[HANASHIR:11450] Re: Pre WWII Jewish Music--GREAT SOURCE

[Shirona <shirona...>]

Thanks, Judah, and to all who shared their knowledge on the subject. You're
right - it is overwhelming - both in volume and significance.

Toda raba...

Shirona
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Singer, Songwriter and Teacher of Jewish Music
 Visit my website at    www.shirona.com
Listen to my music at www.mp3.com/shirona
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

----- Original Message -----
From: "Judah Cohen" <jcohen (at) fas(dot)harvard(dot)edu>
To: <hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org>
Sent: Tuesday, April 30, 2002 5:19 PM
Subject: [HANASHIR:11446] Re: Pre WWII Jewish Music--GREAT SOURCE


Shirona,

   After writing all that on pre-WWII Jewish music, I stumbled across what
looks like a fabulous 11CD+1DVD+1 Hardcover book set just released in
January that seems to address your inquiry directly (and perhaps
overwhelmingly).  I include information below.  It's expensive, but it seems
well worth the price by the description.

Hope all is well.
Judah.


Beyond Recall ... A record of Jewish musical life in Nazi Berlin, 1933 -
1938. 11-CD/1 DVD Boxed set (LP-Size)
with c. 400-page-hardcover-book.
BCD16030-LM   $229 incl. media mail shipping (for priority mail, between $4
and $14.50 will be added depending on your ZIP Code)

After Hitler's seizure of power in 1933, anti-Semitism became a state
doctrine. The National Socialists' aim was the physical destruction
of the Jews. Every memory of the sound and voice of Jewish artists was to be
consigned to oblivion in the same way as the Yiddish
language. On being liberated from Theresienstadt concentration camp, the
Berlin Rabbi, Leo Baeck, stated his conviction that the 1,000
year history of the Jews in Germany had come to an irrevocable end. This
documentation is proof of the victory of life over death -
priceless sound documents have been rescued, then restored with a great
expenditure of technological effort and, after sixty years, made
available once more for all time. Under constant surveillance by the
Gestapo, the members of a Jewish Cultural League [Jüdischer
Kulturbund] in Berlin were able to pursue their artistic activities and make
and distribute records. Some of the titles recorded in Berlin
were released in Palestine from 1934 to 1936 - forming part of the early
history of Israel's record industry. These records that are scattered
throughout the world for the most part exist only as single copies or test
pressings. The repertoire is wide and includes classical music,
Yiddish comedians, German cabaret, Palestinian folk songs and, above all,
cantorial singing of enormous eloquence. This edition
consists of 11 CDs with a total playing time of more than 14 hours of music
and a DVD with a reconstructed version of the sound film
'Hebräische Melodie' [Hebrew Melody] featuring the violinist Andreas
Weissgerber - this film was believed lost, but is now presented
here for the first time. The accompanying 512-page hardback book is
profusely illustrated and presented in both German and English.
The text has been jointly prepared by the biographer Horst H. J. P.
Bergmeier, the historian Ejal Jakob Eisler and the discographer
Rainer E. Lotz, and also contains an introduction by Rabbi Andreas Nachama,
a foreword by Henryk Broder, an 'Introduction to the
Jewish Liturgy' by Rabbi David Polnauer as well as an explanation of sound
recording techniques by the sound engineer Robert M.
Laue.

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