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Re[2]: Der yidisher tam
- From: richard_wolpoe <richard_wolpoe...>
- Subject: Re[2]: Der yidisher tam
- Date: Mon 09 Mar 1998 17.13 (GMT)
Since this is not a Halachic list, I will do my best to leave Halachic
aspects out...
However, some points can still be made from both a musical and from a
Jewish perspective:
1) the broader our knowledge of "jewish" music, the more options we have
to base new compositions on old foundations that at least have a jewish
association or adaptation.
2) Plus, the more knowledgeable we are, the more likely that newly created
music "fits" the words or the liturgy or whatever.
3) Also ,the broader we are, the more we realize there is no single jewish
style. There MIGHT be a single style for Moldavian jews, and a single
style for Litvishe jews, etc. but even then I doubt it.
4) Even though there may be no specific guidelines on what's acceptable an
what isn't, I think we can sometimes judge certain music as inapproriate.
like pornography, I can't define it but I know it when I see it. new
compositions are fine, they should be in good taste (whatever that is!)
newe
5) Times change and music evolves. There is no ONE arrangement of any
piece that is sacrsanct. There are MODES that have been widely accepted as
being proper, eg the Avahava Rabba mode for Ahava Rabba. No 2 artists will
replicate the same piece identically. And musial instrruments evolve, too.
so do styles of playing. Is anyone familiar wit htehe sliding violin style
of the 1920's?
6) Mozart and all the rest borrowed extensivly from folk music. So does
our liturgy. A number of Polish Gentiles have told me that what we pas of
as jewish is merely Eastern European stuff. From pierogies, to blintses,
etc. etc. So that yiddisher taam that wells our eyes with nostalgia might
actually refelct more the Eastern European milieu more than anything
intrinsically Jewish.
7) congregations have their own traidtions and customs. Tampering with
them in a willy-nilly fashion in such a way as to make the congregants
uncomfortable would offend the sensibilites of that congregation. A cantor
is a shliach tsibbur, an angent of the congregation. If that agent is in
conflict with the congregants, that would create moe disharmony than
harmony (pun intended). That does not preclude introducing new melodies,
It should just be done in a co-operative fashion.
8) On purim, evey singel rule above is subject to violation, so get in your
licks while you can!
Happy Purim
Rich Wolpoe
______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: RE: Der yidisher tam
Author: <jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org > at Tcpgate
Date: 3/9/98 11:09 AM
I can't buy your argument that "That means people should be thoroughly steeped
in the tradition as a first requirement. Only then will they be able to judge
what changes might be for the better, or at least of equal quality, and what
changes might be for the worse. When you are able to be creative from within
a tradition, that's when it's a living tradition."
What tradition do you mean? There is no "Jewish tradition" in music. I have
a tape of Adon Alom sung by Moroccan Jews to a typical North African Arab
melody. That is a Jewish tradition, but not the one you probably have in
mind.
Every creative person starts from somewhere, not from a blank page. But then
he must innovate. Classical composers like Bach and Mozart departed from
their "tradition" and created something wonderful to this day. Listening to
Mozart played of reconstructed instrument so his time is of interest to the
musicologist and some others, but I prefer Mozart played on modern
instruments. That is my tradition in hearing classical music. A difference
between Beethoven's piano pieces and Mozart's is that Beethoven composed for
the modern piano, but I do not want to hear either played on a piano of
Mozart's time.
If you want to preserve your tradition, you are free to do so. But don't tell
me that it is THE Jewsih tradition. I know better.
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