Leo Low Papers

Collection

Identifier: RG 1140

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

Correspondence, original musical works and arrangements by Leo Low, printed sheet music of compositions by Leo Low, personal documents. Correspondents include Samuel Alman, Israel Alter, Abraham M. Bernstein, Abraham W. Binder, Gershon Ephros, Michl Gelbart, Mordechai Herschman, Meyer Posner, Jacob Rapoport, Josef (Yosele) Rosenblatt, Salomon Rosowsky, Jacob Weinberg, Lazar Weiner, Chemjo Vinaver, Julius Wolfsohn, Stefan Wolpe. Compositions by Leo Low include liturgical works, Jewish holiday songs, folk songs. Arrangements and rearrangements include works by Samuel Alman, Platon Brounoff, Julius Chajes, Isaac Dunajevsky, Michl Gelbart, Solomon Golub, Moses Beer Korotiansky, Zavel Kwartin, Marc Lavry, Louis Lewandowski, Shalom Postolsky, Baruch Leib Rosowsky, Zeidel Rovner, M. Schneyer, Mark Warschawski, Leib Yampolsky, Mordechai Zeira. Poets whose works were set to music by Low include Hayyim Nahman Bialik, David Edelstadt, Szmerke Kaczerginski, Isaac Leib Peretz, Abraham Reisen, Morris Rosenfeld, Zalman Shneur.

Dates

Creation: 1895 - 1971

Creator

Low, Leo, 1878-1960 (Person)

Biographical / Historical

Jewish composer, arranger, choral conductor, teacher, lecturer. One of the first to collect, arrange, and popularize Yiddish and Hebrew folk and art songs. Choir conductor at the Great Synagogue in Vilna, Bucharest Reform Temple, Tlomackie Synagogue in Warsaw, Hazomir and Grosser Club choruses in Warsaw, choruses of the Jewish National Workers Alliance and Workmen's Circle in New York. Born in Wolkowysk, Grodno province. Immigrated to the U.S. in 1920. Lived in Palestine from 1934-1938 and returned to reside in the U.S.

Extent

24 Boxes (2 5"lgl, 22 3"lgl)

Language of Materials

English

Yiddish

Additional Description

Arrangement

The collection is arranged in five series: I) Corresoindence (folders 1-5); II) Compositions, manuscripts (6-27); III) Services (28-77); IV) Printed Works (78-79); V) Miscellany (80).