Klarinet Archive - Posting 000317.txt from 1996/08

From: Fred Jacobowitz <fredj@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: Klezmer
Date: Sun, 11 Aug 1996 11:31:58 -0400

Burch,
I **LOVE** your interest in Klezmer. It is a whole lot of
fun to do and your friends will, I'm sure, get a kick out of it.
However, I have to important observations: First, there are no such
arrangements. Refer to my previous posts
(in the archives) for more on this and why. Second, you, as a trained (or,
at least, experienced) musician should know the danger of allowing
yourself to be persuaded by the musical opinion of someone not familiar
with it. As a Klezmer (that is, a musician performing traditional Jewish
wedding/party music), I can state on no uncertain terms that Klezmer is
about as much like Dixieland as Swing Jazz is. Or, as the Russian language
is to Ukrainian, British English to American, etc... Yes, there are
similarities but noone who knows them would confuse the two.
There IS a book by Pete Sokolow called, I believe,
"Klezmer Arranging" published by TARA Publications (in Long Island, New
York). However, in my opinion, your best bet is simply to get some good
recordings (and there are many - see previous postings from the last two
weeks) and to listen VERY carefully so you can accurately reproduce them.

Fred Jacobowitz
Clarinet/Sax Instructor, Peabody Preparatory *and*
Machaya Klezmer Band in the Washington, DC/Baltimore area

On Sat, 10 Aug 1996, Burch Johnson wrote:

> I need guidence. I've gotten some of the musicians together from our
> community orchestra in Monroe, Wa., and with my Dads old dixieland library,
> we have a pretty good time. My daughter observed that Klezmer sounds like
> Yiddish Dixieland. Got me to thinking. So.... anyone out there know where
> I might procuresome of this fine music arranged for a mix of instruments
> along the lines of clarinet,trumpet,sax,trombone,tuba,banjo,piano, & drums?
> Instrument mix is not locked down, some of us double...and I have other
> members available from the orchestra that are interested. Any information
> or suggestions gratefully accepted. Thanks! Burch (Burchard@-----.com)
>