The Lives and Music of Jewish Composers

Throughout history, the great tradition of Western classical music has drawn deeply from Christian liturgy and culture. From the Gregorian Chant of the medieval Catholic Church to the masses and motets of Palestrina, the cantatas of Bach, and the requiems of Brahms and Britten, classical music is largely rooted in Christianity—yet Jewish composers have profoundly influenced and reshaped that tradition in ways both visible and often overlooked. In this illuminating course, we’ll explore how figures such as Giacomo Meyerbeer, Gustav Mahler, Arnold Schoenberg, Leonard Bernstein, and Philip Glass transformed the sound of their times while grappling with questions of faith, identity, and belonging. Through guided listening and engaging discussion, we’ll examine how these composers bridged cultural worlds, creating music that reflected both their Jewish heritage and the broader European artistic tradition. From the grandeur of the Romantic symphony to the bold innovations of the modern era, this course invites you to hear familiar masterpieces in a new light—and to discover how the creative spirit of Jewish artists has shaped centuries of musical expression and meaning.