The Art of the Cantor

Check back for information on the new series.

The Golden Age of the Cantor (1920 — 1960)

The WFMT Radio Network presents a new eight-hour series on the Golden Age of the Cantor (1920 — 1960) featuring the music of some of the greatest Cantors of the 20th Century including the voices of Richard Tucker, Gershon Sirota, Yossele Rosenblatt, Moyshe Oysher, Jan Peerce, The Koussevitzky brothers, and many more.

Your host, internationally known Hazzan Alberto Mizrahi, Cantor of Anshe Emet Synagogue in Chicago, provides historical background and personal insight into the lives and voices of these very special spiritual & musical leaders of the Jewish world. The program series features eight musical themes including Great Cantors of the Golden Age, Operatic Cantors and Cantors in Opera, Cantors in Concert and Cantors After the Golden Age.

PROGRAM 1: Greatest Cantors of the 20th Century, Part I

Yechiel Karniol: Ovinu Malkeynu (Cantor Alter Yechiel Karniol with Choir) Collectors Guild/Seven Great Cantors

Joseph Rosenblatt: Tal (Cantor Joseph Rosenblatt assisted by Cantor Meilech Kaufman with Instrumental Ensemble; Nathaniel Shilkret, Conductor and Arranger) RCA Camden/ Masterpieces of the Synagogue Vol II

Joseph Rosenblatt: R'tzey Asirosom (Cantor Joseph Rosenblatt with male Choir; Meyer Machtenburg, Conductor; Herbert Slotnick, boy alto; D. Mendoza, violin) RCA Victor/The Art of the Cantor Vol. I

Rosenblatt-Herman Wohl: Yaale (Cantor Joseph Rosenblatt, Henry Rosenblatt, bass; Instrumental Ensemble directed by Leroy Shields) RCA Victor/Golden Voices of Israel

Yitzchak Schlossberg: R'tzey (Cantor Gershon Sirota with orchestra; Samuel Alman, Conductor) Collectors Guild/Sirota Sings Again

David Ajzenstadt: Shomo Vatismach Tziyon (Cantor Gershon Sirota with orchestra; Samuel Alman, Conductor) Collectors Guild/Sirota Sings Again

Giacomo Puccini: E Lucevan Le Stelle (Cantor Gershon Sirota) Collectors Guild Records/Sirota Sings Again

Giacomo Puccini: E Lucevan Le Stelle (Richard Tucker with Columbia Symphony Orchestra, Fausto Cleva, conductor) Columbia Masterworks/Richard Tucker in Memoriam

Jacob Rapaport: Eylu D'vorim (Cantor Mordechai Hershman with instrumental ensemble) Greater Recording Company/The Best Cantorial Works of Mordechai Hershman

Elias Shnepelisky: Wedding Service (Cantor Mordechai Hershman with instrumental ensemble) Collectors Guild/Seven Great Cantors Folk Song A Pastuch'l (Cantor Mordechai Hershman soloist) Everest/Scala Records/Jewish Folk Songs

Herman Wohl: Hayom Haras Olom (Cantor Moishe Oysher with instrumental ensemble; Abraham Ellstein, conductor and arranger) Menorah Records/The Fabulous Voice of Moishe Oysher

Moishe Oysher: Amar, Amar (Cantor Moishe Oysher with instrumental ensemble; Abraham Ellstein, conductor) Menorah Records/The Fabulous Voice of Moishe Oysher

PROGRAM TWO: Greatest Cantors of the 20th Century, Part 2

Leib Glantz: Sh'ma Yisroel (Cantor Leib Glantz; Solomon Braslavsky, organ) RCA Victor/Golden Voices of Israel

Leib Glantz: Tal (Cantor Leib Glantz; Solomon Braslavsky, organ) RCA Victor/Golden Voices of Israel

Zavel Kwartin: V'al Y'dei Avodecho (Cantor Zavel Kwartin; Solomon Braslavsky, organ) RCA Victor/Golden Voices of Israel

Zavel Kwartin: Tiher Rabi Yishmuel (Cantor Zavel Kwartin; Solomon Braslavsky, organ) RCA Victor/Golden Voices of Israel

Pierre Pinchik: Rozo D'shabbos (Cantor Pierre Pinchik, accompanying himself on the organ) RCA Victor/Golden Voices of Israel

Samuel Vigoda: Ribono Shel Olom (Cantor Samuel Vigoda; Solomon Braslavsky, organ) RCA Victor/The Art of the Cantor Vol. II

Samuel Vigoda: Ani Maamin (Cantor Samuel Vigoda; Solomon Braslavsky, organ) RCA Victor/The Art of the Cantor Vol. II

David Roitman: Mi Sheoso Nissim (Cantor David Roitman with instrumental ensemble) Collectors Guild/Song of the Sabbath Day

