Когда речь заходит о XIX веке и отношении тогдашних канторов к классической музыке, обычно вспоминают "Виленского кантора" Осипа Дымова (об этой пиесе мы с
kma_shunra'ой в свое время писали-с ). Однако на днях, читаючи одну интересную монографию, выяснилось, что (как, впрочем, нетрудно было догадаться) были и другие варианты, без всякого надрыва и прочего драматизЬму.:
Notable among the early graduates were Borukh Leyb Rosowsky (1841–1919) and Jacob Bachmann (1846–1905), both young protégés of Rubinstein. Rosowsky, the son of a merchant from the Lithuanian shtetl of Naliboki, arrived at the conservatory in January 1865 through the sponsorship of the OPE and several individual Russian Jewish bankers. He quickly attracted attention as much for his traditional Jewish garb, strict religious observance, and unconven-tional family situation (he was already married with three children) as for his musical talents. Conservatory records indicate that he spent six years as a student there, studying in order to become “a Jewish cantor.”
Rosowsky later recalled that Rubinstein was completely bewildered by his initial appearance and the fact that he could barely speak Russian. He was even more confused when in response to his question of what the young would-be student could sing, Rosowsky answered in Yiddish, “tefiles and zmires” (prayers and Sabbath hymns). Once he heard him sing, how-ever, Rubinstein was immediately impressed. Reportedly declaring his voice to be the best in the school, he took the unusual Jewish student under his wing, encouraging him to the point of inviting him to perform at a birth-day party for Elena Pavlovna. Rosowsky also became friends with the young Peter Tchaikovsky, studying composition in the same class with him. After graduation in 1871, he briefly contemplated a performance career but went on instead to a post as the longtime chief cantor of Riga.
Крайне интересно, в каком виде Розовский выступал перед великой княгиней: в еврейском платье или все-таки переоделся?
Ну и про Чайковского забавно, поскольку в последнее время его регулярно обвиняют в
Впрочем, вернемся к канторам.
Even more dramatic was the experience of Jacob Bachmann. Hailing from Rubinstein’s ancestral home of Berdichev, Bachmann began life as a traditional synagogue chorister before moving to St. Petersburg at the age of eighteen to study composition with the conservatory director himself. Gifted with an extraordinary vocal range, he contemplated pursuing an opera career. After graduation in 1865, he even toured briefly as a concert artist with Rubinstein as his accompanist. Then, to the surprise and dismay of many, Bachmann rejected the chance to become an opera star, instead opting for the cantorate. He went on to achieve the status of a star cantor, moving from pulpit to pulpit for decades across eastern Europe as Jewish communities zealously competed for his talents. In the process, Bachmann also pioneered Western-style liturgical music for the eastern European synagogue.
В общем, как и было сказано - никакого "Виленского кантора" и прочих трагедий.
Добавим к этому, что Антон Рубинштейн, директор этой кузницы синагогальных кадров, был, как известно, крещен еще в детстве. Что, впрочем, не помешало ему сохранить серьезный интерес к еврейству и элементы еврейского самосознания. Но это - отдельная история.