Cantor Kalman Kalich - Misratzeh Berachamim

Cantor Kalich was born in Kalich, Poland on December 17, 1903. He previously served as Cantor of the Arena Synagogue, Budapest, Hungary, and sang in Yossele Rosenblatt's choir in Pressburg, Hungary. He was honored for his many years of service at Ohab Zedek at a dinner held at the Hotel Olcott, New York City, given in his honor on Saturday evening, March 11, 1961, recognizing his 25 years of dedicated service to the congregation. He died in New York City on February 24, 1982." By the way, he was chazan at Ohab Zedek from 1935 to 1981. I believe his wife's name was Rose Chazzan Kalman on the cover of 'The art of Cantor Kalmen Kallich' released by The Greater Recording Company in 1976 (GRC298) According to the "Extract from the registry of engaged Jews 1885-1937″ of Brzozów, Kalman (or Kelman) was born as the son of Mozes Yosef Kalech and Sara Stieber on 4 January 1903 in Brzozów (currently in Poland) as Kelman Stieber. The date of birth which is mentioned in this Brzozów document differs slightly with the dates which we find in the the United States Social Security Death Index. In that index 18 December 1902 is mentioned as Chazzan Kalich's birthdate (which is 17 days earlier than what we know from archives in Poland) and February 1982 as the date he passed away. The book "First Hungarian Congregation Ohab Zedek" mentions 17 December 1903 as the date of birth for Kalman Kalich. According to the United States Census of 1910 and 1930 Kalman was born in about 1903-1904. This all means that the last sources differs about a year respectively 3 years with the two other versions found in the Polish and the USA archives. It is therefore that I am inclined to believe that Kalman was born in the winter of 1902-1903. The quoted paragraph, which was taken from the book "First Hungarian Congregation Ohab Zedek", seems to have some mistakes, the date of birth we discussed already but also the fact that Chazzan Kallich sung in Pressburg with Chazzan Rosenblatt does not fit. Let's explain; we know about Chazzan Yossele Rosenblatt that he officiated in Pressburg between about 1901 and 1906. Then he officiated between 1906 and 1912 in Hamburg, Germany and in 1912 Chazzan Rosenblatt arrived in the States. This all means that Kalman must have been about 3 years old when Chazzan Rosenblatt left Pressburg. Therefore it therefore seems unlikely that Chazzan Kalich sung in Chazzan Rosenblatt's choir while still in Pressburg. Kalman did however, 'armed with the blessing from the famous Kruckover Rebbe', start on his journey at the age of six as a choir boy with Chazzan Rosenblatt, who was then the Cantor of the congregation Ohab Zedek on 116 Street in Harlem. Kalman and his Chazzonus: The famous conductor Shnipelinsky got him in contact with Chazzan Aryeh Leib Rutman. It was Chazzan Rutman who took him under his wings and taught him the art of Chazzonus, hence the comparison to the famous Rozumni. At 11 years of age, Cantor Kallich became a child prodigy and gave concerts as far west as Chicago. Forced to stop singing as he matured, at 20 he became the cantor of the famous Clymer street synagogue in Williamsburg. Continuing his musical education with such voice teachers as Alfred Martina and Giuseppi De Luca, world famous singers of the Metropolitan Opera, and instructors of Jan Peerce and Richard Tucker, Cantor Kalich simultaneously advanced himself in chazanuth with the genius of nussach Samuel Weingarten possessed. While chazzan Kalich occupied a position in Washington Heights, the late Rev. Maurice Taub of Ohab Zedek, summoned Cantor Kalich to occupy the position at Congregation Ohab Zedek where has officiated as Cantor for over 40 years. When the late Leo Low heard him sing, he exclaimed "The sweetness of his voice his like the great Razumna of Odessa. Jan Peerce, the Metropolitan Opera Star said, "I love traditional Cantorial music, and my grates pleasure is to hear Kalmen Kalich sing" and "He was a hazzan; he knew his perush hamilos" (perush hamilos is Hebrew and can be translated as "the meaning of the words, understanding the words which are being said during the prayers"). On another cover for a vinyl record with songs from Chazzan Kalich we can read that Kalmen Kalich was the original "Boy Wonder Cantor". Under the tutelage of the renowned choir leader Eli Shipelinsky, he conducted Sabbath Services in many of the famous synagogues throughout the United States. Cantor Kalman Kalich won further acclaim as a great interpreter of Jewish Folk songs and Liturgical Music and for many years his voice was heard on radio, where many accolades and plaudits were given to him. Thanks to www.gershon-lehrer.be for this info.