Nissan Spivak

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Nissan Spivak (born 1824 – died 1906) was a Jewish cantor and composer.

He was cantor in Belz, Galicia (then Austria-Hungary), and was generally known as ‘Nissi Belzer’. Later he was cantor at Kishinev (now in Moldova) and from 1877 at Berdichev (now in Ukraine).

In his childhood he had an accident which damaged his voice but he had an extensive reputation primarily as a composer and choir conductor. It was his vocal handicap that led him to develop original synagogue music in which the choir, instead of being merely an accompaniment or used for responses, was assigned lengthy ensembles - with solos and duets - reducing the role of the cantor. Spivak attracted many students to Berdichev and took his choirs to other centers, including Hasidic courts.