Alois Kaiser
Encyclopedia
Alois Kaiser American chazzan and composer, and considered to be the founder of American cantorate.
Kaiser received his early education in the religious school of the Vienna
congregation under Dr. Henry Zirndorf, and then studied at the Realschule
and the Teachers' Seminary and Conservatory of Music in Vienna. From the age of 10 he sang in the choir
of Salomon Sulzer
, and in 1859 became an assistant cantor in Fünfhaus, one of the suburbs of Vienna (now a part of Rudolfsheim-Fünfhaus
, the 15th Viennese district); from 1863 to 1866 he was cantor at the Neusynagoge at Prague
.
Kaiser arrived in New York City in June, 1866, and in the following month was appointed cantor of the Oheb Shalom congregation
in Baltimore, Maryland. He was for several years president of the Society of American Cantors. From 1895, he was honorary member of the Central Conference of American Rabbis
, which in 1892 entrusted him and William Sparger with the compilation of the musical portion of an Union Hymnal, published in 1897.
With Samuel Welsh, Moritz Goldstein, and J. L. Rice, Kaiser published the "Zimrat Yah" (1871–86, 4 vols. ), containing music for Shabbat
s and festivals. Of his other compositions may be mentioned:
Kaiser received his early education in the religious school of the Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
congregation under Dr. Henry Zirndorf, and then studied at the Realschule
Realschule
The Realschule is a type of secondary school in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. It has also existed in Croatia , Denmark , Sweden , Hungary and in the Russian Empire .-History:The Realschule was an outgrowth of the rationalism and empiricism of the seventeenth and...
and the Teachers' Seminary and Conservatory of Music in Vienna. From the age of 10 he sang in the choir
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
of Salomon Sulzer
Salomon Sulzer
Salomon Sulzer was an Austrian hazzan and composer. His family, which prior to 1813 bore the name of Levi, removed to Hohenems from Sulz in 1748. He was educated for the cantorate, studying first under the cantors of Endingen and Karlsruhe, with whom he traveled extensively, and later under...
, and in 1859 became an assistant cantor in Fünfhaus, one of the suburbs of Vienna (now a part of Rudolfsheim-Fünfhaus
Rudolfsheim-Fünfhaus
Rudolfsheim-Fünfhaus is the 15th municipal District of Vienna, Austria . It is in central Vienna, west of Innere Stadt....
, the 15th Viennese district); from 1863 to 1866 he was cantor at the Neusynagoge at Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
.
Kaiser arrived in New York City in June, 1866, and in the following month was appointed cantor of the Oheb Shalom congregation
Temple Oheb Shalom (Baltimore, Maryland)
Temple Oheb Shalom is a Reform synagogue in Baltimore, Maryland. The highest point in the city is located in its parking lot.-History:The congregation was founded in 1853 by Jewish immigrants from German Confederation member states...
in Baltimore, Maryland. He was for several years president of the Society of American Cantors. From 1895, he was honorary member of the Central Conference of American Rabbis
Central Conference of American Rabbis
The Central Conference of American Rabbis , founded in 1889 by Rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise, is the principal organization of Reform rabbis in the United States and Canada, the CCAR is the largest and oldest rabbinical organization in the world....
, which in 1892 entrusted him and William Sparger with the compilation of the musical portion of an Union Hymnal, published in 1897.
With Samuel Welsh, Moritz Goldstein, and J. L. Rice, Kaiser published the "Zimrat Yah" (1871–86, 4 vols. ), containing music for Shabbat
Shabbat
Shabbat is the seventh day of the Jewish week and a day of rest in Judaism. Shabbat is observed from a few minutes before sunset on Friday evening until a few minutes after when one would expect to be able to see three stars in the sky on Saturday night. The exact times, therefore, differ from...
s and festivals. Of his other compositions may be mentioned:
- "Confirmation Hymns" (1873)
- "Memorial Service for the Day of Atonement" (1879)
- "Cantata for Simchat Torah" (1890, with William Sparger; preface by Cyrus AdlerCyrus AdlerCyrus Adler was a U.S. educator, Jewish religious leader and scholar.-Biography:Adler was born in Van Buren, Arkansas, a graduate of University of Pennsylvania in 1883 and gained a Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University in 1887, where he taught Semitic languages from 1884 to 1893...
) - "Souvenir of the Jewish Women's Congress at the World's Columbian ExpositionWorld's Columbian ExpositionThe World's Columbian Exposition was a World's Fair held in Chicago in 1893 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the New World in 1492. Chicago bested New York City; Washington, D.C.; and St...
" (1893)