His impact until present time
Salomon Sulzer described his life goal in a letter to the publisher of a monthly journal as follows:
“Only when Schir Zion has entwined like a bond of love around the hearts of all our Jewish fellow believers, my liturgical singings have built one language for all people, -then my mission will be completed, then I will have found justification before God and Mankind.”
In what ways has he succeeded? Did he find justification before God and Mankind?
The Internet offers a free download of „Schir Zion“ as well as extensive materials on the history of synagogue music as well as biographies on Sulzer. The “Jewish Theological Seminary of America”, a famous training centre for conservative rabbis, even offers the possibility to listen to Sulzer compositions online. On Sulzers 200th birthday, many synagogues and training centres organised concerts to honour him.
The Internet offers a free download of „Schir Zion“ as well as extensive materials on the history of synagogue music as well as biographies on Sulzer. The “Jewish Theological Seminary of America”, a famous training centre for conservative rabbis, even offers the possibility to listen to Sulzer compositions online. On Sulzers 200th birthday, many synagogues and training centres organised concerts to honour him.
The reasons that Sulzer’s music lost importance in central Europe after 1945, are historic. The survivors who were involved in rebuilding Jewish communities after war, mostly came from Eastern Europe and kept their own liturgical tradition, while Sulzer and his contemporaries were paid no attention to.
In Israel his compositions are seen as rather controversial and therefore refused, as they are regarded as “too German” by many people.
In recent years, however, the German-speaking world has shown increasing interest in this 19th century liturgical music which has to do mainly with the comeback of reform Judaism in its birth country.
More information about Salomon Sulzer
biography | his life | integration | friends | music | the reformer | recognition
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