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By Recorded Sound Archives, October 1, 2024 6:46 pm

As we enter the sacred period of the High Holy Days, music plays a profound role in shaping the spiritual atmosphere of the synagogue. The awe-inspiring melodies of this season are steeped in centuries of tradition, prayer, and devotion. Within the Recorded Sound Archives, we are fortunate to preserve recordings from some of the most influential Great Synagogue composers whose music continues to move hearts and elevate prayers.

This post honors five legendary cantors and composers who shaped synagogue music as we know it today: Manfred Lewandowski, Herman Fleischmann, Gerson Sirota, Salomon Pinkasovitch, and Joseph Borin. Their compositions and vocal interpretations bring the timeless prayers of the High Holy Days to life, offering both a deep connection to Jewish heritage and an enriching spiritual experience.

Music for the High Holy Days: Honoring Great Synagogue Composers

1. Kol Nidre by Manfred Lewandowski
2. Uvashofar Godol by Herman Fleischmann
3. Verseorev by Gershon Sirota
4. Brosh Hashono by Salomon Pinkasovitch
5. Oleinu by Joseph Borin

Discover the Beauty of High Holy Day Music in the RSA

Each of these composers has left an indelible mark on Jewish liturgical music, and their recordings continue to inspire new generations of listeners and worshippers. Their ability to convey the spiritual gravity of the High Holy Days through music is unparalleled, and the RSA is proud to preserve these timeless works for all to experience.

We invite you to explore the recordings of these Great Synagogue composers in our collection. Whether you are seeking to enhance your personal reflection during this holy season or simply wish to connect with the rich history of Jewish sacred music, these selections offer a profound journey through tradition and prayer.

Listen to more selections from Manfred Lewandowski, Herman Fleischmann, Gershon Sirota, Salomon Pinkasovitch, and Joseph Borin in the RSA’s Recorded Sound Collection.

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By Recorded Sound Archives, September 15, 2023 2:40 pm

This High Holy days we wanted to highlight the voice of Cantor Salomon Pinkasovitch. Born in 1886, Pinkasovitch began his hazzanic career in 1912 serving congregations in Czernowitz, Roumania and in Vienna. The recordings on this album were put together by Barry Serota of Musique Internationale. Featuring rare selections from the collections of the Benedict Stambler Memorial Archives.

Listen to the voice of Cantor Salomon Pinkasovitch

Discover the voice of Cantor Salomon Pinkasovitch this High Holy Days. Visit the Recorded Sound Archives website to listen to his album High holiday Chants. (https://rsa.fau.edu/album/43171)

Looking for more music to celebrate the High Holy Days this year? Look no further! The Recorded Sound Archives has a collection of over 40 recordings for you to choose from and share with your family.

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By Recorded Sound Archives, September 3, 2021 2:31 pm

This High Holy days we wanted to highlight the voice of Cantor Moshe Schwimmer.

Moshe Schwimmer was born with the gift of a beautiful singing voice. As a child his singing delighted all who heard him. But, being a serious and studious young man, he desired to develop his talents through study and hard work. And so, at the age of 18, he set out to study music and liturgy at the Brunn Music Conservatory in Czechoslovakia (now Austria).

Inside the conservatory he was welcomed into the cantor’s choir. His knowledge of liturgical music grew and his rich baritone voice became polished and more defined. Outside the conservatory Hitler was on a rampage. Sadly, the synagogue in Brunn was torched and burned by the Nazis. Moshe was determined to increase his skills. He fled to Budapest where he continued to study, created the OMIKE performance group, and gave concerts, until the Hungarians sent him to a forced labor camp and then to a concentration camp.

After his liberation in 1944, he appeared throughout Eastern Europe, but it was not until his travels took him to Germany that his talents were truly recognized.  He was invited to sing for the state-run radio station in Munich.  Soon he had his own hour-long weekly radio program which was broadcast all over Europe.

This wonderful recording was created by the JSA from the private recordings of Cantor Moshe Schwimmer and can only be heard on this website. Moshe Schwimmer was a cantor whose beautiful voice and soulful singing touched audiences for decades. Yet, his voice might have been lost forever were it not for one man’s strong desire to cherish his brother’s memory and protect his legacy.

