Leib Glanz

Leib Glantz (Yiddish: לייב גלאנץ; June 1, 1898 – January 27, 1964) was a Ukrainian-born lyrical tenor cantor (chazzan), composer, musicologist of Jewish music, writer, educator, and Zionist leader.

He was born in 1898 in Kyiv, Ukraine, then part of the Russian Empire. His father and both grandfathers were important cantors with Chassidic backgrounds. Leibele, as he was fondly nicknamed, was eight years old when he first appeared as a cantor in Kyiv. Word spread swiftly about the child prodigy, and he was engaged to appear in concerts all over Europe. In his teens he organized and conducted a large choir in his father's Talner Chassidic synagogue.

Glantz studied piano with the Ukrainian pianist and composer, Nikolai Tutkovski, and later graduated in piano and composition under composer Reinhold Gliere at the Kyiv Music Conservatory. In those years Glantz traveled numerous times as a delegate to congresses of the He'Chalutz movement and to World Zionist Congresses. He also assumed the position of chief editor of the Labor Zionist newspaper Ard Un Arbeit.

In July 1926, due to his intensive Zionist activism, and the growing antagonism towards the Jews by the Romanian regime in Bessarabia, Glantz left Eastern Europe. His plan was to immigrate to Palestine, which was then governed by the British, in order to join those of his Zionist friends who had already immigrated to Israel. However, he first traveled to the United States to record with RCA his compositions Shema Yisrael and Tal. He was invited to appear in New York, made a great impression and was offered a prestigious position as chief cantor of the Ohev Shalom synagogue in New York.

In America Glantz continued to develop his musical education, under the guidance of professor Aspinol, the vocal teacher of the opera singers Enrico Caruso and Benjamino Gigli.

In 1929 he made a series of LP recordings at RCA included Shema Yisrael, Tefilat Tal, Shomer Yisrael, Kol Adoshem, Lechu Neranena, Birkat Kohanim, Ki Ke'Shimcha, Ki Hineh Ka'Chomer and Ein Ke'Erkecha.

Glantz appeared in concert tours all over the United States, Canada, Mexico, South America, western and Eastern Europe, South Africa, and Palestine.

In 1936 Glantz married Miriam Lipton. They had two sons, Kalman and Ezra (Jerry).

In 1941, the family moved to Los Angeles, California, where Glantz served as Chief Cantor of Sinai Temple, and from 1949 to 1954 at the Sha'arei Te'filah synagogue. He was also professor of Jewish Music at the University of Judaism in Los Angeles.

In 1948 he lectured before the delegates of the First Annual Conference of the Cantors Assembly of America on the subject: How the different Jewish Nuschaot (Prayer modes) were created.

He articulated his musical theories in a famous lecture to the delegates of the 5th Convention of the Cantors Assembly in 1952—a lecture that created serious debate, as his ideas were considered a new path toward the analysis of the ancient Jewish prayer modes, the Nusach. In general, his research and theories established a historical continuity of Jewish music from its beginnings in the Holy Temples of Jerusalem. Glantz theorized that many centuries ago the Jewish people transformed certain Greek scales and modes, in the process creating original Jewish combinations. These became the foundations for the Cantillation of the Torah (Ta'ameiHa'Mikrah) and the Jewish prayer modes (Nusach Ha'Tefila).

Glantz continued to be active in the Zionist movement as one of its outstanding leaders. He was nominated to be a delegate at no less than eleven World Zionist Congresses from 1921 till 1961—the last two as a delegate representing Israel.

Glantz lived in Israel for the last ten years of his life (1954–1964). Many of his most important compositions were composed in this period of his life. In total, Leib Glantz composed 215 compositions of Cantorial, Chassidic and Israeli music.

In addition to his cantorial career, Glantz appeared in leading tenor roles in, among others, Alan Hovhaness' "Shepherd of Israel", Jacques Halevy's "La Juive", and Joseph Tal's "Saul at Ein Dor".

In 1959, Glantz founded the Tel Aviv Institute for Jewish Liturgical Music, and an academic level conservatory for training cantors—the Cantors Academy (Ha'Akademia Le'Chazanut). He was also a founding member of AKUM, The Israel Music Institute, The Israel Composers' League, and was a member of the editorial board of "Bat Kol."

Following Glantz's death on January 27, 1964, while in concert in Tel Aviv, the Tel Aviv Institute for Jewish Liturgical Music was transformed into the publishing organ of Leib Glantz's musical compositions, as well as his research and literary work. This body, in conjunction with the Israel Music Institute, has published seven books of Glantz's musical compositions, as well as the Hebrew book "Zeharim – In Memory of Leib Glantz."

In 2008, his son, Jerry Glantz, published a new book (in English): Leib Glantz — "The Man Who Spoke To God." This book includes two compact discs with Leib Glantz singing 30 of his important compositions.

Birth and Death Data: Born June 1, 1898 (Kiev), Died January 27, 1964 (Tel Aviv)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1929 - 1932

Roles Represented in DAHR: vocalist, composer

Notes: Listed in disc labels as Cantor Leib Glanz.

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor CVE-50613 12-in. 2/20/1929 Tal Leib Glanz Male vocal solo, with organ composer, vocalist  
Victor CVE-50614 12-in. 2/20/1929 Shma Israel Leib Glanz Male vocal solo, with organ composer, vocalist  
Victor CVE-55093 12-in. 7/15/1929 L'chu n'rannenu Leib Glanz Male vocal solo, with pipe organ vocalist  
Victor CVE-55094 12-in. 7/15/1929 Kol Adonoj Leib Glanz Male vocal solo, with organ vocalist  
Victor CSHQ-58943 12-in. 7/28/1932 Acharei moti Leib Glanz Male vocal solo, with piano composer, vocalist  
Victor CSHQ-58944 12-in. 7/28/1932 Dwoirele Leib Glanz Male vocal solo, with piano composer, vocalist  
Victor CVE-59829 12-in. 3/19/1930 Birchas kohanim Leib Glanz Male vocal solo, with organ vocalist  
Victor CVE-59830 12-in. 3/19/1930 Ein keerkacho Leib Glanz Male vocal solo, with organ vocalist  
Victor CVE-59831 12-in. 3/19/1930 Ki hinei Leib Glanz Male vocal solo, with organ vocalist  
Victor CVE-59832 12-in. 3/19/1930 Ki keshimcho Leib Glanz Male vocal solo, with organ vocalist  
Victor CS-72699 12-in. 7/28/1932 Shomer Israel Leib Glanz Male vocal solo, with organ composer, vocalist  
Victor CS-72700 12-in. 7/28/1932 Av orachamim Leib Glanz Male vocal solo, with organ composer, vocalist  
Victor [Trial 1929-01-23-01] 12-in. 1/23/1929 Lechu neranno Leib Glanz Male vocal solo vocalist  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Glanz, Leib," accessed November 18, 2024, https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/116753.

Glanz, Leib. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 18, 2024, from https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/116753.

"Glanz, Leib." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 18 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/116753

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