Jacobo Sclar

Jacobo Sclar [Yaakov Schkliar] (1897–1971)

Cantor Jacobo Sclar was born in 1897 in a small place Radul (Chernigov Government, Russian Empire; now Ukraine), from a Jewish traditional family.

When he was a little child his family moved to Yekaterinoslav (Yekaterinoslav Government, Russian Empire; now Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine). At the age of 10 he started learning in Yekaterinoslav yeshiva, and later in the Kremenchug (Poltava Government, Russian Empire; now Ukraine) yeshiva, specializing in Talmud and Halacha. 

He began his musical studies with Rabbi Abraham Ben Israel and took part of a choir in Mariupol (Yekaterinoslav Government, Russian Empire; now Ukraine) with cantor Melamed and later on in the Yekaterinoslav synagogue, under the conduction of cantor Lachman. 

In Yekaterinoslav he also studied theory, harmony, counterpoint, piano, general music studies with professor Sokolowsky and professor Tchigrinsky and finished his studies in the Imperial Music School. In 1915 he conducted the domestic synagogue choir with cantor Irtchansky. After this he conducted the local Jewish theater orchestra.

During the Russian revolution he was the Regiment 271 band conductor. 

In 1924 he moved to Argentina and became cantor of Ezra de Avellaneda Synagogue in Buenos Aires. In 1926 he became the organist and choir conductor for the Kehila Yehudit (Congregacion Israelita de la Republica Argentina) synagogue with сantor Menachem Mazar. 

From 1932 until 1958 he conducted the Great synagogue “Shalom” choir in Buenos Aires, first with cantor Pinchas Borenstein and after then with cantor Aaron Gutman. Under his directives, his choir accompanied such greatest cantors as David Roitman, Elias Kritchmer, Samuel Vigoda, Pierre Pinchik, Moishe Oysher and David Koussevitzky. 

He wrote music for Sigal Editions and for a lot of Psalms. In the 1940s he was hired to conduct the choir from the "The Muse" cultural club. For forty years, he conducted orchestras for the Jewish theater in Argentina. Although having a tendency to write almost only Jewish liturgical music, he wrote music for a lot of operettas for the Jewish theater, 2 symphonic poems, and trios, songs in Spanish, Yiddish and Hebrew, harmonizing also works from other compositors.

Jacobo Sclar died in Argentina in 1971.

[78RPM]

Vechol Hachaim (arr. Jacobo Sclar) David Hickopf  Londisc R.L. 1899 B (P.1-301-B)

Vehararev No (David Roitman; arr. Jacobo Sclar) David Hickopf  Londisc R.L. 1899 A (P.1-301-A)

 Jacobo Sclar at the organ

[33RPM]

A Meidele fun Tel-Aviv (Max Perlman - Jacobo Sclar) Max Perlman Makolit 12028-2

[45RPM]

A Meidele fun Tel-Aviv (Max Perlman - Jacobo Sclar) David Eshet Hed-Arzi MN-33

Last update 15-05-2010