Moshe Koussevitzky
Encyclopedia
Moshe Koussevitzky was a cantor
and vocalist. A relative of noted conductor Sergei Koussevitzky, he made many recordings in Poland
and the United States.
Born June 9, 1899, he moved to Vilna
in 1920, and served there as cantor at the Sawel Synagogue, and, starting in 1924, at the Great Synagogue of Vilna
. In 1927 or 1928 he became cantor of the Tlomackie Synagogue in Warsaw
, succeeding Gershon Sirota
. Koussevitzky first performed in the United States
in 1938, at New York's Carnegie Hall
. He and his family escaped the Nazis
during the Holocaust
by fleeing to the Soviet Union
.
In 1947 Koussevitzky and his family emigrated to the United States. He became cantor of Borough Park, Brooklyn
's Temple Beth-El in 1952, living in Great Neck
during the week and in Borough Park on the Sabbath
. He died on August 23, 1966, and was buried in Israel.
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...
and vocalist. A relative of noted conductor Sergei Koussevitzky, he made many recordings in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
and the United States.
Born June 9, 1899, he moved to Vilna
Vilnius
Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and its largest city, with a population of 560,190 as of 2010. It is the seat of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the capital of Vilnius County...
in 1920, and served there as cantor at the Sawel Synagogue, and, starting in 1924, at the Great Synagogue of Vilna
Great Synagogue of Vilna
The Great Synagogue of Vilna which once stood at the end of Jewish Street , Vilna, Lithuania, was built between 1630-1633 after permission was granted to construct a synagogue from stone...
. In 1927 or 1928 he became cantor of the Tlomackie Synagogue in Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
, succeeding Gershon Sirota
Gershon Sirota
Gershon-Itskhok Sirota was one of the leading cantors of Europe during the "Golden Age of Hazzanut" , sometimes referred to as the "Jewish Caruso."-Biography:...
. Koussevitzky first performed in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1938, at New York's Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
. He and his family escaped the Nazis
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
during the Holocaust
The Holocaust
The Holocaust , also known as the Shoah , was the genocide of approximately six million European Jews and millions of others during World War II, a programme of systematic state-sponsored murder by Nazi...
by fleeing to the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
.
In 1947 Koussevitzky and his family emigrated to the United States. He became cantor of Borough Park, 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....
's Temple Beth-El in 1952, living in Great Neck
Great Neck, New York
The term Great Neck is commonly applied to a peninsula on the North Shore of Long Island, which includes the village of Great Neck, the village of Great Neck Estates, the village of Great Neck Plaza, and others, as well as an area south of the peninsula near Lake Success and the border of Queens...
during the week and in Borough Park on the Sabbath
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...
. He died on August 23, 1966, and was buried in Israel.