Re[2]: Der yidisher tam

[richard_wolpoe <richard_wolpoe...>]

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.