Beethoven and the Stadt-Templ in Vienna

[stude_ham]

Browsing out of curiosity the 1953 book Pictorial History of the Jewish People by Nathan Ausubel, (Crown Publishers, Inc., New York) I came across this intriguing Beethoven related item on page 173.

The first real synagogue [in Vienna], the Stadt-Tempel (City Temple), had a Reform orientation. ... It was dedicated on April 9, 1826... The famous cantor-composer, Salomon Sulzer, a friend of Franz Schubert, sang the musical service which, incidentally, had been composed for the occasion by Drechsler, a Christian. Originally, Beethoven had been invited to write the music. He had made a study of Jewish traditional modes and musical idioms in preparation for this task. Why he never carried out the project remains a mystery.

Does anyone know anything more about this story in relation to LVB?

Thank you.

[atserriotserri]

A music professor, Marsha Bryan Edelman, does not enter in the causes why such commission was not concluded, but she says that the approach of leaders of the jewish community in Vienna was accompanied with the supply of jewish music examples, since they wanted music of a jewish character; among them Kol Nidre. From that she comes to the conclusion that such brief contact and the examination of such music was the source of inspiration for the theme allegedly based on Kol Nidre in the 6th mov. of the string quartet op. 131. You provide the data of the dedication of the synagogue on 1826, in the works section of the Beethoven reference site website ( http://www.kingsbarn.freeserve.co.uk/comp.html ) the string quartet is dated 1826, so prima facie this information matches.

If you write the name of the lady on google with the op. 131 string quartet, it's likely you'll find a reference to a website where she mentions this issue.

[Michael]

I have heard about the Kol Nidre resemblance before, but I can't say I have noticed it except for the opening (solo) notes. You can hear the original tune here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvWxoYULWrw

[Hofrat]

In early 1826, Beethoven expressed interest in Handl's "Saul" and in ancient Herbrew music (per Holz).