Re: Irving Berlin

[robert wiener <wiener...>]

Eliott,

What's your take on Irving Berlin's "Russian Lullaby"?

Do you know his "Sadie Salome Go Home"?  Is it "Jewish" in any way?
Are there any recordings?

Bob
-----Original Message-----
From: elkahn (at) JTSA(dot)EDU <elkahn (at) JTSA(dot)EDU>
To: World music from a Jewish slant. <jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org>
Cc: World music from a Jewish slant. <jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org>
Date: Thursday, December 17, 1998 10:37 AM
Subject: Re: singer/wiener


>FOR THE RECORD:
>
>Irving Berlin's father was a hazzan from Byelorussia. Because of
alleged
>political dissent, the family was was sent to Siberia. (Could this be
>where the idea for WHITE CHRISTMAS came from?)
>
>Israel Baline or Irving Berlin emigrated to America where he grew up
on
>the Lower East Side of New York. While one cannot call his music
"Jewish,"
>it is most certainly influenced by the song of Russian/Eastern
European
>Jews. I believe you can hear it in the following examples (all in a
>melodic minor key): The B-section of BLUE SKIES ("Never saw the sun
>shining so bright..."), the A-section of LET'S FACE THE MUSIC AND
DANCE
>("There may be trouble ahead.."), the lovely modulation in ALWAYS
>("That's when I'll be there, Always...") and the entire minor key
PUTTIN'
>ON THE RITZ.
>
>Like many other Jewish immigrants who chose to assimilate in "The
Goldene
>Medina," Berlin worked in vaudeville (i.e. Al Jolson, George Burns,
Fanny Brice,
>Sophie Tucker...). Simultaneously a Yiddish Theatre delevoped in New
York
>City where other composers and performers could work in a less
assimilated
>milieu. Such great songs as MAZEL by Abe Ellstein, BEI MIR BISTU
SHEIN by
>Sholom Secunda, YOSSEL, YOSSEL, DI GRINE KUSINE, etc. come from this
>milieu.
>
>There was also a rich cantorial tradition in America in the early
part of
>the twentieth century that made performing and recording superstars
of
>great hazzanim such as Yossele Rosenblatt and Gershon Sirota.
>
>That the latter two traditions died out and dimmed had everything to
do
>with Jews assimilating and becoming an integral part of America's
social
>and entertainment fabric.
>
>I personally think it is fabulous that so many folks on this list are
>actively involved with the performance, recording and distribution of
>Jewish music. I myself make my living  cataloging and archiving
>traditional Jewish music.
>
>However, I personally believe that your RIGHT to live openly as Jews
and
>play the type of music you wish was dearly bought by those immigrants
that
>came before us who entertained, taught school to, worked with and
fought
>in wars with ALL Americans. And yes, we should be grateful to the
>Christian veterans of WWII who had liberated the camps and made sure
that
>America -- at least during my lifetime -- never would become like the
>anti-semitic nations of Europe and Russia.
>
>Next time you see one of those Kewpie doll Jews at some "living
museum" in
>Poland, remember babe, if it weren't for this country we all would be
>ashes somewhere in Poland.
>
>Leben zoll Colombus,
>
>Eliott Kahn
>
>On Wed, 16 Dec 1998, Kame'a Media wrote:
>
>> Steven M. Singer wrote:
>> > >
>> > > On Wed, 16 Dec 1998, robert wiener wrote:
>> > >
>> > > > How does one get a "Jewish musical soul"?  Is it acquired at
birth
>> > > > (genetic)?  Or is developed through exposure to Jewish
culture (learned)?
>> > > > Is it passed on in the blood?  Or will the children of
assimilated Jews not
>> > > > have a Jewish musical soul?
>> > >
>> > > Great questions, Bob.  I don't think that I have a good answer
for you,
>> > > though.  It seems that *in spite* of the disappearance of
observance,
>> > > lack of Jewish education (in the home and out), and being
overwhelmed by
>> > > everything NOT-Jewish in the diaspora,.. our music, media,
>> > > discourse... continue to have pervasive expressions of Jewish
>> > > religious-ideas, heritage, humor and perspective.  Why is that?
Well,
>> > > maybe its due to (what's left of) our connection to our rich
heritage.
>> > > Can it be adopted?  Sure, I guess so.  However, the question of
whether
>> > > this "vein" of Jewishness will continue to run through American
secular
>> > > society -- in anything but a "Seinfeld" way -- will depend on
what each of
>> > > us does with the gift that our children may provide for our
future.  Their
>> > > education, their wisdom, their "souls" will determine the
future landscape
>> > > of American Jewish religious life.  Irving Berlin, Paul Simon,
and Jerry
>> > > Seinfeld (to name a few) did not grow up NAIVE to their Jewish
heritage!
>> > > The fact that they chose not to make it a part of their public
life is a
>> > > valid point for discussion... and criticism, possibly.  But,
it's clear to
>> > > see that the generations between Seinfeld and Berlin all had
the KNOWLEDGE
>> > > of their traditions - whether they rejected them or not.  Will
we be able
>> > > to say the same of our children.. or grandchildren?
>> > >
>> > > -Steve Singer
>> > >
>> > Good letter, Steve.
>> >
>> > Can a Jewish musical soul "be adopted"?
>> >  In my opinion, only insofar as a spoon can adopt the taste of
the soup.
>> >
>> > Irving Berlin abandoned his Jewishness in his art, and some may
argue, betrayed it.  Why didn't he write cool "Jewish" songs in
English?
>> He could have altered the whole course of American popular culture.
>>
>> > Paul Simon, who had/has the talent to write many terrific songs,
>> > never refers to his Jewishness.  In fact in "Loves Me Like a
Rock", he sings:
>> > "I'm a consecrated boy, Singin' in the Sunday choir".
>> >
>>  Seinfeld  shares a great responsibility in the continuing
>> > "bagels-and-loxification" of American Jewry.  A further mass
"dumbing",
>> > if you will.
>> >
>> When:
>> >  The New York Times calls mimic Mandy Patinkin,
>> > "The apotheosis" of the Yiddish/Jewish music scene.
>> >When:
>> Billy Crystal calls Yiddish: "A language of coughing and spitting".
>> When:
>> >  SKG (all Jews) Dreamworks produces a major animated film ON A
JEWISH
>> > THEME, yet --whose accompanying 2-CD set has not one Jewish
musical
>> > artist --
>> > your children and grandchildren are indeed in deep doo-doo.
>> > Who will serve as their role  models, musical and otherwise?
>> >
>> > In present-day Poland and in other  countries, the Jew has
become, in
>> > the minds of many,  a creature of myth -- like a Leprechaun.
Viz. the
>> > "Jew dolls" for sale (in Poland).  To have one in your home will
will
>> > bring you good luck
>> > (read: money).  Can America be far behind?
>> >
>> >  Judaism has always been an evolving civilization, adapting to
different
>> > "Babylons" in history.  However, when one no longer speaks a
Jewish
>> > language,  observes <kashruth, tzedake,  mitzves>, etc. and there
is no
>> > common group goal, like the labor movement or socialism,  for
example,
>> > Jews will have become  (as most assimilated American Jews already
are)
>> > just another hyphenated grouping in the great American consumer
culture.
>> >
>> > When <brit mila> is condemned and done away with, as some Jews
are actively advocating,
>> >  "Toot-toot-tootsie, good-bye".
>> >
>> > Wolf
>>
>>
>