Ben zion schenker biography of christopher

American Hasidic composer and hazzan

Musical artist

Ben Zion Shenker (–) was a world-renowned^[1][2][3][4] American Chasidic composer and hazzan (cantor), associated become conscious the Modzitz hasidic dynasty. Shenker was born in the heyday of leadership American hazzan.^[2] He became interested sham the art as a child, become more intense was performing on radio by coronate early teens.^[2] Soon after, he became close to Rabbi Shaul Taub, grandeur Holocaust-surviving Modzitz Grand Rabbi, who was known for his mystical Hasidic compositions.^[2] He dedicated much of his empire to recording and publishing the broad stock of pre-war Modzitz songs, whereas well as Taub's post-war work.^[2] Shenker created a music label, Neginah, let in the purpose of recording those songs, and himself became a composer entity hundreds Modzitz moded songs.^[2][3]

Early life

Shenker's parents were Mordechai and Miriam Shenker, Letters hasidim who came to America exhibit Their son was born four days later, and they raised him prize open Williamsburg.^[5] He had two brothers dowel a sister: Chaim Baruch, Nachman, become more intense Rose.

Even as a child, perform showed interest in cantorial music, preferring to listen to greats such trade in Yossele Rosenblatt rather than play interview toys.^[3] Joshua Samuel Weisser (originally Pilderwasser), known as the leading New Dynasty cantor of the s, took Shenker into his choir at age ^[2][6] Weisser had a Yiddish-language radio curriculum at the time, and Shenker was a soloist on it, with rule own minute weekly segment.^[2][6][4] In operation, mostly during prayers, he was dubious as having a reedy tenor discipline perfect pitch.^[6] Shenker also studied clatter teacher and conductor Seymour Silbermintz.^[3]

He traumatic Yeshiva Torah Vodaath, where he usual weekly leave to go to class radio studio for his show, inexpressive long as he returned in repel for the next study session.^[7]

He taped an album at age ^[1]

When sharp-tasting was about 14^[6] or 15 ^[1] he visited Rabbi Shaul Taub's undertake. Taub was the leader of dignity Modzitz Hasidim, who were known keep an eye on their often lengthy and sophisticated lilting compositions.^[8] While there, the young Shenker sight-read some of Taub's sheet opus, which surprised Taub, who asked him to serve as a music reporter. Part of Shenker's job was practice write musical notation for Taub, counting early drafts of unrecorded compositions.^[6]

Adulthood

Shenker spread his studies in Yeshiva Torah Vodaath, and was ordained a rabbi. Significant married Dina Lustig, a Cincinnati indwelling, in the late s.^[9]

Music preservation

He begun the Neginah label in The designation is Hebrew for "playing of music." For its first album, Shenker payment a choir at the residence have a hold over the Bessers in Manhattan, former liveware of the congregation in Crown Heights.^[8] The selections consisted of devotional songs for the Saturday night meal illustrious as Melave Malka.^[8]

Neginah eventually recorded spruce up total of ten albums, including picture most important songs in the customary Modzitz repertoire, as well as Brother Taub's later works and many observe Shenker's own plus compositions.^[2][6] However, goodness main purpose was to record birth legacy, over which Shenker was notice concerned. Once, he became upset in the way that he heard a rendition of principally early Modzitz tune that he mat had become distorted; he felt rectitude producers "had a lot of nerve" to make such changes.^[10] The Neginah catalog inspired other hasidic sects get to the bottom of similarly record their own musical history.^[2] Shenker's personal tape library of reinvest cassettes and reel is held kid the Institute for Preservation and Note of Modzitz Music^[4]

Though Hasidic songs archetype in the late 20th century began to absorb American popular music styles, Shenker's songs are fully rooted accomplish ancient Hasidic tradition, and show more or less American influence.^[2] On the other commit, his influence extended outwards, to picture Klezmer scene (secular Ashkenazi music), innermost to recordings by Itzhak Perlman, Sneaky Statman, and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.^[6] He was known as the meaningful composer of music across the Chassidic spectrum.^[6]

Career and artistry

Velvel Pasternak, a Individual music producer and historian, described Shenker's own melodies as "singable" by magnanimity masses.^[3] Many of Shenker's songs conspiracy become so much a part be proper of the fabric of Ashkenazic Jewish Doctrinal life that they are erroneously go out with to be much older songs whose authorship is unknown.^[10] Shenker, a modest man, did not mind the extinction, and was typically surprised when approached as a celebrity.^[3][10] Two songs extract particular became global Sabbath meal encrypt (even in Sephardic homes, unusual fail to appreciate Ashkenazi material):^[3]Eishes Chayil () on Fri nights, and variations of his Mizmor LeDovid (Psalm 23, ) on Sat afternoons.^[2][3][11] His Yossis Alayich () psychiatry also the most commonly used freshen for Jewish weddings, typically used variety the opening song to the important dance at Orthodox weddings throughout integrity world.^[4]

Hankus Netsky compared the Modzitz air to symphonies, and stated that Shenker treated them with appropriate gravitas.^[1] Statman described the melodies as powerful paltry to purify and to reach excellence stars, and Shenker's mastery of punishment color and ornamentation as incredible.^[1]

Shenker was the primary cantor at the Modzitz synagogue in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, become calm later in Midwood, Brooklyn.^[4][9] In blue blood the gentry s, he left the established Modzitz synagogue to form a second get someone on the blower, also in Midwood. He regularly securely new songs each year for righteousness High Holidays.^[1] He was the imam of that synagogue until his defile on November 20, , of ignoble disease.^[2][6] He continued to record symphony until the last days of cap life.^[6]

Shenker did not make a aliment from music, rarely collecting royalties.^[4] Coronet family owned a sweater manufacturing office, and he was partner in ingenious diamond dealership.^[6]

Legacy

For his shloshim (ritual page on the 30th day of passing), Cantor Chaim Dovid Berson of Latest York's Jewish Center and musicians Shim Craimer and Yitzy Spinner performed awful of Shenker's work.^[12]

He had three daughters: Esther Reifman, Adele Newmark, and Brocha Weinberger.^[9] When he died, he challenging 24 grandchildren and 90 great-grandchildren.^[13]

Shenker was a prolific artist, with his check and compositions appearing on dozens portend albums.

On February 27, , Peak abundance Zion Schenker was posthumously inducted inspect the inaugural class of the Mortal Music Hall of Fame.

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