Abraham Caceres

Abraham Caceres
Abraham Caceres
Died	c. 1740
Occupation	Composer

Abraham de Caceres or Casseres (fl. 1718 – c. 1740) was a Dutch Jewish composer of the late baroque period.

Caceres is primarily known as the composer-in-residence to the Amsterdam Sephardic community between 1720 and 1740.^[1] He preceded the Gentile Christian Joseph Lidarti who was commissioned to compose Esther in Hebrew.^[2]

He set to music the poems of Moses Hayyim Luzzatto.^[3]^[4] He also composed two melodies found in the Kabbalistic work Hon Ashir which was authored in 1730–31 by Rabbi Immanuel Hai Ricchi.

Works and editions

Some of his works are preserved in the Ets Haim Library.^[5]^[6]

Discography

מוסיקה לבית הכנסת בתקופת הברוק/Synagogal music in the Baroque: Italy, Amsterdam, southern France (= Anthology of music traditions in Israel) (Jerusalem: מרכז לחקר המוסיקה היהודית, האוניברסיטה העברית בירושלים/Jewish Music Research Centre, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 1991. Jewish Music Research Centre AMTI CD 9101) includes two works by Caceres performed by The Cameran Singers and an ad hoc instrumental ensemble, conducted by Avner Itai: Ḥishḳi ḥizḳi (or as Hishqî hizqî ), and Hamasiaḥ ilemim (as ha-Mesiaḥ ilmim or Ham-mesîah illemîm).
מוסיקה לבית הכנסת בתקופת הבארוק. יונה בין חגוי סלע /Synagogal music in the Baroque: Dove in the clefts of the rock (= Anthology of music traditions in Israel 8) ([Yerushalayim]: האוניברסיטה העברית בירושלים, המרכז לחקר המוסיקה היהודית/ha-Universiṭah ha-ʻIvrit bi-Yerushalayim, ha-Merkaz le-ḥeḳer ha-musiḳah ha-Yehudit, 1994) includes two works by Caceres performed possibly by various soloists, an ad hoc instrumental ensemble, The Israel National Choir Rinat, and The Keshet Baroque Orchestra, conducted by Avner Itai: Ḥishḳi ḥizḳi (Ḥishqi ḥizqi), and Le-El elim.
Music of European Jews, 1550-1800 ([Grinnell, Iowa?]: [Grinnell Collegium?], [2003]) includes two works by Caceres performed by Grinnell Collegium, conducted by Oleg Timofeyev: Le-El elim (as Le-el elim), and Ḥishḳi ḥizḳi (as Hishki hizki).
Jewish baroque music (Musicmedia, ©2008. Concerto CD 2009. EAN 8012665200918. UPC 898428002221) includes three works by Caceres performed by Ensemble Salomone Rossi: Ḥishḳi ḥizḳi (as Hiski Hizki), Hamesiaḥ ilemim (as Hamesiah), and Le-El elim (as Le El Elim).
Musiques juives baroques: Venise, Mantoue, Amsterdam (1623-1774): hommage à Israel Adler (= Collection Patrimoines musicaux des juifs de France 10) (Paris, France: Fondation du Judaïsme Français, [2011]. Buda Musique 860212. EAN 3341348602127) includes two works by Caceres performed by Ensemble Texto, conducted by David Klein: Le-El elim (as Le’el elim), and Ḥishḳi ḥizḳi (as Ḥishki ḥizki).

References

^ J. C. H. Blom, R. G. Fuks-Mansfeld, Ivo Schöffer The history of the Jews in the Netherlands 2002 "In the first half of the eighteenth century Abraham Caceres stood out as the most important composer of the community"
^ Alfred Sendrey The music of the Jews in the Diaspora (up to 1800) 1971 p483 "Singing and music were essential parts of this celebration, and with the years, the musical part of the feast assumed such ... The two regular composers-in-residence of the Amsterdam Sephardim were Abraham Caceres, who was Jewish, and Cristiano Giuseppe Lidarti, who was a Gentile"
^ Alfred Sendrey The music of the Jews in the Diaspora (up to 1800) 1971 ".. Moses Hayyim Luzzatto, who lived in Amsterdam from 1736 to 1743, wrote the poems and Abraham Caceres the music. "
^ Journal of synagogue music: 5 - 3 Cantors Assembly of America - 1974 "In the texts of poems composed for this occasion by the Amsterdam rabbis Isaac Aboab da Fonseca see note ... later set to music by Abraham Caceres, also appears in this important musical manuscript, on fol. l5b-l6a, and on fol."
^ Peter Gradenwitz Literatur und Musik in geselligem Kreise 1991 - 284 "Die Etz-Chajim Bibliothek bewahrt eine Reihe von Kompositionen auf, die im Gottesdienst und bei Festen des jüdischen Jahres sowie bei familiären Feiern zur Aufführung gelangten, darunter Musik von Abraham Casseres (Caceres),"
^ Ariel Toaff, Simon Schwarzfuchs, Elliott S. Horowitz The Mediterranean and the Jews: Society, culture, and economy in early modern times 2002 "Firstly, there are two melodies set to two piyyutim (liturgical poems) for the circumcision ceremony by Ricchi, notated at his request by the renowned Jewish composer from Amsterdam, Abraham Caceres, and published in .

[1] J. C. H. Blom, R. G. Fuks-Mansfeld, Ivo Schöffer The history of the Jews in the Netherlands 2002 "In the first half of the eighteenth century Abraham Caceres stood out as the most important composer of the community"

[2] Alfred Sendrey The music of the Jews in the Diaspora (up to 1800) 1971 p483 "Singing and music were essential parts of this celebration, and with the years, the musical part of the feast assumed such ... The two regular composers-in-residence of the Amsterdam Sephardim were Abraham Caceres, who was Jewish, and Cristiano Giuseppe Lidarti, who was a Gentile"

[3] Alfred Sendrey The music of the Jews in the Diaspora (up to 1800) 1971 ".. Moses Hayyim Luzzatto, who lived in Amsterdam from 1736 to 1743, wrote the poems and Abraham Caceres the music. "

[4] Journal of synagogue music: 5 - 3 Cantors Assembly of America - 1974 "In the texts of poems composed for this occasion by the Amsterdam rabbis Isaac Aboab da Fonseca see note ... later set to music by Abraham Caceres, also appears in this important musical manuscript, on fol. l5b-l6a, and on fol."

[5] Peter Gradenwitz Literatur und Musik in geselligem Kreise 1991 - 284 "Die Etz-Chajim Bibliothek bewahrt eine Reihe von Kompositionen auf, die im Gottesdienst und bei Festen des jüdischen Jahres sowie bei familiären Feiern zur Aufführung gelangten, darunter Musik von Abraham Casseres (Caceres),"

[6] Ariel Toaff, Simon Schwarzfuchs, Elliott S. Horowitz The Mediterranean and the Jews: Society, culture, and economy in early modern times 2002 "Firstly, there are two melodies set to two piyyutim (liturgical poems) for the circumcision ceremony by Ricchi, notated at his request by the renowned Jewish composer from Amsterdam, Abraham Caceres, and published in .

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