Words by Selly de Jong
Liedertafel 'Haarlem's Zanggenot' : nationale zangwedstrijd voor mannen en gem. koren te houden op 28, 29 april, 5, 6, 13 en 20 mei 1928. Verplichte koren (for national contest for male and mixed choirs)
Up until World War II, Israel J. Olman had been a celebrated choral conductor and composer. He wrote synagogal music and also music for socialist choirs, to be performed at major singing competitions. His fame, in addition to the fact that he was married to a Catholic woman, offered him some protection during the war. In the post-war years his reputation as a composer diminished rapidly, creating financial difficulties. The world had changed and his musical idiom had become outdated.
by Pauline Micheels