Isaac Nathan
Anglo-Australian composer, musicologist, journalist and self-publicist · Australia · On the map · Musicians · Lived 1790 to 1864 · aged 74
Isaac Nathan was an Anglo-Jewish emigre Australian musician, composer, musicologist, and music educator, who has been called the "father of Australian music", having assisted the careers of numerous colonial musicians during his twenty-year residence in Australia.
Isaac Nathan is read about 17 times a day, in 9 languages.
A typical day, 30 days to 10 October 2026
The middle day of the days counted, so one week of news cannot move it. The line under it is the last 120 days, one point a day.
Something wrong?Media & music
Photos 1
About this person
He is best known for the success of his Hebrew Melodies (1815-1840) in London. However, he made significant contributions as a singing teacher and music historian and as a composer of opera in the Royal Theatres (1823-1833). After emigrating to Australia in 1840, Nathan wrote Australia's first operas and Australia's first contemporary song cycle which entangled fragments of Aboriginal songlines with European musical traditions. Nathan tailored compositions to the unique individual singing needs of his students and community choirs while using the Neapolitan bel canto pedagogical tradition that he inherited in London. Nathan's students include Dame Marie Carandini.
