Re: help w/traditional non-ashkenazi jewish music

[Yatzliakh Abrahami <Yatz...>]

I have E-mailed this to a couple of people privately, and so I thought I would
post it to the newsgroup for anyone else who might be interested.  It is an
extract from the Nov.'95 edition of "Sefarad", the Sefardi newsletter from 
Shamash.  I cannot vouch for the quality of Renanot, as I have never used
their services but they sound interesting non-the-less. 


Extract begins-----

Music
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Renanot, The Institution for Jewish Music. 56 King George Street (In the Great 
Synagogue). POB 7167, Jerusalem 91071. TEL:972-2-248761, FAX:972-2-255771.
Director:  Ezra  Barnea.  1) Cassette tape - "Los Cantes de  Ester,  Salonica, 
1932". Produced and documented by Susana Weich-Shahak. This unusual tape has a 
segment sung  & explained by the deceased Shlomo Reuvain. He was the author of 
this adaptation of the Ester Purim play; based on Racine's  "Ester".  It  was 
performed in Salonika in 1932. Isaac Sion, the composer, unfortunately died in 
Auschwitz.  The  vocalists  in  the tape  were:  Erela  Gategno,  Kobi  Zarko, 
Moshe   Haelion   (who  also  was  the  moderator),   and  Alma   Weich.   The 
instrumentalists were:  Aviva Kamrun,  Dina Gazit,  Shulamit Teper,  and Rahel 
Yona.  This musical arrangement is an outgrowth of the book of the play,  with 
its  musical  analysis  by Susana Weich-Shahak and its folkloric  analysis  by 
Tamar Alexander. The book is entitled "En este tiempo" (in Spanish and Hebrew) 
and  was published by the Center for the Research of Salonikan Jewry in  1993, 
with the Ophir Publishing Company of Tel Aviv. The cassette tape costs 20 NIS.
($6.60). This tape is highly recommended for your Sephardic library and
music collection!!!!

2)"Bakashot Shel Shabbat".  4 two-sided cassette tapes of the  Bakashot  of 
Aleppo Jews in Jerusalem. 50 NIS.  

3)"Zemirot  Shabbat" (Ashkenazi).  20 NIS.  Sung by the family of Haim Kirsch 
and friends. Initiated and arranged by Ezra Barnea.

Appearing shortly at Renanot:
* Cassette of Tisha B'av in Jerusalem
* Cassette of Passover in Calcutta   
* Videotape of Passover Seder of the Cochin Jews.
  (Not taped on Passover holiday) 

Renanot has  a valuable collection of tapes on a Vast array of Ashkenazic  and 
Sephardic  traditions.  Your  patronization  and purchases  of  Renanot  music 
will enable Renanot to continue recording various Jewish groups in Israel  and 
abroad.Also, please urge your university, library, organization, and 
friends and colleagues to purchase music and ethnographic books from Renanot.
   
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Hodesh Tov
-- 
Yatzliakh Abrahami
yatz (at) intxtdoc(dot)demon(dot)co(dot)uk