Isaac Nathan

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Isaac Nathan

Isaac Nathan (born around 1791 Canterbury ; died January 15, 1864 in Sydney ) was a Jewish composer, musicologist, journalist and publicist.

His parents were Polish- born Chasan Menahem Monash and his English-born wife, Mary Goldsmid . Isaac Nathan was to follow in his father's footsteps professionally and was educated in Cambridge at the city's first Jewish boarding school , run by Solomon Lyon . Since he showed great enthusiasm for the music, he was referred to the London- based composer and singing teacher Domenico Corri from Italy . In 1813, Nathan came up with the idea of ​​publishing melodies for use in the synagogue , and Lord Byron persuaded him to write lyrics for them. The result of the collaboration was the book Hebrew Melodies published by John Murray in 1815 . Nathan used traditional synagogue melodies as well as melodies from European folk music. The collection was a great success.

He married one of his Christian music students by the name of Rosetta and, after her early death in 1824, another Christian. Nathan's great passion for betting on boxing competitions has repeatedly brought him financial distress and criminal liability. He wrote comic operas for London stages, four of which were performed between 1823 and 1833. In 1823 he wrote the History of Music dedicated to King George IV (later published under the title Musurgia Vocalis - An Essay on the History and Theory of Music, and of the Qualities, Capabilities and Management of the Human Voice ), in which he also published the Briefly discusses Jewish music , demonstrating a good knowledge of the Bible and Jewish traditions. Nathan also gave singing lessons. One of his students was the English poet and playwright Robert Browning .

After his financial bankruptcy, Isaac Nathan emigrated to Australia in 1841 . In Sydney he worked for both the synagogue and the Roman Catholic cathedral in the music field. He performed many works by Mozart , Beethoven and other composers for the first time in Australia. In 1847 his first opera Don John of Austria premiered at the Royal Victoria Theater in Sydney. He was also the first European to study and notate the music of the Australian Aborigines . In 1864 Isaac Nathan was hit by a horse-drawn tram and died in the process.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ The poems appeared a. a. in the translation by Heinrich Stadelmann with the title Hebrew Chants .
  2. ^ David Conway: Jewry in Music - Entry to the Profession from the Enlightenment to Richard Wagner , Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 2016, ISBN 978-1-107-01538-8 , pp. 91-97
  3. ^ Nathan, Isaac (1790-1864) . In: Douglas Pike (Ed.): Australian Dictionary of Biography . Volume 2. Melbourne University Press, Carlton (Victoria) 1967 (English).
  4. ↑ Rodney Fisher: Isaac Nathan, Byron and Don John of Austria
  5. ^ Catherine MacLaurin Mackerras: The Hebrew Melodist - A Life of Isaac Nathan , Currawong, Sydney 1963, p. 123
  6. ↑ Biography on www.sjsu.edu

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Nathan, Isaac
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Jewish composer, musicologist, journalist and publicist
DATE OF BIRTH around 1791
DATE OF DEATH January 15, 1864
Place of death Sydney