World’s foremost hazzan has died
RIPThe renowned synagogue cantor Naftali Herstik died yesterday at the age of 77. The funeral took place today in Ra’anana, Israel.
Born into a Hungarian dynasty of traditional prayer leaders, Herstik served for 30 years as chief hazzan of the Great Synagogue in Jerusalem. He set up an academy where most of today’s leading practitioners trained, and where his sons continue to teach.
Herstik was regarded as the supreme authority on central European Ashkenazy melodic liturgy.
He was a legend in his own time, and tremendous as both a musician and a religious inspiration- a feat which only the very few best chazzanim accomplish.
Some of the most beautIful Chazanut.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjBUQHc2o3o
BDhE. Incredibly great hazzan.
I see that he was born in 1947 in a provincial town in Hungary. He, his family, and the world of Hebrew liturgical music and spirituality were most fortunate to have survived the Holocaust, which saw over 90% of the provincial Jewish population of Hungary perish in, or on the way to, Auschwitz.
How sad and true.
A truly great Chazzan. I wish I had been wiser and gone to hear him during the 2 yrs I studied in Israel from 86-88. I heard him once on shemini atzeres in 2001. It was fantastic. He will be sorely missed.