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[HANASHIR:2844] Re: Fr. sephardic?Adon Olam



Rachelle,

        The reason you can't hear anything "Sephardic" about the song may
be because in this day and age the term "Sephardic" often references
"exotic."  And "exotic" in this case often references to Middle Eastern,
North African or Mediterrenean influences.  Problem is, this only covers a
portion of the Sephardic population.
        In fact, a large number of Sephardic Jews emigrated to Central
Europe after 1492 (Amsterdam, London, Bayonne, Bordeaux, Hamburg, etc.).
These Jews (who comprised the vast majority of Jewish emigrants to America
and
the Caribbean in the 17th-early 19th centuries) developed a musical
language which was strongly influenced by their musical environment.
Generally seen as "cultured" members of their society, the European
Sephardim were
among the first Jewish communities to have choirs in their synagogues;
they also used a series of liturgical tunes which seemed to take much
after local folk tunes. A march, for example, would certainly not be out
of the question.
Thus, from a musical perspective, the Adon Olam melody *could* have
come from the Sephardic communities of France.

Be well.
Judah.  


On Sat, 1 May 1999, Rachelle and Howard Shubert wrote:

> The subject of the Adon Olam in Gates of Song, listed as French Separdic,
> has come up a couple of times on this list.  (It is sometimes affectionately
> referred to as "the French Navy version" because it sounds like a march.  I
> am now teaching this very singable melody  to my adult choir. The choir
> members and I agree that there is nothing in the melody which suggests
> Sephardic roots. Could this be an error.   Anyone have more information?
> 
> Rachelle
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 


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