Peisachke Burstein

[Jack Falk <jackfalk...>]

Having recorded Mr. Burstein's "Odessa" long ago (Mazeltones 1986),
I too have become somewhat obsessed with The Artist Known As 
Peisachke.  Unfortunately, his bird-whistle is far more than 
I'm capable of faithfully reproducing!

Sadly, Peisachke Burstein is no longer among us, having passed on in 
1985.  His memoirs, "Geshpilt a Lebn," published in Tel Aviv in 1980, 
include some marvelous photographs -- both on- and offstage -- of 
Peisach (with fingers in mouth, whistling the "Hungarian Rhapsody"), 
his wife Lillian Lux, and their twin children Mike (Motele) and Susan 
(Zisele).  Also photos from appearances in Warsaw and Vilna in 1939, 
with Lebedeff in 1945, Santiago, Paris, Montevideo, Johannesburg....

The book has a chapter about "Megilla Of Itzik Manger", although you
might have to dig elsewhere to get any critical reviews or other 
appreciations for this wonderful piece.  You might ask about this work
on the Mendele list - I'm sure that some of our serious Yiddishists
have done critical work on Itzik Manger.  I sure hope that the flurry
of e-mail stimulates someone to revive this play.  

I don't think that Burstein ever appeared in films, but I can't be 
certain.  The book is over 350 pages, relatively small print - and 
I've never had the patience or time to plug through it methodically.

Jack (Yankl) Falk

503-452-3882/voice
503-452-7652/fax
jackfalk (at) teleport(dot)com