KlezCalendar

Born in 1804, Sulzer is credited with being the
first to modernize the cantorate and one of the earliest
composers to westernize synagogue music. With Sulzer, the
title of "Cantor" was born out of a desire to be accepted
and understood by 19th century society. In fact, Sulzer
was very much a part of modern musical circles. His
closest friend and occasional collaborator was composer
Franz Schubert. Clearly heard in Sulzer's synagogue
compositions is the influence of 19th century music. As a
Cantor, Sulzer was very successful at creating a musical
bridge between the "old world" and the newly enlightened
world.

Throughout Europe, Louis Lewandowski assisted numerous
Cantors in his day, the most famous being the celebrated
Solomon Sulzer, who also composed for the Austrian and
German synagogues. Lewandowski was the first composer to
write for synagogues using organ and large choirs.

Lewandowski was born in Wreschen, Province of Posen
(that Polish district which became part of Prussia when
taken by Frederick II) on April 3, 1821.

In 1864, with the building of the majestic Oranienburger Strasse
Synagogue, Lewandowski, who had for many years worked under numerous
Cantors, became the first Music Director of this most grand
synagogue. This new synagogue was one of the first in the world
to have a pipe organ.

Sulzer's music, which up until this point had been
the standard in synagogues all over Europe, could no longer
be utilized in the same way, because it was composed for
the Orthodox prayer book. No synagogue music had been
written for organ, and so, an entirely new musical service
had to be created. Lewandowski stepped up to this sacred
task.

In 1871, Lewandowski published Kol Rinnah
U't'fillah, for the Sabbath and Festivals. This volume
included recitatives for every text in the liturgy. During
the years 1876-1882, Lewandowski composed his greatest
work, Todah V'zimrah. In this volume, he arranged the
melodies of Kol Rinnah U't'fillah for Cantor, four-part
choir, and congregational singing. Todah V'zimrah ensured
Lewandowski's lasting reputation as one of the greatest
Jewish composers to have ever lived.

Granted many honors both by the Jewish community
and the German government, Lewandowski was Honorary
President of the Cantors' Association, and became the Music
Director of all of Berlin's synagogues, a position he held
until his death in 1894.

A native of Tallahassee, Florida, Cantor Rebecca Garfein,
mezzo-soprano, is the Senior Cantor of Congregation Rodeph
Sholom in New York City, and is the first female Cantor
ever to hold this position. Cantor Garfein has appeared in
numerous recitals throughout the United States, Israel, and
Europe. In 1997, Cantor Garfein was invited to participate
in the Jewish Cultural Festival in Berlin, Germany and was
the first female Cantor to give a solo concert in the same
city her grandfather of blessed memory fled. At the 1998
Berlin Jewish Cultural Festival, she became the first
female Cantor to preside in a German synagogue, and
released a CD of the live recording of the 1997 Berlin
concert, "Sacred Chants of the Contemporary Synagogue."

Cantor Garfein has been a featured soloist with the
Ra'a'na'na Orchestra and the Zamir Chorale at the Jerusalem
Theatre in Israel and in 2001 was a soloist at the 350th
anniversary concert of the Curacao Jewish Community.

Cantor Garfein made her New York City debut with the New
York Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra at Cami Hall and recently
made her Carnegie Hall debut at a concert with Dr. Ruth
Westheimer celebrating the release of Dr. Westheimer's
book, Musically Speaking.

She has been a participant in the opera program at DiCapo
Opera in New York City and at the Aspen Music Festival and
was also a participant in the Young Artists' vocal program
at the Tanglewood Music center in Massachusetts, where she
sang under John Williams.

Cantor Garfein graduated cum laude from Rice University's
Shepherd School of Music. In 1993, she received her
Master's Degree in Sacred Music and Cantorial Investiture
from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion.

Cantor Jennifer Frost, born in Chicago, was raised
in Southern California. Her first memories of music in the
synagogue included going to services with her grandfather
and listening to him sing in the choir. Subsequently, she
herself joined the choir at Stephen S. Wise Temple in Los
Angeles, and continued to foster her love of Jewish music
under the direction of Cantor Nathan Lam. Following her
studies at the University of California at Irvine, where
she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Drama, Jennifer
attended Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion
where she received a Masters Degree in Sacred Music and
Cantorial Investiture. In addition to her work as a Cantor,
Cantor Frost performs with Soul on Fire, a theatrical
concert of devotional music. Having recorded their first
album, Soul on Fire is currently touring throughout the
United States.

For more information, please call (212) 362-8800, extension
1337.