David Roitman: V'haarev No (Cantor David Roitman with instrumental ensemble) Collectors Guild/The Art of Cantor David Roitman

Meyer Posner: Uv'yom Hashabbos (Cantor Joseph Shlisky with Choir; Meyer Posner, conductor; instrumental ensemble directed by Leroy Shield) Collectors Guild/And On the Sabbath

PROGRAM THREE: Greatest Cantors of the 20th Century, Part 3

Arye Leib Rutman: V'shomru (Cantor Aryeh Leib Rutman with organ) Collectors Guild/Seven Great Cantors

Rutman/Ganchoff: V'shomru (Cantor Moshe Ganchoff; Harold Green, organ) Musique Internationale/Moshe Ganchoff, The Early Recordings

Moshe Ganchoff: L'eyl Oreich Din (Cantor Moshe Ganchoff with Choir) Musique Internationale/Cantor Moshe Ganchoff-Rosh Hashono Excerpts

Israel Alter/Ganchoff: V'lyrusholayim Ircho (Cantor Moshe Ganchoff; Warner S. Bass, piano) Musique Internationale/Treasury of Historic Performances

Joshua Wieder: Mimkomcho (Cantor Joshua Wieder; Abraham Ellstein, organ) Musique Internationale/A People Beloved

Berele Chagy: Yiru Eineinu (Cantor Berele Chagy; Abraham Ellstein, organ) Great Recording Company/The Best Cantorial Works of Berele Chagy

Joseph Rosenblatt: Ad Heino Azorunu (Cantor Moshe Koussevitzky with instrumental ensemble; Warner S. Bass, conductor & arranger) RCA Victor/Festival Gems

Mendel Kotlowitz: Aneynu (Cantor Moshe Koussevitzky, Jack Baras piano) Musique Inernationale/In Concert Cantor Moshe Koussevitzky

Leo Low: Korutz Mechomer (Cantor Moshe Koussevitzky with instrumental ensemble; Warner S. Bass, conductor & orchestrator) RCA Victor/Festival Gems

David Kusevitsky: Zaro Chayo (Cantor David Kusevitsky; Abraham Ellstein, organ) Folkways Records/Cantorials Birkat Hachodesh (Cantor David Kusevitsky) Private Recording from a live Sabbath Service at Temple Emanuel, Boro Park, Brooklyn

Kashtan Weintraub: Ki K'shimcho (Cantor Moshe Ganchoff with male choir from School of Sacred Music-Hebrew Union College. Conducted by A.W. Binder) Musique Internationale/ Cantorial Classics

PROGRAM FOUR: Operatic Cantors & Cantors in Opera

Max Helfman: Kaddish Sholeym-Kiddush (Cantor Abraham Shapiro with Choir; Max Helfman, conductor) Musique Internationale/The Holy Sabbath

David Moshe Steinberg: Ki Lekach Tov (Cantor Joseph Schmidt; Gershon Swet, piano) Preiser Records/Joseph Schmidt Religiose Gesange und Arien

Jules Massenet: Ich Bin Allein, from the opera, Manon (Joseph Schmidt) Preiser Records/Joseph Schmidt Religiose Gesange und Arien

Giuseppe Verdi: Ma se m'e forza perderti from Un Ballo in Maschera (Jan Peerce with the RCA Victor Orchestra; Frieder Weissman, conductor) Legato Classics/Jan Peerce, The Great American Tenor

Arr. Henry Russotto: Kol Nidre (Jan Peerce with RCA Victor Orchestra and Chorus; Warner S. Bass, conductor) RCA Victor/Hebrew Melodies Todros Greenberg/Bessie

Greenberg-Graubart: Psalm XXX, Mizmor Shir (Cantor Jacob Barkin with the Halevy Choral Society, Sholom Kalib, Choral arrangement; Hyman Reznick, conductor; Sonia Kass, piano) Musique Internationale/Religious Masterworks

Jacques Halevy: Rachel, Quand du Siegneur, from La Juive (Cantor Jacob Barkin; Sonia Kass, piano) Musique Internationale/Orchestra Hall Concert/Halevy Choral Society

Sidney Shicoff: Ahavas Olom (Cantor Sidney Shicoff; Abraham Ellstein, organ) Metro Records/The Dynamic Cantorials of Sidney Shicoff

Sholom Secunda: Yiru Eyneynu (Cantor Richard Tucker with Orchestra; Sholom Secunda, conductor) Columbia Records/Ten Greatest Hebrew Prayers

Ruggiero Leoncavallo: Vesti La Giubba from I Pagliacci (Richard Tucker with orchestra; Fausta Cleva, conductor) Columbia Records/Richard Tucker Memorial Album

