More on Sholem Secunda

[Reyzl Kalifowicz-Waletzky <reyzl...>]

>>
4/2/97

Can anyone tell me a little bit about Scholem Secunda (i.e. his dates,
where he lived, what was the nature of his work) and his song "Dona Dona"
(i.e. when was it written, did Secunda write both the melody & the words,
is the song allegorical, etc.). We're doing this song in our group (The
Freilachmakers Old Time String Band) now and I'd love to be able to provide
audiences (and myself) with some background other than that Joan Baez sang
it in English so-and-so many years ago. (I apologize in advance if this
topic has been discussed before in the Jewish music group, but I just
joined...) 

Kol tuv,

Andy Rubin
Sacramento, CA 

>Sholem Secunda was prominent in the American (New York) Yiddish theatre
>in the twenties, thirties and forties.  He was a  "utility  man",  much
>in demand by producers to create, improve and save their musicals.  He
>collaborated with many lyricists including  Jacob Jacobs and Khayim
>Tauber.
 >>

Let's not forget, Secunda was also active in the 1950's.   
By the way he wrote not only scores and scores of Yiddish 
theater songs, but a variety of liturgical and choral music 
for which he is not as famous.   He used to perform those 
at concerts and at the large Catskill hotels.   Those interested 
in this kind of music would probably find some worthwhile 
compositions in his collection.

There is another phenomenal story related to Secunda which 
most people don't know about.   I know it only because my 
husband, Josh Waletzky, in a slow summer right after finishing 
film school many, many years ago, accepted the job of 
translating Secunda's biographical Yiddish writings into English 
so that his daughter in-law, Victoria, could write up the English 
biography.

George Gershwin once came for a job at the Yiddish theater 
to perform (probably to play piano but I can't remember the 
specific thing he was to do).   When Secunda, the music 
director of the play, asked him if he could read music, 
Gershwin said no.   Secunda could not imagine that before him
stood such a phenomenal talent that he didn't need to know how
read music to play or compose.   So, he told him to go learn
how to read music or find a job elsewhere.    Imagine if Secunda 
would have just asked him to play something or if Gershwin 
would have hung around a bit more, how different the outcome 
might have been.   That's how Gershwin was lost to the Yiddish 
theater.  


Reyzl Kalifowicz-Waletzky