Zalman Schwimmer (a.k.a. Sydney), personally hand-carried his brother’s private tape recordings (along with some memorabilia and biographical information) to the Wimberly Library on Florida Atlantic University’s Boca Raton campus. He told us about his brother, “He never made any commercial recordings.  That wasn’t for him. He didn’t want to be famous. He didn’t try to please others.  He was just always striving for perfection.”

Listen to the voice of Cantor Moshe Schwimmer

Discover the voice of Cantor Moshe Schwimmer this High Holy Days by visiting the Recorded Sound Archives website and listening to his album High Holy Days in a Conservative Synagogue (https://rsa.fau.edu/album/36556).

Looking for more music to celebrate the High Holy Days this year? Look no further, the Recorded Sound Archives has a collection of over 40 recordings for you to choose from and share and enjoy with your family.

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By Recorded Sound Archives, September 18, 2020 2:05 pm

Looking for music to celebrate the High Holy Days this year? Look no further, the Recorded Sound Archives has a collection of over 40 recordings for you to choose from and share and enjoy with your family.

Here are a few favorite albums, which can be listened to in full on the Recorded Sound Archives website.

Selichot Service by Cantor Joseph Schwartzman

Selichot Service by Cantor Joseph Gross

Complete Selichot Service by Cantor Zvee Aroni

High Holiday Chants by Cantor Salomon Pinkasovitch

High Holiday Chants by Cantor Samuel Taube

High Holiday Moods by Cantor Leib Glantz

High Holiday Prayers (Volume 1) by Cantor Moshe Koussevitzky

High Holiday Selections by Malavsky Family

High Holy Day Prayers Live for the First Time by Cantor Leibele Waldman

High Holy Days in a Conservative Synagogue by Moishe Schwimmer

Rosh Hashana – Day 1 by Cantor Zvee Aroni

Rosh Hashana – Day 2 by Cantor Zvee Aroni

Rosh Hashanah by Cantor Benjamin Z. Maissner

Rosh Hashanah New Years Service Abraham Birnbaum – Rosh Hashanah New Year Service by Cantor Israel Goldstein

Rosh Hashanah by Cantor Yosef Rosenblatt

Yom Kippur Chants, Volume 3 by Cantor Zawel Kwartin

Yom Kippur  Day (Parts 1 & 2) by Cantor Zvee Aroni

Yom Kippur Day (Part 3 – Conclusion) by Cantor Zvee Aroni

Yom Kippur; Excerpts From the Traditional Liturgy by Cantor Moshe Ganchoff

Midnight Selichot Service by Cantor Leib Glantz

Experience the High Holidays Online

If you’re looking to attend High Holiday Services, Cantor Azi Schwartz and the Park Avenue Synagogue will be broadcasting their services through their website.

And will be accompanied by the Metropolitan Opera Brass and chamber orchestra.

A Schedule of their services is available on their website – https://highholidaysstreaming.pasyn.org/

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By Recorded Sound Archives, September 19, 2017 1:57 pm

Looking for music to celebrate the High Holy Days this year? Look no further, the Recorded Sound Archives has a collection of over 40 recordings for you to choose from and share and enjoy with your family.

Here are a few favorite albums, which can be listened to in full on the Recorded Sound Archives website.

Selichot Service by Cantor Joseph Schwartzman

Selichot Service by Cantor Joseph Gross

Complete Selichot Service by Cantor Zvee Aroni

High Holiday Chants by Cantor Salomon Pinkasovitch

High Holiday Chants by Cantor Samuel Taube

High Holiday Moods by Cantor Leib Glantz

High Holiday Prayers (Volume 1) by Cantor Moshe Koussevitzky

High Holiday Selections by Malavsky Family

High Holy Day Prayers Live for the First Time by Cantor Leibele Waldman

High Holy Days in a Conservative Synagogue by Moishe Schwimmer

Rosh Hashana – Day 1 by Cantor Zvee Aroni

Rosh Hashana – Day 2 by Cantor Zvee Aroni

Rosh Hashanah by Cantor Benjamin Z. Maissner

Rosh Hashanah New Years Service Abraham Birnbaum – Rosh Hashanah New Year Service by Cantor Israel Goldstein

