Re: Jewish Classical Composers

[BarMusProd <BarMusProd...>]

Dear Listers,

I second David Herskovics' statement when he said: >It's nice to know that
this list discusses all Jewish music and not only
klezmer.< I'm pretty tired of Klez this and Klez that (sorry, Ari).

I am an American composer/arranger and classical record producer. Although it
would be fun to copy an exhaustive list of Jewish Classical composers, I'm
afraid that it would take more time than I should be taking already to type
this reply.

Let me point all those interested to the best book (and the best researched
book) that I have seen on the subject of Jews in music: _Great Jews In Music_
by Darryl Lyman (1986) Jonathan  David Publishers, Inc./Middle Village, NY
11379/$24.95;ISBN 0-8246-0315-X.

I also own an older book that is not as well researched (it includes many
musicians of dubious Jewish origin like Max Bruch, who definitely was not),
but is fun reading nonetheless:
_Famous Musicians of Jewish Origin_ by Gdal Saleski (1949) Bloch Publishing
Company, NY.

Although I don't think that I've noticed them all, there have been a few
errors listed so far: Giacomo Meyerbeer's last name was misspelled with one
"e"; Maurice Ravel's name was listed-I think that this is wishful thinking.
His mother was of "Jewish origin, born in the province of Basque" according
to Saleski-but I don't know how many generations back or what Saleski is
implying by the term "Jewish origin". Lyman (correctly , I think) does not
list him. It also listed Felix Mendelssohn (which is a correct listing-he was
born of Jewish parents), but someone said that he converted later in life
(not a correct quote from that letter, I didn't save it) Since he died at 38,
later in life could have meant pretty early, I guess. Actually Felix was
seven when his father Abraham (son of Moses Mendelssohn) had the children
baptized into the Lutheran Church (the parents converted 10 years later in
1822) in order that they all could share in the Prussian civil equality in a
world that was Christian (even with the Emancipation edict issued in 1812).

I enjoyed the discussion of the prayer modes, even though it was in relation
to their influence on Klezmer music. If someone really wants a list of
classical Jewish composers, write me and I'll try to slip in a moment to type
them up and e-mail them. The Lyman book is very good. It would make any Jew
(or non-Jew) proud to see the many names of the Jewish musicians listed, both
in "serious" music (I hate that title, but classical is too limiting for me)
and in "popular" music as well.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving for those of you Stateside!

Best wishes,
Steve

Steve Barnett
Composer/Arranger/Producer
Barnett Music Productions
BarMusProd (at) aol(dot)com