 Saminsky's post card to
A.Krein
|
Lazare Saminsky (1882-1959) had already studied Mathematics
and Philosophy when he started his professional musical education - at the
Conservatory in St. Petersburg with Nikolai Rimski-Korsakov and Anatoly Lyadov.
In 1908 Saminsky was co-founder of the St. Petersburg Society
for Jewish Folk Music.
With a temperament typical for him he defended the importance of the old
synagogue music in public discussions, articles and lectures. He regarded this
music as an authentic part of Jewish music tradition and as a substantial
basis for new Jewish music. His views were confirmed on his expeditions
into the Caucasus (1913) where he researched the old
liturgical music of the Jews.
In the years 1919-1920 Saminsky emigrated via Jerusalem, Paris and London to
the USA, which became his adoptive country. In the years that followed, his
name became famous internationally. He was co-founder and chairman of the
American League of Composers and had a brilliant career as a conductor.
In 1925 he became musical director of New York's largest synagogue, the
Temple Emanu-El, which thanks to Saminsky's artistic function evolved to a renowned
center for Jewish music. |
