As we prepare for the High Holy Days, we reflect on tradition and prayer and the voices that have carried these sacred melodies through time. Among them stands one of the greatest cantorial legends of all time — Cantor Gershon-Yitskhok Leibovich Sirota (1874–1943).

Often called the “Jewish Caruso,” Sirota’s rich tenor voice helped define the Golden Age of Khazzanut (cantorial music). He began his career in Odessa, later serving eight years as cantor of the Shtatshul (State Synagogue) in Vilna, where he began a lifelong collaboration with choirmaster Leo Lowe. In 1907, he became the cantor of the prestigious Tłomackie Street Synagogue in Warsaw, a role that solidified his reputation as one of Europe’s greatest liturgical artists. Read More About This…

When it comes to blending the spirit of Chanukah with the soulful sounds of jazz, Kenny Ellis shines brightly. His album, Hanukkah Swings, is a festive treat that reinvents traditional Chanukah melodies with a toe-tapping, swing-inspired twist.

Ellis, a talented cantor and performer, brings a joyful exuberance to the album, making it a perfect soundtrack for the Festival of Lights. Tracks like “Swingin’ Dreidel” and “Chanukah Swings” showcase his ability to infuse Jewish holiday classics with the lively, improvisational spirit of jazz. The result is a collection that feels both timeless and refreshingly original. Read More About This…

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.

Did you know it’s National Hot Dog month? We had almost forgotten until a co-worker brought it up in conversation last week.

Here at the Recorded Sound Archives we’ve got a few songs about Hot Dogs that you can listen to from home that we wanted to share!

While digging around to share  Hot Dogs and Knishes with you we discovered a few more songs that were digitized. Enjoy these five songs about hot dogs.

Discover Five Songs About Hot Dogs!

1. Hot Dogs and Knishes by Aaron Lebedeff
2. Ooh! Hot Dog by Benny Goodman
3. Hot Dog by Molly Picon
4. Sam, the Hot Dog Man by Lil Johnson
5. Hot Dog by Blind Lemon Jefferson

 

Please note, due to copyright some items may only be available as a 45 second snippet.

Are you a Researcher or Educator in need of full access to these recordings? Visit the Recorded Sound Archives website to apply for Research Station Access by click here.

During my early childhood (early 50’s) in N.E. Philadelphia, I listened to Gladys Gewirtz singing all the songs from the Jewish holidays and holy days on our big RCA-Victor S-1000.

 

 

 

 

My grandma Nessie’s hamantashen were so yummy I couldn’t stop eating them.  Sadly, she passed away when I was 7 [Z”L].  Many years went by. Now I’m 73 and I work with thousands of recordings (Jewish, Jazz & Classical) at the RSA, but Gladys Gewirtz will always have a special place I my memory.  I still miss my Grandma!

 

 

 

 

Ben Roth

P.S. Prune Hamantashen are my favorites.

 

Purim – The Story of Esther

Esther (née Hadassah), an orphan raised by her uncle Mordechai, was taken against her will to Persian King Ahasuerus’s harem. There, she was forced to prepare herself for her first night with the King by spending six months doused in oil of myrrh and another six in sweet odors ointments. The night of their union, Ahasuerus loved Esther “above all women” and made her the Persian Empire’s Queen. Esther replaced Queen Vashti, who had been sentenced to death because she had refused to display her beauty to the attendants of the King’s feast.

When events took a turn for the worst and Esther learned that Prime Minister Haman planned to kill all Jews in the Persian empire she decided to act immediately to prevent the genocide. She told her uncle: “Go, gather all the Jews together and fast for me.  Neither eat nor drink for three whole days. ” Mordecai argued that these three days fast happened to include the Passover night, which should not be a night of fasting. Esther retorted, “Without Jews, who needs Passover?”

She invited both Ahasuerus and Haman to a private banquet. At that banquet Esther told the king of Haman’s plan to massacre all Jews in his kingdom, then acknowledged her own Jewish ethnicity. The information about Haman enraged King Ahasuerus and he gave an order that Haman be hanged.   He also elevated Mordecai to prime minister and gave Jews the right to defend themselves against any enemy.

Looking for music to celebrate Purim, discover over 20 vintage albums to choose from here at the Recorded Sound Archives!