Re: Re[2]: Cross-fertilization of Jewish and non-Jewish music

[elkahn <elkahn...>]

May I suggest the following books for a solid grounding in the history,
aesthetics and musical language of Jewish music?

Idelsohn, A.Z. Jewish music in its historical development, 3rd edition, 
NY: Dover, 1992.

Gradenwitz, Peter. The music of Israel, 2nd edition, Portland: Amadeus
Press, 1996. (Don't use the first edition)

Werner, Eric. A voice still heard: the sacred songs of the Ashkenazic
Jews, University Park: Penn. State Press, 1976.

Heskes, Irene. Passport to Jewish music, Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press,
1994.

Some excellent out of print sources which we have at the Library of the
Jewish Theological Seminary:

Fromm, Herbert. On Jewish Music: a composer's view, NY: Bloch, 1978.

Rothmueller, Aaron-Marko. The music of the Jews: an historical
appreciation, South Brunswick: T. Tosseloff, 1967.

Saminsky, Lazare. Music of the ghetto and the bible, NY: Bloch, 1934.

I can't recommend the Saminsky or the Fromm book highly enough for those
of you interested in what constitutes "Jewish Music." This is a very old
discussion that dates back -- in our time, anyway -- to the turn of the
century.

I am not familiar with Mark Slobin's TENEMENT SONGS, but this also might
be a valuable resource for the study of American Yiddish Theatre music.

The Nulman ENCYCLOPEDIA OF JEWISH MUSIC has its value as a general
reference but -- be forewarned -- it did not receive kind reviews from
Jewish musicologists when it first appeared.

Hope this is helpful,

Eliott Kahn
Music Archivist
Library of the Jewish Theological Seminary
3080 Broadway
New York, NY 10027
  

On Mon, 28 Dec 1998, robert wiener wrote:

> I've been on the lookout for Jewish Music books over the years, so I
> have both Idelsohn books and Nulman's Concise Encyclopedia of Jewish
> Music.  What other books are considered good for a library on the
> topic above in particular (and Jewish music in general)?
> 
> Bob
> -----Original Message-----
> From: richard_wolpoe (at) ibi(dot)com <richard_wolpoe (at) ibi(dot)com>
> To: World music from a Jewish slant. <jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org>
> Date: Monday, December 28, 1998 5:22 PM
> Subject: Re[2]: Cross-fertilization of Jewish and non-Jewish music
> 
> 
> >My understanding is that Idelsohn's 2 books, Jewish Music and Jewish
> Liturgy are
> >basic texts.
> >
> >Cantor Macy Nulman, indirectly a mentor of mine, has several books on
> the
> >subject, too.
> >
> >Regards,
> >Rich Wolpoe
> >
> >______________________________ Reply Separator
> _________________________________
> >Subject: Re: Cross-fertilization of Jewish and non-Jewish music
> >Author:  <jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org> at Tcpgate
> >Date:    12/28/98 1:09 PM
> >
> >
> >Richard,
> >
> >Idelsohn has a chapter "Song of the Synagogue" in Jewish Music.  I've
> >also heard that Eric Werner is good to read on the relationship
> >between Jewish and Christian music, but I don't have any of his books
> >yet.  Should I?
> >
> >I believe that I've also heard the "Maoz Tsur" melody used in a
> record
> >of a seder from Northern Africa (perhaps Fez, Morrocco).  I wish I
> >knew how it got there.  It's fascinating how these tunes can travel.
> >
> >Bob
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: richard_wolpoe (at) ibi(dot)com <richard_wolpoe (at) ibi(dot)com>
> >To: World music from a Jewish slant. <jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org>
> >Date: Monday, December 28, 1998 11:52 AM
> >Subject: Re: Cross-fertilization of Jewish and non-Jewish music
> >
> >
> >>I believe Idelson discusses the origins of Jewish liturgical music.
> >>
> >>Just as a general rule, it is often the case that the jewish litrugy
> >aand the
> >>Xtian liturgy BOTH adapted from common folk melodies rather than
> >directly from
> >>each other.
> >>
> >>EG the traditional Maoz Tsur melody is also used as a Lutheran hymn.
> >The most
> >>likely explanation is that both Jews and Lutherans adapted their
> >respective
> >>meoldies from a popular German marching song, rahter than from one
> >another.
> >>
> >>Regards,
> >>Rich Wolpoe
> >>
> >>
> >>______________________________ Reply Separator
> >_________________________________
> >>Subject: Cross-fertilization of Jewish and non-Jewish music
> >>Author:  <jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org> at Tcpgate
> >>Date:    12/27/98 5:39 PM
> >>
> >>
> >>Is there any material (e.g., books, articles, dissertations,
> >>discographies) on Jewish musical themes in classical music,
> >especially
> >>the less obvious compositions?  I do think that I saw something in
> >the
> >>Jewish Theological Seminary collection of dissertations from the
> >>Cantorial School, but it was basically on the more obvious
> >>copositions, e.g., Bloch.
> >>
> >>I would also be especially interested in material on the use of
> >>non-Jewish themes, popular or classical, in Jewish liturgical music
> >>(besides the Aleinu tunes and Adon Olam settings to popular song).
> >>
> >>Bob
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
> 
>