Issac Algazi

Isaac Ben Solomon Algazi (1882-1964), cantor and composer, born in Izmir (Smyrna), Turkey (then part of the Ottoman Empire). As a child he sung in a maftirim choir under the guidance of his father, a cantor and paytan. He then served as a teacher at the Talmud Torah and later became a cantor in Izmir. Beyond his interest in Jewish music, Algazi became an expert in traditional Turkish music. He organized special music courses and his pupils included notable musicians such as Alberto Hemsi.

Algazi's expertise in classical Turkish music led him to adapt and translate some of the pieces into Hebrew texts. In 1923, he was appointed as a cantor and music instructor at the Italian synagogue in the district of Galata, Istanbul. Later, in 1930, he became associated with the Jewish Ladino newspaper La voz de Oriente. Seeking new opportunities, Algazi moved to Paris in 1933 before finally settling in Montevideo, Uruguay. There, he actively participated in Sephardi congregation activities, leaving a significant impact on the community.

As a composer and adapter, he incorporated Turkish influences into synagogue songs, infusing them with a unique flavor. Although much of his work was transmitted orally, a few of his compositions and arrangements were recorded. His works that have survived in oral tradition are The Song of Deborah, Ha-Ben Yakkir Li Efrayim, Kiddush, Selihot, and songs from the Ladino folklore. Algazi also published Extrait du Fassil Husseini des chants juifs orientaux… adapté sous le contrôle de M. Isaac Algazi (1924-1925), a book in in which he connected five piyyutim to form a Turkish fassil (“suite”), each piece following a different uzul (“rhythmic pattern"). His other works include El judaismo, religion de amor (1945) and La Sabiduría Hebrea (1949).