Jossele Rosenblatt
Encyclopedia
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.
, Ukraine
. The scion of a long line of cantors
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.
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 Tsedek orthodox congregation.
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".
He died on June 19, 1933 in Jerusalem.
), 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. Appoggiaturas, 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.
, 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
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, a Brooklyn
record store.
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
chazzan
Hazzan
A hazzan or chazzan is a Jewish cantor, a musician trained in the vocal arts who helps lead the congregation in songful prayer.There are many rules relating to how a cantor should lead services, but the idea of a cantor as a paid professional does not exist in classical rabbinic sources...
(cantor
Cantor
Cantor is surname of:* Andrés Cantor , Spanish-language soccer announcer* Anthony Cantor , British diplomat* Arthur Cantor , American theatrical producer* Aviva Cantor , American journalist, lecturer and author...
) and composer. He was regarded as the greatest cantor of his time.
Biography
Rosenblatt was born on May 9, 1882 in Bila TserkvaBila Tserkva
Bila Tserkva is a city located on the Ros' River in the Kiev Oblast in central Ukraine, approximately south of the capital, Kiev. Population 203,300 Area 34 km².-Administrative status:...
, Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
. The scion of a long line of cantors
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
Child prodigy
A child prodigy is someone who, at an early age, masters one or more skills far beyond his or her level of maturity. One criterion for classifying prodigies is: a prodigy is a child, typically younger than 18 years old, who is performing at the level of a highly trained adult in a very demanding...
, Rosenblatt's solo career was launched.
He accepted his first full-time position in Munkacs, Hungary at the age of eighteen. Shortly afterword he relocated to Bratislava
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...
. He later occupied a position in Hamburg, Germany. In 1912 he moved to Harlem
Harlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, which since the 1920s has been a major African-American residential, cultural and business center. Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands...
to take a position at the Ohab Tsedek orthodox congregation.
Rosenblatt's fame extended beyond the Jewish world earning him large concert fees, a singing role in the 1927 film The Jazz Singer
The Jazz Singer (1927 film)
The Jazz Singer is a 1927 American musical film. The first feature-length motion picture with synchronized dialogue sequences, its release heralded the commercial ascendance of the "talkies" and the decline of the silent film era. Produced by Warner Bros. with its Vitaphone sound-on-disc system,...
, and the sobriquet
Sobriquet
A sobriquet is a nickname, sometimes assumed, but often given by another. It is usually a familiar name, distinct from a pseudonym assumed as a disguise, but a nickname which is familiar enough such that it can be used in place of a real name without the need of explanation...
"The Jewish Caruso".
He died on June 19, 1933 in Jerusalem.
Style
He was known for his extraordinary technique (which he used primarily in cantillationCantillation
Cantillation is the ritual chanting of readings from the Hebrew Bible in synagogue services. The chants are written and notated in accordance with the special signs or marks printed in the Masoretic text of the Hebrew Bible to complement the letters and vowel points...
), for the sweetness of his timbre, and for his unique ability to transition from normal voice to falsetto
Falsetto
Falsetto is the vocal register occupying the frequency range just above the modal voice register and overlapping with it by approximately one octave. It is produced by the vibration of the ligamentous edges of the vocal folds, in whole or in part...
with hardly any noticeable break at all.
His technique in cantillation was unique. Notes were hit remarkably accurately at high speeds. Appoggiaturas, 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
Fromental Halévy
Jacques-François-Fromental-Élie Halévy, usually known as Fromental Halévy , was a French composer. He is known today largely for his opera La Juive.-Early career:...
's La Juive
La Juive
La Juive is a grand opera in five acts by Fromental Halévy to an original French libretto by Eugène Scribe; it was first performed at the Opéra, Paris, on February 23, 1835.-Composition history:...
, 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.
Legacy
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 krekhtsKrekhts
Krekhts or krekhtsn are kind of dreydlekh in klezmer music, especially on the violin.In an article about , Bob Cohen of Di Naye Kapelye describes krekhts as "a sort of weeping or hiccoughing combination of backwards slide and flick of the little finger high above the base note, while the bow...
, 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
Jonathan Rosenblatt
Jonathan Rosenblatt is an American Rabbi.Rabbi Dr. Rosenblatt was born in Baltimore, Maryland. He is the great-grandson of Yossele Rosenblatt. Rabbi Dr. Rosenblatt earned the BA and an MA from the Johns Hopkins University in Comparative Literature. He has a PhD from Columbia University in the...
of the Riverdale Jewish Center
Riverdale Jewish Center
The Riverdale Jewish Center is an Orthodox synagogue in the Riverdale neighborhood of the Bronx, New York City.The rabbi as of 2011 is Jonathan Rosenblatt...
and Rabbi Andrew Rosenblatt of Congregation Schara Tzedeck
Congregation Schara Tzedeck
Congregation Schara Tzedeck is an Orthodox synagogue in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It is the oldest synagogue and the largest Orthodox synagogue in the city...
in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
.
Since the 78 RPM
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
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, a Brooklyn
Borough Park, Brooklyn
Borough Park , is a neighborhood in the southwestern part of the borough of Brooklyn, in New York City in the United States....
record store.
External links
- 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"