Yossele Rosenblatt
| Jossef "Yossele" Rosenblatt | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 9, 1882 Bila Tserkva, Ukraine |
| Died | June 19, 1933 (aged 51) Jerusalem, Israel |
| Genres | Jewish music |
| Occupations | Cantor, Hazzan, Singer, Composer, Conductor, Actor |
| Years active | 1886–1933 |
Josef "Yossele" Rosenblatt (May 9, 1882 - June 19, 1933) was a Ukrainian-born chazzan (cantor) and composer. He was regarded as the greatest cantor of his time.[1]
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Biography [edit]
Rosenblatt was born on May 9, 1882 in Bila Tserkva, Ukraine. The scion of a long line of cantors,[1] Rosenblatt's devoutly religious upbringing prevented him from receiving formal musical training at any of the great academies of his day. He began his career as a member of the local synagogue choir. Quickly lauded as a "wunderkind", or child prodigy, Rosenblatt's solo career was launched.[citation needed] At the age of 7, he moved with his family to Sadigora, Bukovina (Austria).[2]
He accepted his first full-time position in Munkacs, Hungary at the age of eighteen. Shortly afterword he relocated to Bratislava. He later occupied a position in Hamburg, Germany. In 1912, he moved to Harlem to take a position at the Ohab Zedek orthodox congregation.[1] In August 1927, he left his position at the Ohab Zedek congregation. During the following High Holy Days, he led the services in a hall in Chicago, and on Sukkot - in Detroit. During the succeeding months, he traveled throughout the United States, leading services in cities such as Minneapolis, Seattle, Indianapolis, Columbus, Milwaukee, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. In Washington, D.C., he met with then-President Calvin Coolidge. In 1928, he signed a 10-year contract with First Congregation Anshe Sfard, located in Borough Park, Brooklyn.
Rosenblatt's fame extended beyond the Jewish world earning him large concert fees, a singing role in the 1927 film The Jazz Singer, and the sobriquet "The Jewish Caruso".[1]
He died on June 19, 1933 in Jerusalem.
Style [edit]
He was known for his extraordinary technique, for the sweetness of his timbre, and for his unique ability to transition from normal voice to falsetto with hardly any noticeable break at all.
His technique in cantillation was unique. Notes were hit remarkably accurately at high speeds. Fiorituras, similarly, were struck near perfectly, both rhythmically and on pitch. His fame spread so far that Toscanini appealed to him to sing the leading role in Fromental Halévy's La Juive, but Rosenblatt replied that he would only use his vocal gift for the glory of God, in service to his religion. Notably, he turned down a "Golden Hello" from the Chicago opera house because it violated his religious principles.
Rosenblatt corresponded with many of the great tenors of his day. It is told that upon hearing Rosenblatt sing "Elli Elli", Enrico Caruso was so moved that he ascended the stage and kissed him.[citation needed]
Legacy [edit]
Rosenblatt perhaps exerted the greatest influence on cantorial music's "Golden Age". He led the transition from the more freestyling cadenza-laden approach prevalent before his era, to a more structured, metered style. Rosenblatt pioneered the use of several cantorial techniques which have subsequently been adopted by cantors around the world. These include his trademark krekhts, or sob in which he would deliberately allow his voice to crack to convey the emotion of what he was singing. He also developed a realistic soprano falsetto as a method of easing the strain on his overworked voice. A prolific composer, more than one hundred and eighty pieces of his have been preserved.
Rosenblatt's great-grandsons include Rabbi Dr. Jonathan Rosenblatt of the Riverdale Jewish Center [3] and Rabbi Andrew Rosenblatt of Congregation Schara Tzedeck in Vancouver.
Since the 78 RPM era, Rozenblatt's recordings have been re-issued many times in LP and CD format. In recent years a set of 3 CDs Od Yosef Chai containing restored versions of 78s of Rosenblatt's performances has been issued by Mostly Music and Galpaz Music, a Brooklyn record store.[1]
External links [edit]
- Yossele Rosenblatt, Selected Recitatives (sheet music)
- David Olivestone: Standing Room Only. The Remarkable Career of Cantor Yossele Rosenblatt
- First Chazzanut Online article on "Yosef (Yossele) Rosenblatt"
- Second Chazzanut Online article on "Yosef (Yossele) Rosenblatt"
- "The Man with the $50,000 Beard: How a cantor became an American music legend"
References [edit]
- ^ a b c d e Berger, Joseph (July 20, 2010). "Bit by Electronic Bit, a Cantor’s Voice Is Restored". New York Times. Retrieved July 20, 2010. "He was called the Jewish Caruso. ... Mr. Rosenblatt, who died in 1933, was regarded as the greatest cantor of his time. ... Mr. Rosenblatt was born in Russia in 1882 and toured Eastern Europe as a child prodigy. In 1912 he immigrated to the United States and became the cantor at Ohab Zedek ..."
- ^ Kalib, Sholom (2002). The musical tradition of the Eastern European synagogue 1. Syracuse University Press. p. 242. ISBN 0815629664.
- ^ Yossele Rosenblatt, 1882—1933, The remarkable career of Cantor Rosenblatt, By David Olivestone [1]
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- 1882 births
- 1933 deaths
- Jewish musicians
- Hazzans
- American male singers
- American composers
- Columbia Records artists
- Ukrainian Jews
- American Orthodox Jews
- American people of Ukrainian-Jewish descent
- People from Bila Tserkva
- Burials at the Jewish cemetery on the Mount of Olives
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