PROGRAM FIVE: The Cantor in America

Moishe Oysher: Chad Gadyo (Cantor Moishe Oysher with the Abraham Nadel Chorus; Instrumental ensemble directed by Abraham Ellstein) Rozanna Records/The Moishe Oysher Passover Seder

Yisroel Schorr: Sheyiboneh Beys Hamikdosh (Yisroel Schorr with instrumental ensemble) Collectors Guild/The Voice of Devotion

Yisroel Schorr: Sheyiboneh Beys Hamikdosh (Moshe Koussevitzky with instrumental ensemble; Joseph Rumshinsky, conductor) RCA Victor/Festival Gems

Yisroel Schorr: Sheyiboneh Beys Hamikdosh (Moishe Oysher with instrumental ensemble arranged and conducted by Abraham Ellstein) Menorah Records/The Fabulous Voice of Moishe Oysher

Herman Wohl: Hashto Bagolo (Cantor Leibele Waldman with choir and instrumental ensemble; Jacob Goldstein, conductor) Maaloh Records/Hassidic Song

Hassidic Melody Al Y'dei Dovid (Cantor Leibele Waldman with choir by Jacob Goldstein and instrumental ensemble; Jacob Goldstein, conductor) Maaloh Records/Hassidic Song

arr. By Joseph Kanefsky: Mi Sheoso Nissim (Bas Sheva with orchestra; Harold Mooney, conductor) Capitol Records/Soul of a People

attributed to Cantor Martin: Baum Ashrey (Cantor Martin Baum) Private recording

Sholom Secunda: Hayom Haras Olom (Cantor Moses J. Silverman with choir; Hyman Reznick, conductor; Max Janowski, organ) MGM Records/Songs of My People

1st verse by Cantor Joseph (Yossele) Rosenblatt arr. By Raymond Goldstein
2nd verse by Cantor Moshe Ganchoff arr. by Hazzan Alberto Mizrahi
Tal (Cantor Alberto Mizrahi with choir; Alan Heatherington, conductor) Tara Music/Festival Delights

Samuel Malavsky: Shomea Kol Bichyos (Cantor Samuel Malavsky; Rose Gross, organ) Sounds of a Generation/Private release

Joseph Rosenblatt: Sholom Aleichem (Malavsky Family Choir; Harry Cooper, organ) Liturgical Gems by the Master

Abraham Ellstein: Yismechu (Jan Peerce with orchestra; Abraham Ellstein, conductor) Vanguard Records/Cantorial Masterpieces

Sholom Secunda: Kiddush for Passover (Richard Tucker with choir and orchestra; Sholom Secunda, conductor) Columbia Records/Ten Greatest Hebrew Prayers

PROGRAM SIX: Cantors in Concert

Moishe Oysher: Ki Lo Noeh (Moishe Oysher with Abraham Nadel Choir and instrumental group; Abraham Ellstein, conductor) Rozanna Records/Moishe Oysher Passover Seder

Moishe Oysher: Halevay (Moishe Oysher and the Barry Sisters with Instrumental ensemble; Abraham Ellstein, conductor and arranger) Greater Recording Company/Moishe Oysher At His Best

Adolphe-Charles Adam: Postillon du Lonjemeau (Joseph Schmidt) EMI/Joseph Schmidt-The Complete EMI Recordings Vol. 1

Franz Lehar: Dein Ist Mein Ganzes Herz (Joseph Schmidt) Naxos/Joseph Schmidt-Arias and Songs Disc 2

Joseph Rumshinsky: Liebes Shmertzen (William Robyn with instrumental ensemble; Nathaniel Shilkret, conductor) Private release (Jack Meltzer Records)

Herman Wohl/David Meyerowitz: A Heim, from the musical A Nacht Fun Liebe (Cantor Joseph Rosenblatt with instrumental ensemble; Joseph Pasternak, conductor) RCA Camden/Songs of my People

Jo Amar: Yismach Moshe (Jo Amar with choir and instrumental ensemble) Collectors Guild/Jo Amar-Yismach Moshe and Other Zermirot

Jacob K. Sandler/arr. Lind: Eili, Eili (Lind Brothers Trio) Musique Internationale/A Tribute to Joshua Lind

Alexander Olshanetsky: Glick, from the operetta Di Letzteh Tantz (Jan Peerce with orchestra; arranged and conducted by Warner S. Bass) RCA Victor/Hebrew Melodies

Meyer Machtenburg: Shehecheyonu (Cantor David Kusevitsky; Abraham Ellstein, organ) Shirim Records/Fifty Minutes with David Kusevitsky

Marc Lavry: Shir HaEmek

Folk: Matay Yavo Hamashiach (arranged by Max Helfman; Jacob Barkin with George Manos, piano) Musique Internationale/Jacob Barkin in Concert

