Re: greetings from oz

[Fred Jacobowitz <fredj...>]

Seth,
        I think you have fallen into the trap many people do, of believing 
that Klezmer is a mongrel art form, just as many people still mistakenly 
believe that Yiddish is nothing more than debased German. While there may 
be quite a few outside influences (just as there are many Oriental 
influences in the music of the French composers of the late romantic 
period), this does not mean that there are no rules and that "anything 
goes". Klezmer music has its own specific, idiosyncratic rules and 
traditions. And they can be quite specific. No, you can't just throw any 
old thing into the mix and say, "look, it's still Klezmer", assuming that 
"anything goes". You may call it "something new" but don't call it 
Klezmer. A tangerine is NOT an orange.

Fred Jacobowitz
Clarinet/Sax Instructor, Peabody Preparatory

On Thu, 19 Sep 1996 Smkibel (at) aol(dot)com wrote:

> As far as I'm concerned, Klezmer music originated from an "unorthodox"
> blending of genres and influences and instruments.  Yiddish and gypsy music;
> throw in a little dixieland, etc., etc.  Heck, we approporiated the clarinet
> when it seemed advantageous, why not the digeridu? 
> 
> - Seth Kibel
>