Max (Moshe) Wohlberg (born February 9, 1907) was a Hungarian-American

hazzan A ''hazzan'' (; , lit. Hazan) or ''chazzan'' (, plural ; ; ) is a Jewish musician or precentor trained in the vocal arts who leads the congregation in songful prayer. In English, this prayer leader is often referred to as a cantor, a term al ...

, composer, and scholar. He was one of the initial members of the

Cantors Assembly Cantors Assembly is the international association of hazzanim (cantors) affiliated with Conservative Judaism. It was founded in 1947 to develop the profession of the hazzan, to foster the fellowship and welfare of hazzanim, and to establish a con ...

established in 1947 and served as its president from 1949 to 1951. He helped to found the cantorial school at the Jewish Theological Seminary where he was Professor and head of the

nusach Nusach can refer to: * Nusach (Jewish custom) In Judaism, Nusach (, , plural ''nusaḥim'', ) is the exact text of a prayer service; sometimes the English word "rite" is used to refer to the same thing. Nusakh means "formulate" or "wording." ...

department. Self-taught, he developed a curriculum for studying nusach and producing scholarly research, educating over 100 graduates as of 1977. Wohlberg was known for his

recitative Recitative (, also known by its Italian name recitativo () is a style of delivery (much used in operas, oratorios, and cantatas) in which a singer is allowed to adopt the rhythms and delivery of ordinary speech. Recitative does not repeat lines ...

compositions and recognized as a melodist who captured the interpretive nuances of liturgical texts. His music was rooted in Jewish liturgical traditions, incorporating biblical cantillations, synagogue motifs, Yiddish song phrases, and Israeli folk melodies. These influences stemmed from his extensive exposure to Jewish musical life and were further enriched by his teaching and research. Wohlberg died April 19, 1996, in

Washington D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

References

1907 births 1996 deaths American people of Hungarian-Jewish descent Jewish Theological Seminary of America faculty Hazzans Jewish composers {{Judaism-bio-stub