Rosh Hashanah by Cantor Yosef Rosenblatt

Yom Kippur Chants, Volume 3 by Cantor Zawel Kwartin

Yom Kippur  Day (Parts 1 & 2) by Cantor Zvee Aroni

Yom Kippur Day (Part 3 – Conclusion) by Cantor Zvee Aroni

Yom Kippur; Excerpts From the Traditional Liturgy by Cantor Moshe Ganchoff

Midnight Selichot Service by Cantor Leib Glantz

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By Recorded Sound Archives, September 30, 2016 3:24 pm

Looking for music to celebrate the High Holy Days this year? Look no further, the Recorded Sound Archives has a collection of over 40 recordings for you to choose from and share and enjoy with your family.

Included in this collection is a mixture of cantors, and other musicians such as Leibele Waldman, Gershon Sirota , Moishe Oysher, Shimon and Ilana Gewirtz, Ramon Tasat and Cindy Paley.

Click here to view this collection.

Click here to view past blog posts on the High Holy Days.

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By Recorded Sound Archives, September 14, 2015 2:25 pm

In years past, the Recorded Sound Archives Judaic collection or the Judaica Sound Archives as most know it has highlighted the music of Leibele Waldman, Gershon Sirota and Moishe Oysher for the High Holy Days along with some of today’s finest cantors.

This year the Recorded Sound Archives has created a High Holy Days collection for you to  share and enjoy with your family. Included in this collection is a mixture of cantors, and other musicians such as Shimon and Ilana Gewirtz, Ramon Tasat and Cindy Paley.

Click here to view this collection.

Click here to view past blog posts on the High Holy Days.

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By Recorded Sound Archives, August 22, 2013 12:59 pm

5774     A new year.  In case you haven’t noticed…the world is changing.

I’ve heard it a thousand times, “things just aren’t the way they used to be!”

The future is unpredictable. Like a wind storm moving things helter-skelter, we never know where things will end up.

The past, on the other hand, is well-known and stable. The values, traditions and  perspectives of our parents, grandparents and ancestors do not change. We may cherish the past or we may discard it.  You get to choose.

Ask yourself, “What happens to the past when you are no longer around to remember it?” Does it disappear? Or does it remain as a treasure trove of discovery for  future generations?

High Holy Days in the Conservative Synagogue  sung by Cantor Moshe Schwimmer is just one example  of how the Judaica Sound Archives attempts to bring the unique qualities of early 20th century European liturgical music into the present. And, hopefully, the future.

This wonderful recording was created by the JSA from the private recordings of Cantor Moshe Schwimmer and can only be heard on this website. Moshe Schwimmer was a cantor whose beautiful voice and soulful singing touched audiences for decades. Yet, his voice might have been lost forever were it not for one man’s strong desire to cherish his brother’s memory and protect his legacy.

Zalman Schwimmer (a.k.a. Sydney), personally hand-carried his brother’s private tape recordings (along with some memorabilia and biographical information) to the Wimberly Library on Florida Atlantic University’s Boca Raton campus. He told us about his brother, “He never made any commercial recordings.  That wasn’t for him. He didn’t want to be famous. He didn’t try to please others.  He was just always striving for perfection.”

The Judaica Sound Archives is proud of its role in the preservation of Jewish culture. We believe that by bringing the unique qualities of early 20th century European liturgical music into the present we contribute to its survival into the future.

If you enjoyed this blog post be sure to like us on Facebook.

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By Recorded Sound Archives, August 25, 2010 1:05 pm

During the High Holy Days Jews around the world congregate to experience a sense of spiritual community.  It is a time of family gatherings and happy times juxtaposed with introspection and solemn prayer.

