Louis Lewandowski
Louis Lewandowski (April 3, 1821 – February 4, 1894) was a Polish-Jewish and German-Jewish composer of synagogal music.
He contributed greatly to the liturgy of the Synagogue Service. His most famous works were composed during his tenure as musical director at the
Life
Lewandowski was born in Wreschen, Grand Duchy of Posen, Prussia (now Września in Poland). The name Lewandowski is derived from the place name Lewandów, itself derived from the Old Polish word lewanda – 'lavender' (lawenda in modern Polish).
At the age of twelve he went to
In 1866 he received the title of "royal musical director." Shortly afterward, he was appointed
Lewandowski died in Berlin in 1894. He and his wife Helene are buried in the
Contribution to Jewish liturgical music
Lewandowski's principal works include: "Kol Rinnah u-Tefillah," for cantor; "Todah ve-Zimrah," for mixed chorus, solo, and organ; 40 psalms, for solo, chorus, and organ; symphonies, overtures, cantatas, and songs. During Lewandowski's life the issue of whether an organ should be part of a synagogue service was one of major contention. Lewandowski advocated communal singing and the organ was essential to facilitate this. Eventually organs became commonplace in synagogues around Europe, hence the popularity of "Todah ve-Zimrah". Lewandowski's writing is notable for incorporating the strict four-part harmony of church music with ancient cantorial modal melodies.[4][5]
Lewandowski's music today
Today Lewandowski's music forms a central part of the synagogue service in Reform, Liberal, Conservative and Orthodox communities. Several of his compositions were added to Samuel Alman's supplement when he edited The Voice Of Prayer And Praise in 1933 introducing Lewandowski's music to the UK. This helped to spread his music across the British empire and his music is now sung across the world from Europe to Australia and America to South Africa. Most Orthodox synagogues refrain from a mixed choir or instrumental music, and hence much of this music has been arranged for a capella male choir. Even in communities without choirs one can hear the melodies of Lewandowski either chanted by the cantor or in a communal unison.[6]
Over the past decades attempts have been made to celebrate the music of Lewandowski. The
References
The Jewish Encyclopedia article cites the following references:
- Mendel, Hermann and August Reissmann, editors. Musikalisches Konversations-Lexikon (12 volumes). Berlin, 1870–1873.
- Champlin, J. D. and W. F. Apthorp, editors. Cyclopedia of Music and Musicians (3 volumes). New York, 1888–90.
- Riemann, Hugo, editor. Musik-Lexikon (5th edition). Leipzig, 1900.
- Jascha Nemtsov / Hermann Simon (Eds.): Louis Lewandowski 'Love makes the melody immortal!' , Berlin 2011, Hentrich&Hentrich Verlag Berlin
External links
- Louis Lewandowski Festival, Berlin 2011
- Sound Examples
- Free scores by Louis Lewandowski in the Choral Public Domain Library (ChoralWiki)
- Free scores by Louis Lewandowski at the International Music Score Library Project (IMSLP)