in it. It has pages of triumphant
celebration of the glory of creation. It has pages of agonizing remorse
and contrition. It has pages of infinite yearning and pages of noble
vision. But it does not contain a single page that I can think of, that
is intended to be restful. The words of the psalmists and the poets
pound on the hearts of the callous and call upon us to awake and live.
Men in many ages sang these words instead of saying them. Men in
certain generations danced to them, expressing what they felt with
every bone in their bodies as well as with their lips and their tongues.
Men in many communities came out of the prayer-experiences ex-
hausted and yet exhilirated, sweating and yet strengthened, worn
out from the confrontation and yet with new insight-

And we come out rested? If this is so, then there must be some-
thing wrong, with our Services, or with ourselves.

Dayton, Ohio Rabbi Jack Riemer