Klarinet Archive - Posting 000464.txt from 1995/05

From: Fred Jacobowitz <fredj@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: Klezmer
Date: Fri, 19 May 1995 06:40:14 -0400

Just a clarification to Lee's generaaly excellent reply:
Klezmer, fron the Hebrew words "kle" and Zemer", meaning
"instrument of song", is a term which generally applies to the secular
(usually) party music of the Eastern European Jews. It was played by
(hereditary) professional musicians (that is, families were musicians
just as families were blacksmiths, etc.). They were NOT itinerant, but
rather were based in one town and worked the area, just as bands do
today. The tradition had largely (but not completely) died out by the
1950's, due to
the holocaust and American Jewish assimilation. However, I and various
others,
have been part of a Klezmer renaissance, following the lead of Giora Feidman
and others such as Henry Supoznik and
Pete Sokolow, in New York (Pete never STOPPED playing Klezmer), to name a
few. There is an excellent book called "The Compleat (sic) Klezmer"
published by Tara Publ. in New York, which has a Klezmer history, as
well as a list of the scales and lots of tunes. Unfortunately, for those
who have ever tried to use Feidman's book, it is largely useless. It is
in all sorts of wierd keys, such as five sharps (I think it was printed in
concert pitch but even then they are unusual), and many of the melodies
are pretty but useless for playing gigs, which is what Klezmer is all
about. In the 10 years that I have been playing Klezmer music at bar
mitzva's, etc., I have only once or twice actually used melodies from
that book. There are quite a few Jewish book and tape catalogues which
carry Klezmer recordings, such as the Workman's Circle in New York and
Tara (see above). For those in the LA area there is a HUGE selection to
be found at HATIKVA Int'l.

Fred Jacobowitz
MACHAYA KLEZMER BAND in the Greater Baltimore/Washington area.
On Sun, 14 May 1995, Lee Callet wrote:

> In response to Ed Browning's question, Klezmer musicians ("Klezmorim") were
> nineteenth and early twentieth century Eastern European and Russian folk
> musicians who played in, for lack of a better term, a very soulful manner.
> They were itinerant (meaning they were on the road a lot), and primarily
> featured the clarinet, as well as violin and accordion. Again to generalize,
> these groups were composed of Jewish musicians and many of the themes they
> played were familiar to the eastern european Jewish populace. They played at
> weddings and other celebrations, and were really street musicians. The style
> has been carried into the present time, and there are now some groups of
> young players in the States carrying on the style. (There was a PBS special
> on the music about two years ago which was very comprehensive.) One of the
> best known clarinetists in the Klezmer style is Giora Feidman, an artist of
> the style. He played for a while in the Israel Philharmonic, but now
> concertizes as a Klezmer soloist. He has several recordings available, any
> of which would give a good idea of what Klezmer clarinet playing is. There
> are also several published collections of Klezmer tunes "as played by Giora
> Feidman". I don't know the publisher. Seeing the printed music doesn't
> really help a lot, because the inflection is the characteristic that makes
> Klezmer clarinet so distinctive. You really have to hear it. Lee Callet
>

   
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