Re: Kammen tunes

[Fred Jacobowitz <fredj...>]

Karen,
        I've answered your questions below. Hope the answers make sense.

Fred Jacobowitz
Machaya Klezmer Band in the Washington, DC/Baltimore area

On Tue, 16 Apr 1996, Linda Littleton wrote:

> My band is planning to record three tunes from Kammen book 1, and I'm
> wondering if anyone out there can help out by providing any info on
> them.  The three tunes are:
> 
> Num 1  - Frailach (Jewish Dance)
> Num 13 - Rumanian (Jewish Horra)
> Num 20 - Kolomeika (Ukranian)
> 
> None of these list authors, so can I assume they are traditional?  On
> the first tune, there's a 1951 copyright listed by J & J Kammen.  Would
> that have expired by now or do they hold copyright to this tune and
> perhaps the others as well?

Karen, as far as I know there is not one tune in these two Kammen books 
which is under copyright. 
> 
> Anyone know of names to these tunes?  The first tune I think I've heard
> of as "Mazel Tov," but am not sure. 
Names don't mean a thing. Usually they are just a publishing ploy. As an 
example, Max Epstein told me that when his band recorded for one 
producer, the guy renamed all the tunes because he thought it would make 
the album sell better. In my band's recording, we did Freylakhs #1 and 3 
and called them "Wedding Freylakhs". 

> What does "Kolomeika" mean?  Is that
> the name of the tune, or is it a dance form, or something else? 

A Kolomeike is a Ukrainian couple dance from the mountainous Hutzul 
region. It is characterized by very fast, small steps and by the couples 
whirling around quite fast (a la czardas). The tempo of most kolomeikes 
SHOULD be about 150 to the quarter note! Good luck.

> Not
> really sure what else to ask, but if you can answer any of my unformed
> questions, that would be great]
> 
> -Linda, lrl (at) psu(dot)edu
> 
> 
>