Guest Presenters: David Prager and Alex Klein

Unsung Sung Heroes-Composers for the Great Cantors

Who were the mystery geniuses responsible for some of the major cantorial masterpieces sung by the great mid- 20th century hazzanim? We come across the names of Posner, Wohlberg and Bloom but rarely learn the stories that lie behind the names.

In old Cantors Assembly literature, teacher/composer/cantor Max Wohlberg recalled how the compositions of Arele Bloom were much sought after; expensive and clandestinely circulated amongst colleagues as the composer had sought solemn vows on sales of manuscripts to client cantors that they would not be permitted to be copied by anyone.

So let us engage in detective work to ascertain who Arele Bloom was.– Was he only a composer, or also a conductor or cantor or combination? Where and when was he born? Where did he live? Which works did he compose? Who sang them? When/where did he pass away? What did his magic combinations of nussach, niggun, recitative and drama sound like?

Join the Listening Room not only to hear but also to see examples of his majestic works of prayerful art, crafted with unsung brilliance and delivered by stars of the cantorate ranging from Mordechai Hershman through Moshe Geffen to Joseph Skaletzky, David Bagley, Tibor Kelen and Yanky Lemmer.

We hope that in studying the life and times of a great but modest composer, we can derive relevant messages for today’s services, helping us choose appropriate, emotionally rewarding selections for today’s congregations.

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