A manuscript and a letter handwritten by Lewis (Eliezer) Lewandowski, (1821-1894) – cantor, choir conductor and synagogue-music composer. Served as a cantor and choir conductor in the Berlin new synagogue. His compositions are considered till the present day as foundation stones in Jewish music; many of the leading cantors were his students.
1. [Todah We-Zimrah], Vierstimmige Chöre und Soli für den israelitischen Gottesdienst, componirt und herausgegeben von L. Lewandowski [Berlin, 1970s, ca. 1876]. 120-pages manuscript, by cantor Lewis (Eliezer) Lewandowski. The manuscript is complete and includes musical notations and verses of 101 compositions for Fridays and holidays, for cantor and four voices. Titles of compositions and verses are in Hebrew. Title page is in German except for the title "Toda VeZimra". It seems that Lewndowski's book "Toda We-Simrah" was printed from the manuscript presented here (Berlin:E. Bote&G. Bock, 1876). 120 leaves (240 written pages), 30 cm. Good condition. Minor stains. Ownership ink-stamp. New binding. See: Bibliography of Jewish music, Alfred Sendrey (New-York, 1951), record no. 6253.
2. Letter handwritten by Lewis Lewandowski (written on stationery bearing his name). Berlin, 1880. German.
A letter of recommendation, written for a cantor by the name of Schnittkin living in Kempen, Germany. Lewandowski writes in this letter that Schnittkin is a Tenor-Baritone cantor with a particularly pleasant voice and familiar with a variety of musical styles. Leaf 21 cm. Good condition. Folding marks, with minor damages to text. The letter is framed in a fine frame. On the left side is a translation into English of the letter (with some minor errors in the spelling of names), on the lower part appears Lewandowsky's portrait. Frame 61 cm. Good condition.