FROMM, HERBERT

FROMM, HERBERT (1905–1995), German-born American organist, conductor, and composer. Born in Kitzingen on the Main, Bavaria, Fromm studied at the Academy of Music in Munich with Paul Hindemith. He worked as a theater conductor in Bielefeld (1930) and Wuerzburg (1931–33). In 1937 the Nazis forced him out of Germany and he went to the United States. There he became organist and director of music at Temple Beth Zion, Buffalo, and from 1941 until 1973 at Temple Israel in Boston. He composed many works for the synagogue, and also a number of secular works. His synagogue compositions include Adath Israel, a service for Friday evening (1952); Song of Miriam, for women's choir, organ, or piano (1945); Six Madrigals (1951), for Sabbath and festivals; Avodat Shabbat (1960); Psalm Cantata, for mixed voices, organ, trumpet, viola, flute, and timpani (1963); Ḥemdat Yamin, a service for Sabbath morning (1964); Chamber Cantata (text by Judah Halevi), for mixed voices and eight instruments (1966); Ḥag ha-Matzot, suite on Passover melodies for harpsichord, flute, and cello (1967); and numerous anthems and organ compositions. In addition to his articles and essays in various journals and newspapers, he wrote The Key of See: Travel Journey of a Composer (1967), Seven Pockets (1977), and On Jewish Music: A Composer's View (1979). Fromm received the Ernest Bloch Award in 1945).

add. bibliography:

Baker's Biographical Dictionary (1997); N.M. Steinberger and E. Kahn, An Inventory of the Herbert Fromm Collection (1995).