Victor Herbert: Thine Alone (Richard Tucker with Columbia Symphony Orchestra, Alfredo Antonini, conductor) Columbia Records

Goldfaden: Rozhinkes Mit Mandlen from the operetta Shulamis (Richard Tucker with orchestra; Sholom Secunda, conductor) Columbia Records/Israel Sings - Goldfaden Songs

PROGRAM SEVEN: The Western European Tradition

Salomon Sulzer: Ma Tovu (Cantor Jacob Barkin, with Choral Society-Chizuk Amuno Congregation, Baltimore, MD; Hugo Weisgall, conductor) Westminster Records/Choral Masterworks of the Synagogue

Louis Lewandowski: Ma Tovu (Cantor Israel Alter with choir; Leo Kopf, conductor; Paul Mania, organ) Musique Internationale/The Art of Cantor Israel Alter

Salomon Sulzer: Shma Yisroel (Cantor Israel Alter with Choir; Leo Kopf, conductor; Paul Mania, organ) Musique Internationale/The Art of Cantor Israel Alter

Louis Lewandowski: Yigdal (Cantor Herman Fleischman with choir and orchestra; Walter Sieber, conductor) Musique Internationale/Great Synagogue Composers Vol. X - Lewandowski

Louis Lewandowski: Toras Adonoy Temimo (Cantor Hermann Fleischman with choir and orchestra; Walter Sieber, conductor) Musique Internationale/Great Synagogue Composers Vol. X

Estrongo Nachama: Birkas Kohanim (Cantor Estrongo Nachama and Choir, Organist, Harry Foss) GEMA/Chasanut: Gesange aus der Synagogue

arr. A. Mizrahi/M. Lazar: Respondemos (Hazzan Alberto Mizrahi with choir; Mathew Lazar, conductor) Chants Mystiques

Eduard Birnbaum: Adonoy, Adonoy (Cantor Naftali Herstik; Rinat National Choir; Stanley Sperber, conductor; Raymond Goldstein, organ) Museum of the Diaspora. Tel Aviv/Music of the Jewish Community of Koenigsberg

Louis Lewandowski: Uvnucho Yomar (Cantor Naftali Herstik; Rinat National Choir; Stanley Sperber, conductor; Raymond Goldstein, organ) Museum of the Diaspora, Tel Aviv/The Koenigsberg Tradition - The High Holidays

Jakob Dymont: Areshes Sefoseinu (Cantor Shlomo Pinkasovitch with male ensemble and piano; Jakob Dymont, director) Musique Internationale/Cantor Shlomo Pinkasovitch, High Holiday Chants

Jacques Halevy: Psalm 118, Min Hameitzar (Cantor Jacob Barkin with Choral Society-Chizuk Amuno Congregation, Baltimore, MD; Hugo Weisgall, conductor) Westminster Records/Choral Masterworks of the Synagogue

Samuel Naumbourg: S'u Sh'arim (Hazzan Alberto Mizrahi, Conductor Alan Heatherington, Anshei Emet Festival Choir) Festival Delights

PROGRAM EIGHT: Cantors After the Golden Age

Oscar Julius: Tal (Cantor Moshe Stern with instrumental ensemble, arranged and conducted by Chanan Winternitz) Magnatone Records/Hassidic Bouquets and Cantorials

Yossele Mandelbaum: Zaro Chayo (Cantor Moshe Taube, Abraham Ellstein, organ) Maaloh Records/The Original Cantorials of Cantor Moshe Taube

Uri Frenkel: Al Hanissim (Cantor Uri Frenkel with instrumental ensemble) Musique Internationale/Synagogue Chants

Israel Alter: Aneinu (Cantor Alan Michaelson; Abraham Ellstein, organ) Tikva Records/Songs of the Sacred Book

S. Pinkasovitch: Ato Ritzatzto (Cantor Pinchos Borenstein with choir) Collectors Guild/Ten Great Cantors

Mordechai Yardeini: Yiboneh Hamikdosh (Cantor David Bagley with Evelyn Green, piano) Private publication/A Tribute to Mordechai Yardeini

Max Helfman: Adonay Adonay (Cantor Faith Steinsnyder with choir; Matthew Lazar, conductor) Western Wind/Birthday of the World

Mayer Machtenberg: Uvyom Hashabbat (Cantor Jacob Mendelson with choir; Matthew Lazar, conductor) Taste of Eternity: A Musical Shabbat

Eli Jaffe: V'chach Hoyo Omer (Cantor Ben Zion Miller) Private recording Adopted from: Moses J. Silverman

Hineni (Cantor Alberto Mizrahi, Matthew Lazar Conductor, Western Wind Choral Ensemble) The Birthday of the World: Music and Traditions of the High Holy Days