By Yitzchok Cohen

This past Monday, the world of Jewish music suffered an irreplaceable loss with the untimely petirah of Reb Moshe Goldman, celebrated composer of Chassidishe niggunim and producer of the Camp Shalva choir tape series. Chazal tell us, “Ein omrin bifnei hameis ela devarav shel meis.” It would therefore be most suitable to hear the niftar’s own words, which were conveyed to Hamodia in an interview conducted three years ago in his home. (The full interview was printed in Hamodia Magazine during the summer of 2007.)

How did you become involved in the world of music?

My father, may he be well, is one of the top baalei tefillah in Bobov. He is known for his powerful, soul-stirring voice. While I was still a young boy, even before my bar mitzvah, I began experimenting with different tunes, and soon after my bar mitzvah, I started composing niggunim.

About 21 years ago, I was asked by the [previous] Bobover Rebbe, zt”l, to temporarily replace the director of the Bobover Camp, Camp Shalva, for the duration of that summer. Being surrounded by so many children, bli ayin hara, I used the opportunity to sing with them.

The children loved it, and we spent many pleasurable hours singing.

Later on, even after I had left Camp Shalva, I used to drive over during the summer to sing with the kids and teach them new songs.

One summer, several of the camp leaders approached me with the idea of producing a tape. I loved the idea, and I immediately immersed myself in the project. By the end of that summer, we had put together a collection of songs, sung by several excellent singers from the camp. Thus, the Camp Shalva tapes were born. 

I also wrote several songs especially for my Rebbe, Harav Shlomo of Bobov, zt”l, to commemorate the simchos that he made. Among those songs are Yosef Hashem Aleichem and Urei Banim Levanecha. The Rebbe held those songs very dear.

Do you do any of the singing on your tapes?

Not really. I do not present myself as a singer. That’s not where my primary talent lies. My talent lies mostly in composing songs and arranging the way they are sung. I do, however, write my own lyrics, in which the lines often rhyme. This has its roots in my younger years, when I was a badchan.

Is it true that you have your own studio?

When producing a tape or CD, one of the biggest expenses I’ve encountered is the cost of renting a professional studio to record the production. A recording studio is built with very specialized insulating material, to prevent even the slightest outdoor noise from penetrating. It is outfitted with all sorts of specialized machinery and equipment, designed to maximize the singer’s voice.

Six years ago, we built our own studio underneath an apartment complex in Boro Park.

The studio is windowless and equipped with the latest in modern technology, designed to enhance the voice of the singer, especially of our young singers, whose voices need amplification.

Our studio, named Golden Enterprises Digital Studios, is run by my son, Reb Chaim Yitzchok Goldman, who, besides being an accomplished musician and musical genius, is also a very talented producer. He generally does the musical accompaniment to the songs I compose.

Today, the studio is well known in the Jewish music world for its sophisticated, modern equipment, and the excellent work that is produced there. The studio doesn’t just produce Camp Shalva tapes, but is being used by numerous other musical artists.

The fact that most of the singers on our tapes are children is one of the chief reasons we decided to build our own customized studio. In the past, transporting our young artists to and from the studio was time-consuming and inefficient. By the time the children were ready to sing, the studio wasn’t available that day anymore. With our own studio, it’s really much easier and more efficient.

Do the children want to be part of the production? What about the parents of these children? Are they usually comfortable with the idea?

We realize that each and every child is special and important. Children who are born with a musical talent are generally inclined to express it. We have never actively looked for talent; parents usually ask us to try out their child. When I get such a request from a father, I often ask that the child record one slow song and one fast song, on a tape. This gives me an idea of the child’s talent.

When I listen to the tape, I analyze the voice of the child, and how musical he is, not how well he performs the song. The child needs to have one of two qualities for me to consider him for our choir: If a child has a good voice, but he doesn’t understand music, I will teach him to understand.

Alternatively, if a child understands and knows music, but has a weak voice, I can work with the child’s voice, and sometimes I can even turn him into a star. It is rare for a child to possess both of these qualities, though it does happen on rare occasions.

The boys come to our studio only after they’ve finished their studies for the day, to avoid any bitul Torah. We provide transportation for the children to and from our studios.

There was once a father who called to tell me that his son sings very well, and asked if he could be part of the choir. I tested the boy, and indeed, he had what it takes to sing, and he became part of our choir.

Several weeks later, the father came over to talk to me. “Tell me, Reb Moshe,” he said, “what have you done with my child? He’s undergone a drastic change. He used to misbehave and talk disrespectfully. Today, I hardly recognize him; he does what he’s told, he sits nicely at the table, like a soldier.”

I told the father, “When your child started coming to our studios, he wanted to do things his way, to sing when he wanted, not when he was told. Early on, I taught him to sing when everyone else sang, and to be quiet when everyone else was quiet. I simply taught him how to obey.”

If the song we are teaching the children contains difficult words, we teach them the meaning of the words first, so they will understand what they are singing.

How do you compose a song? 

FOR MORE OF THESE ARTICLES, BUY OR SUBSCRIBE TODAY!