Before the Second world War
Traditional Amsterdam synagogue melodies
THE BIBLIOTHECA ROSENTHALIANA collection contains a particularly interesting volume of music connected with the liturgy of the Amsterdam community. At the front, it announces: 'Traditional Amsterdam synagogue melodies, sung by the honourable Dr. I. de Jongh and written down by A.Katz, former first cantor at the Great Synagogue in Amsterdam, for the Bibliotheca Rosenthaliana-J.Veldman '.
First a word about the three names. Dr. I. de Jongh, before the Second
World War deputy headmaster of the Netherlands Jewish Seminary, was a renowned
expert on Amsterdam chazzanut. Cantor A. Katz succeeded the famous chief
cantor Isaac Heijmann at the Great Synagogue, while J.Veldman was cantor
at the synagogue on Rapenburgerstraat. It would be tempting to expand on
these three figures, but given the short space here a discussion of the
book's contents seems more appropriate. The 145 pages of handwritten melodies
are preceded by a highly informative introduction in German combining a
summary of the contents and a description of the various minhagim (Customs)
of the service. In fact, the description 'traditional Amsterdam melody'
should be taken with a pinch of salt. 'Tradition' suggests melodies handed
down over the generations. However, in this work that is not always the
case. One example serves as an illustration. Pages 13 and 14 contain two
melodies from the Hallel prayer sung on the Sabbath coinciding with Rosh
Chodesh: Hodu and Anna from Psalm CVXIII The music for these
pieces is borrowed from the famous German-Jewish composer of synagogue
music Louis Lewandowsky.
It is a little odd that this composer's name is mentioned, while compositions
by the most renowned of Amsterdam's cantors, the so-called 'Gneser Chazzan'
lsaac Heijmann, remain anonymous. I realized this as soon as I saw the
first page of music. It contains a melody for Lekha Dodi, sung to
welcome the Sabbath, that was originally composed by Heijmann. But it is
only part of the composition. This is Lekha Dodi no. 4. The original
score for chazzan and mixed choir was in D major. Here the first couplet
to be sung by the chazzan is in F, just as expected. Cantor Katz, after
all, was famous for his high tenor; he will undoubtedly have sung this
melody in the second key. Remarkably, the first line is followed by a melody
for Boi ve-shalom, the last strophe of the song. In Heijmann's composition
Boi ve-shalom is only written for the choir. But because in the Amsterdarn
tradition the chazzan always repeats this part it seems likely that De
Jongh heard a cantor singing the melody.
On page 110 we find a second melodv for Lekha Dodi for Friday nights
during the Counting of the Omer. Again the tune is borrowed from the Gneser
Chazzan. However, here the original Boi ve-shalom melody is given.
One unique feature of Amsterdam chazzanut is that each festival has a separate
melody for the Kaddish prayer. These melodies differ significantly from
the Kaddish sung in normal Sabbath services. To the best of my knowledge
this is the first and only systematic record of these melodies.
Some of Chazzan Katz's melodies are still sung in the same way today. Worthy
of mention are the Kaddish melodies for Friday evenings and Sabbath mornings
after the Torah is read (page 3); for the Sabbath afternoon service (page
17); for the first day of Rosh Ha-shanah and Yom Kippur before Mussaf (page
25); for Shemini Atzerct (pages 75 and 93); for after the Torah readings
on the High Holidays (pages 83 and 84); for the Tal and Geshem prayer for
dew and rain in the Holy Land (page 86); for Kol Nidre-the eve of Yom Kippur
(page 89); for the two first days of Passover (pages 111 and 112); for
the two last days of Passover (pages 116 and 117); for Sukkot (pages 129
and 130) and Shavuot (page 144).
These alone make this a valuable document and practical guide to any aspiring
cantors keen to continue Amsterdam's chazzanut traditions.
HANS BLOEMENDAL
Hans Bloemendal, Amsterdams Chazzanoet. Amsterdam Chazzanut. Ed. by Joppe Poolman van Beusekom. 2 vols. (Buren 1990).