Re: Jewish Music 101s

[Joe Kurland <ganeydn...>]

On 21 Jan 1996 19:38:15 GMT, Andrew Batten wrote:

>Can someone give me pointers to good academic analyses of Jewish Music,
>for example that gets into scales, modes, etc.


The  two major references on Jewish music in its entirety are Judith
Eisenstein's "A Heritage of Music:  the Music of the Jewish People,"
published by the Union of American Hebrew Congregations (there is also a
lecture series based on this book available from Touro College, Jewish
People's University of the Air, 844 Avenue of the Americas, NY, NY,  10001
(212)  447-0700); and A. Z. Idelsohn's "Jewish Music in Its Historical
Development," published by Shocken Books.  Each of these books has an
extensive bibliography that can lead you elsewhere.

These references are pretty academic, however, and there aren't really good
discussions on a more elementary level.  You could take a look at "The
Complete Klezmer," by Henry Sapoznik (Tara Publications), which has a brief
discussion of the basic Jewish modes.  You could also check the Wholesale
Klezmer Band's WWW site (http:/crocker.com/~ganeydn), which will
periodically running essays on the theoretical aspects of Yiddish
instrumental music, as I write them, with an eye towards compiling them
into a book at some point.

If you want to tell me more specifically what you're after, I might be able
to help more.  You can reach me through the Wholesale Klezmer Band's email
address (ganeydn (at) crocker(dot)com) for the moment; I'm not yet online 
myself,
but hope to be in March.

I hope this information is helpful to you.


---- Sherry Mayrent


On 21 Jan 1996 19:38:15 GMT, Andrew Batten wrote:

>Can someone give me pointers to good academic analyses of Jewish Music,
>for example that gets into scales, modes, etc.