Louis Lewandowski

Composer Louis Lewandowski was responsible for major reforms in Jewish synagogue music in Berlin in the 19th century. His music became well known across the Jewish world and even extended beyond Jewish circles. In modern times, it has been recorded increasingly often. Lazarus (Louis) Lewandowski was born in Wreschen, Prussia (now Września, Poland), on April 3, 1821. He was one of five brothers, and his father was an assistant cantor in a synagogue, hardly a highly paid position, and he grew up in poverty. When Lewandowski was 12, it was decided that he would try to make his way in the Prussian capital of Berlin. Soon, his musical talent was noticed; he sang boy soprano solos in a synagogue choir and was given piano and voice lessons. Alexander Mendelssohn, a cousin of Felix Mendelssohn, recommended him for admission to the Berlin Academy of Arts, where he became the school's first Jewish student. His studies were interrupted for several years by a psychological illness, but he recovered and completed his education. In 1844, he was hired as the Berlin Old Synagogue's choirmaster, and after a period of time, he was able to contribute music of his own to Jewish services. Lewandowski is noted for introducing four-part choral singing to Jewish music, often setting traditional melodies in his works. He was not the first composer to experiment with this, but he was the first to systematically provide music for large segments of Jewish services. His music became widely popular among Jewish congregations across Germany and beyond, and his psalm settings were used in Christian churches as well as synagogues. Among his most famous works at the time was Hallelujah, Psalm 150, which was performed at the opening of Berlin's New Synagogue in 1866 with Prussian prime minister Otto von Bismarck in attendance. Lewandowski remained active into old age and died in Berlin on February 3, 1894. Some 60 of Lewandowski's works have been recorded; the Psalm 150 setting was issued in 2015 by the San Diego Jewish Men's Choir.
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