Born in Szaki, Lithuania, Friedmann studied in Berlin and in 1882 was appointed chief hazzan of the Old Synagogue of the Berlin community, a post he held until 1923. He received the title of Koeniglicher Musikdirektor, Royal Academy of Art, Berlin, 1907. In 1901, he published Shir li-Shelomoh, a collection of cantorial music in traditional style for the prayers of the year. He also wrote Der Synagogale Gesang (1904) and Lebensbilder beruhmter Kantoren (3 vols., 1918-1927), containing biographies of 19th century hazzanim.