Re: Jewish influences in classical music and vice versa

[richard_wolpoe <richard_wolpoe...>]

______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Jewish influences in classical music and vice versa 
Author:  <jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org > at tcpgate
Date:    11/26/97 10:39 AM


It's nice to know that this list discusses all jewish music and not only 
klezmer.

Here are a few pieces that sound jewish to me and I wonder whether it is 
the composer being influenced by Jewish themes or Jews noshing from the 
classical repertoire.

The opening of Tchaikovsky's Marche Slave is very similar to a Jewish 
wedding tune 'khosen kale mazel tov'.

One of the strains in the slow part of the William Tell overture is 
similar to a chupa tune.

In the first movement of Chopin's first piano concerto the piano plays 
out a short melody that has a heimishe touch to it. (I admit being hard 
pressed to give the exact definition of a 'heimishe touch'.)

I have read about Beethoven using the Kol Nidrei tune in his String 
Quartet no.14 op. 131, though I can hardly detect it.

And then of course there is Hatikvah and Smetana's Ma Vlast.

Naftali "Hertz" Imber consciously adapted Smetana's Die Moldau for Hatikvah.  
This was not so much an influence but an intentional use of a popular 
nationalistic melody.  (I would not term it plagarism since these adaptations  
were quite acceptable).

By the way, there is a bit of evidence that Smetana might have used a common  
Bohemian Folk Melody which was also adapted into the Minhog Frankfurt nusach  
(Ve'olu moshi'im chanted on Chanukkah and Purim) long before both Smetana and 
Imber. 

It is also well-known that Lewandowski adapted a number of classical pieces for 
use in the synagogue.  EG one theme from the Marriage of Figaro was adapted by 
Lewandowski for the Lecho dodi which is in use for Sefiro and is also used as 
the theme for the Biglal Avos at the end of Brach Dodi during Pesach.  

It is also appaerent that Aaron Copelands' opening theme to Appalchian Spring is
an adaptation of the Shaker Hymn "Tis the Gift to be Simple"...

Chasidim grabbed a number of military marches into the liturgy...

The famous Maoz Tsur has a parallel Lutehran hymn.

Oleinu Le'shabeiach ends with V'neemar, which is a medley of 3 blind Mice and 
The Farmer in the Dell...

Bottom line: both the synagogue and the classical composers borrowed 
heavily from prevailing folk music.  Thus, without consiously adapting from 
each other, both the synagogue and the concert hall have reflected similar 
melodies whose roots far predate both of them.

Richard Wolpoe

David Herskovic