Re: Isaac Nathan

[Elrosen <Elrosen...>]

Isaac Nathan was a curious individual. He married a christian student of his 
in St. Mary Abbot's Church, and then had a second ceremony in a synagogue 
three months later. On the night Lord Byron was forced to leave England, 
Nathan sent him a package of Motzas. The fact that these "Passover cakes" 
were present in his house suggests that he regarded the importance of Jewish 
tradition (he did come from an Orthodox Jewish background). Yet he still 
baptized all his children.
    Later on in his life, he directed the choir at St. Mary's Cathedral in 
Sydney, Australia. However, he still maintained his connection to the Jewish 
community. He composed the songs for and directed the choir at the opening of 
the York Street synagogue. One of his grandsons claims that Nathan converted, 
while his son-in-law recounted that he once observed the composer praying in 
Hebrew. 
    Whatever the case may be, there is no doubt that his "Jewishness" had a 
large impact on his music. See "Hebrew Melodies", the collaboration with Lord 
Byron, or "The Sourthern Euphrosyne and Australian Miscellany", which begins 
with a plaintive cry for the People of Israel.

Elie

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