Jewish Cantoral music can be traced back even to the days of the Temple in Jerusalem where the Levites, accompanied by musical instruments sang Psalms during daily worship services.
After the destruction of the Temple and the scattering of the Jews in the Diaspora, Temple music was replaced by male soloists, cantors, who represented the congregation before God.
The Ashkenazi cantors developed a unique style of cantellation. Cantors such as Yossele Rosenblatt, Moshe Kossevitzki, Zawel Kwartin and others became famous worldwide in Jewish circles both in Europe as well as in America.
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