Re: Spelling of "Aron" vs. "Aaron"

[robert wiener <wiener...>]

Robert:

My understanding is that Schoenberg's "incorrect" spelling of Aaron as
Aron in "Moses und Aron" was because he was a triskaidekaphobiac.

Bob

-----Original Message-----
From: Robert Cohen <rlcm17 (at) hotmail(dot)com>
To: wiener (at) mindspring(dot)com <wiener (at) mindspring(dot)com>
Date: Thursday, December 31, 1998 2:46 PM
Subject: spelling of "Aron" vs. "Aaron"


>_What_ superstition? (Huh?_)
>


>>From: "robert wiener" <wiener (at) mindspring(dot)com>
>>To: World music from a Jewish slant. <jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org>
>>Subject: Re: Arnold Schoenberg: The Composer as Jew

>>Eliott:
>>
>>I've heard that "Moses und Aron" is spelled just that way (rather
than
>>the "correct" Aaron) because of Schoenberg's superstition.  (Not a
>>very Jewish superstition at that.  In fact, the same superstition
>>resulted in a war (of words) with my mother-in-law just before our
>>wedding.)
>>
>>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>
>>Date: Thursday, December 31, 1998 10:05 AM
>>Subject: Re: Arnold Schoenberg: The Composer as Jew
>>
>>
>>>Bob:
>>>
>>>I'm hoping to go to MOSES UND AARON if I can get the cash together.
>>>
>>>RE: Alexander Ringer's book: There was some cutting edge research
in
>>there
>>>re: Schoenberg's eventual conversion to Judaism in Paris, 1933.
>>>
>>>It seems the genesis for MOSES UND AARON began when he and his
family
>>were
>>>asked to leave an "exclusive" (read: no Jews allowed) resort around
>>1921.
>>>Ringer introduces excerpts of translations from Schoenberg's
libretto
>>DER
>>>BIBLISCHE WEG (The Path of the Bible) which he wrote before MOSES
UND
>>>AARON. It has do to with saving the Jewish people through a secret
>>weapon,
>>>if I recall correctly. Music was never written for this work but
its
>>>prophetic nature appears to have been the forerunner to the 2 act
>>opera
>>>MOSES UND AARON. (THe third act was never completed).
>>>
>>>You may read a decent encapsulation of Ringer's findings in Peter
>>>Gradenwitz's 2nd edition of THE MUSIC OF ISRAEL.
>>>
>>>Two gems that Ringer introduces are 1. A translated confidential
>>letter
>>>written by a prominent Berlin professor re: Schoenberg's
appointment
>>to
>>>teach at the Hochschule in Berlin. It gives one a clear idea of the
>>>antisemitism prevalent within German universities at the time (and
>>>before).
>>>
>>>2.: Is a letter from Schoenberg to Rabbi Stephen S. Wise in America
>>>proposing that he would give everything up just to be the prophet
to
>>lead
>>>the Jews out of Europe. Schoenberg's predictions about the immense
>>dangers
>>>that the Nazis posed were -- pardon the expression -- dead on. He
>>railed
>>>against the Jewish communities of Europe and America for
>>underestimating
>>>the virulence of antisemitism.
>>>
>>>Schoenberg -- like many other German yidn in the arts -- was a WWI
>>vet.
>>>He was a staunch supporter of Zeb Jabotinsky and wasn't averse to
>>using
>>>any means neccessary to protect himself, his family or his people.
>>>
>>>It would seem that Jeffrey Schanzer did indeed hear something
>>"Jewish" in
>>>MOSES UND AARON. Yet there probably is no "Jewish" melodic,
harmonic
>>or
>>>rhythmic elements in there. Anyone care to comment then if it is
>>indeed
>>>"Jewish music?"
>>>
>>>Happy Secular New Year to All,
>>>
>>>Eliott Kahn
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: JeffSchan (at) aol(dot)com <JeffSchan (at) aol(dot)com>
>>>> To: World music from a Jewish slant. <jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org>
>>>> Date: Thursday, December 31, 1998 2:54 AM
>>>> Subject: Arnold Schoenberg: The Composer as Jew
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> >I was always a bit dubious about Schoenberg's "Jewish content"
>>until
>>>> I heard
>>>> >his opera "Moses und Aron."  Although the 12-tone style doesn't
>>>> exactly lend
>>>> >itself to traditional Jewish music, there was something deeply
>>Jewish
>>>> about
>>>> >that work, something that I can't really describe in words.
>>>> >
>>>> >And let's not forget that the Nazis denounced the entire 12-tone
>>>> system as
>>>> >"Jewish degenerate art."  Certainly, we should not use the Nazis
>>as a
>>>> criteria
>>>> >for what is Jewish music or not, but to me there is something
very
>>>> Jewish
>>>> >about being radically innovative.
>>>> >
>>>> >Jeffrey Schanzer
>>>> >
>>>>
>>>>