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THE MOST DARING AND MOST ORIGINAL CANTOR
From the very beginning of his cantorial career, Leib Glantz displayed an original approach. His voice is a most magnificent lyric tenor, however he does not rely solely on his voice. The text and the interpretation of the words and ideas – these are for Glantz the essence of cantorial. His main focus is on the hidden meanings of the prayers. He tries to penetrate and discover the inner messages, creating music with amazing interpretations. |
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Glantz’s intrinsic contribution to the art of cantorial is intellectual and not only emotional. The daring musical intervals, the surprising modulations and the exciting motifs are based on diligent research and cautious discretion. Only after this stage is resolved in his mind, does Glantz apply his illustrious artistic imagination and his charming compositional talents. |
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...I am convinced that if we succeed in molding for the future a generation of serious and intelligent cantors -- that generation will choose Leib Glantz, the cantor, composer, researcher and pedagogue, as the main image to research, to study and to follow. In the history of Jewish music, Leib Glantz is the most daring and most original cantor that ever lived! |
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Excerpts from: The Great Innovator, by Cantor Max Wohlberg, composer and expert in the field of Jewish music. The article was published in “The Cantor’s Voice” journal and in Hebrew in the Israeli daily newspaper “Ha’A’retz” in 1954. |
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A VOICE PENETRATING INTO THE HEART
The pinnacle of Leib Glantz’s creativity was undoubtedly the music he composed for the complete Midnight Se’li’chot Service. He composed each and every one of the twenty prayers. As a young man in my twenties, I was fortunate to attend his synagogue on Se’li’chot, listening in awe. Glantz stood on the Tif’e’ret Zvi synagogue pulpit for three solid hours, chanting his unbelievably unique compositions. I will never forget feeling as if Glantz, with his unbelievable tenor voice, was actually talking to God in the language of the liturgical poets (Py’ta’nim). You could feel his voice penetrating into the hearts of the masses that swarmed to the synagogue to listen to him -- an enormous audience of followers and admirers who adored him in Israel from 1954 for the last ten years of his life. |
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An excerpt from: How Unique Was Leib Glantz? by Akiva Zimmerman, writer and historian of cantorial and Jewish music. |
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"HE SPIRITUALLY CHARGED MY SOUL"
I have been asked numerous times -- what was it like to study with Leibele Glantz. He was an exceptional teacher. He always knew how to elevate me to a higher level, to spiritually charge my soul. With each session I absorbed some of his energy. He infused me with his truth; he encouraged me to be totally independent, to be brave in expressing my inner soul. Glantz lived his life exactly that way and I felt vibrantly alive every moment of studying with him. |
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He gave me the capacity to understand the mysteries of cantorial art. Many cantors emotionally express the beauty of our art, but, unfortunately, have little knowledge regarding the essence of their performance. Glantz succeeded in making me attuned to the depth of our traditional language. |
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Glantz was constantly engaged in serious research in an effort to uncover the historical origins of Jewish music in general, and specifically the prayer modes. He stubbornly sought to trace the origins parallel to Jewish history, as far back as the era of the Holy Temples of Jerusalem, an almost impossible task. |
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Leib Glantz possessed great musical skills. His vocal capabilities were limitless, and he was driven by passion with every fiber of his body and soul. As a young man I hadn’t realized the mark that he had made on me. Today, after more than four decades as a Cha’zan, I have come to the realization that it was Glantz that shaped my identity. He created within me a deep understanding and appreciation of Cantorial Art. |
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Excerpts from: The Greatest Innovative and Creative Cantor of the Twentieth Century, by Cantor Chaim Feifel, Professor of Cha’za’nut at the Tel Aviv Cantorial Institute (TACI) and at the Cantorial School of the Hebrew Union College in Jerusalem |
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