In choosing the music for this year’s JSA High Holy Days Music Mix we wanted to highlight the voices of cantors who have devoted themselves to perfecting their art. The High Holy Days has inspired some of the most beautiful and compelling Jewish sacred music ever recorded. On this album we feature such legendary cantors as Leib Glantz, Leibele Waldman, Gershon Sirota and Moishe Oysher. We also highlight the interpretations of some of today’s finest cantors.

In addition, we also wanted to share the more upbeat, happy tunes that appeal to children learning about Jewish traditions and the meaning of the holidays. Some of my fondest memories are of helping my mother prepare for the big holiday dinner and learning about the special foods that meant a “happy new year!’

This special mix of songs has been excerpted from albums which can be heard any time on our website. The mix includes light-hearted, yet meaningful, songs for children.  It also includes some of the most beautiful cantorial music ever written. Enjoy!

Click here to hear all 18 songs or to listen to your favorites.

These songs are for your listening pleasure only.  They may not be copied, reproduced or sold.

Excerpts of selections from these albums were used to create the JSA High Holidays Music Mix 5771.

Click on any title to hear the entire album.

(1) Ye Shall Rejoice On Your Festivals by Shimon & Ilana Gewirtz

(2) Simeni Ka Hotam by Cantor Ehud Spielman

(3) Misha Alexandrovich by Cantor Misha Alexandrovich

(4) Concerts & Recitals #3 by Cantor Zvee Aroni

(5)  Our Prayers in Song by Cantor Henry Butensky

(6) Prayers of My People by Cantor Louis Danto

(7) Chants Folkloriques Israeliens by Cantor Michel Heymann

(8)  Hallel & Three Festivals by Cantor Leib Glantz

(9) High Holy Days in a Conservative Synagogue by Cantor Moshe Schwimmer

(10) Holidays around the Year by Chaim Parchi

(11) Kinder Songs – Holiday Songs for the Entire Family by Cantor Deborah Katchko-Gray

(12) S’iz Yontev Kinder! Lomir Zingen by Cindy Paley

(13) Teshuva: Liturgical Explorations for the Days of Awe by Ramon Tasat

(14) Chassidic Melodies by Cantor Leibele Waldman

(15) Cantorial Chants & Jewish Songs by Cantor Seymour Schwartzman

(16) European Recordings (1906-1907) Vol. 2 by Cantor Gershon Sirota

(17) The Power, The Glory, The Soul of Moishe Oysher by Moishe Oysher

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By Recorded Sound Archives, October 29, 2009 3:22 pm

Our work at the JSA involves working in our offices for hours and hours on computers. Nathan Tinanoff is always busy entering information about newly acquired recordings into the database and I spend my time writing this blog and creating all the public relations materials for the JSA. So we were more than happy to take a break two Fridays ago to visit a good friend.

Cantor Udi Spielman

Cantor Udi Spielman of B’nai Torah Congregation (6261 SW 18^th Street, Boca Raton, FL) asked us to stop by for a visit.  He said that he wanted to give us something.

What he wanted to give us were some copies of his new CD as gifts and to share on the JSA Website. He has been a JSA featured performer since January, 2008.

This newest CD is truly special. Recorded live at B’nai Torah Congregation in March 2009, it features the Cantor and his wife Varda singing songs of the High Holy Days written especially for the occasion by their dear friend Cantor Meir Finkelstein.

Their beautiful rendition of L’dor Vador has special meaning for the JSA. This song, more than any other, encapsulates the idea of heritage and knowledge being passed from “generation to generation.” This concept inspires us and motivates us to work tirelessly to preserve the Jewish heritage of recorded sound. To listen to the CD, click here.

It is always a delight to meet with Cantor Spielman because he is so full of ideas and enthusiasm. He helps the JSA by reaching out to other cantors and performers, encouraging them to share their music through the JSA website.

He also wanted to tell us about the exciting new Concert Series at B’nai Torah. This year Debbie Friedman, a favorite of my children and now my grandchildren, will be appearing.  Also on the program is Shuly Nathan who will always be remembered for her amazing rendition of “Jerusalem of Gold,” Cantor Alberto Mizrahi, Joshua Nelson, Frank London, and others.

Although these artists are not yet JSA featured performers we can always live in hope.