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Moshe Koussevitzky

Moshe Koussevitzky (Hebrew: משה קוסביצקי, Polish: Mosze Kusewicki; June 9, 1899 in Smarhoń, Russian Empire – August 23, 1966 in New York City) was a cantor and vocalist. A relative of noted conductor Sergei Koussevitzky, he made many recordings in Poland and the United States.

Moshe Koussevitzky was a lyric tenor with a spectacular and perhaps unparalleled upper register among cantors. Koussevitzky is regarded as among the greatest cantors of the 20th century. Some would place him first among peers, though that distinction is more often given to Yossele Rosenblatt or Gershon Sirota, both of whom were a generation older than Koussevitzky.

Koussevitzky was born in Smarhoń, now located in Belarus, on June 9, 1899; his father, Avigdor, was a music teacher and his mother, Alta, a pianist. He moved to Vilna in 1920, and served there as cantor at the Sawel Synagogue, and, starting in 1924, at the Great Synagogue of Vilna. In 1927 or 1928 he became cantor of the Tlomackie Synagogue in Warsaw, succeeding Gershon Sirota. He soon gained an international reputation, traveling to Brussels, Antwerp, Vienna, Budapest and London. In 1934 and 1936, he performed in Palestine. Koussevitzky first performed in the United States in 1938, at New York's Carnegie Hall.

Koussevitzky and his family escaped the Nazis during the Holocaust by fleeing to the Soviet Union. During the war years, he performed as an opera singer under the name Mikhail Koswitzky, appearing in Boris Godunov, Tosca and Rigoletto, and was honored for his contributions to national morale.

After the war, he returned to Poland, and the audience at one of his concerts included the ambassadors from the United Kingdom and the United States. Following this concert he was granted a visa to the United Kingdom, where he stayed for a short time before emigrating in 1947 to the United States with his family. He became cantor of Borough Park, Brooklyn's Temple Beth-El in 1952, living in Great Neck, Long Island during the week and in Borough Park on the Sabbath. He died on August 23, 1966, and was buried in Israel.

Koussevitzky was one of four brothers, all well-known cantors. David Koussevitzky was cantor of a Conservative synagogue, Temple Emanu-El of Borough Park, one block from Moshe's Beth-El. After Moshe's death, David would continue the tradition Moshe had started of giving an annual concert at Beth-El on Rosh Chodesh Elul, one month before Rosh Hashanah. Jacob and Simcha were also prominent cantors, albeit not as well known as Moshe and David. Jacob held positions in Kremenetze, Lemberg, London, Winnipeg, and finally Kew Gardens Hills, Queens, New York.

Birth and Death Data: Born June 9, 1899 (Smarhoń), Died August 23, 1966 (New York City)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1947 - 1950

Roles Represented in DAHR: vocalist

= 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 E0FB-4280 10-in. 4/27/1950 Shir hacheirut Moshe Koussevitzky ; Sholom Secunda Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist  
Victor E0FB-4281 10-in. 4/27/1950 Yerushalayim Moshe Koussevitzky ; Sholom Secunda Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist  
Victor D7FB-1225 10-in. 7/2/1947 Leolum yehei odom Moshe Kusevitsky Male vocal solo, with string ensemble vocalist  
Victor D7FB-1226 10-in. 7/2/1947 Leolum yehei (concluded) Moshe Koussevitzky ; Joseph Rumshinsky Male vocal solo, with string ensemble vocalist  
Victor D7FB-1227 10-in. 7/2/1947 Hatei Moshe Kusevitsky ; Joseph Rumshinsky Male vocal solo, with string ensemble vocalist  
Victor D7FB-1228 10-in. 7/2/1947 Hatei (concluded) Moshe Koussevitzky Male vocal solo, with string ensemble vocalist  
Victor D7FB-1255 10-in. 7/7/1947 Unsane tokef Moshe Koussevitzky ; Joseph Rumshinsky Male vocal solo, with string ensemble vocalist  
Victor D7FB-1256 10-in. 7/7/1947 Unsane tokef (concluded) Moshe Koussevitzky ; Joseph Rumshinsky Male vocal solo, with string ensemble vocalist  
Victor D7FB-1257 10-in. 7/7/1947 Ribono shel olom Moshe Koussevitzky ; Joseph Rumshinsky Male vocal solo, with string ensemble vocalist  
Victor D7FB-1258 10-in. 7/7/1947 Ribono shel olom (concluded) Moshe Koussevitzky ; Joseph Rumshinsky Male vocal solo, with string ensemble vocalist  
Victor D7FC-7699 12-in. 10/28/1947 Sheiboneh beis hamikdosh Moshe Koussevitzky ; Joseph Rumshinsky Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble vocalist  
Victor D7FC-7920 12-in. 10/30/1947 Umipnei chatoeinu Moshe Koussevitzky ; Joseph Rumshinsky Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble vocalist  
Victor D7FC-7921 12-in. 10/30/1947 L'dor vodor Moshe Koussevitzky ; Joseph Rumshinsky Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble vocalist  
Victor D7FC-7922 12-in. (33-1/3 rpm) 10/30/1947 Akavyo ben Mahalalel Moshe Koussevitzky ; Joseph Rumshinsky Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble vocalist  
Victor D7FC-7923 12-in. 10/30/1947 Akavyo ben Mahalalel Moshe Koussevitzky ; Joseph Rumshinsky Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble vocalist  
Victor D9FC-1850 12-in. 6/29/1949 Kdushah Moshe Koussevitzky Male vocal solo, with vocal ensemble and instrumental trio vocalist  
Victor D9FC-1851 12-in. 6/29/1949 Kdushah Moshe Koussevitzky Male vocal solo, with vocal ensemble and instrumental trio vocalist  
Victor D9FC-1852 12-in. 6/29/1949 Av Horach'mim Moshe Koussevitzky Male vocal solo, with vocal ensemble and instrumental trio vocalist  
Victor D9FC-1853 12-in. 6/29/1949 Av Horach'mim Moshe Koussevitzky Male vocal solo, with vocal ensemble and instrumental trio vocalist  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Koussevitzky, Moshe," accessed April 26, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/116713.

Koussevitzky, Moshe. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 26, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/116713.

"Koussevitzky, Moshe." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 26 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/116713

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