RE: sexual rhythms in Jewish music?

[Joel Epstein <yoel...>]

What makes music sexy is to a large extent the social and cultural context in 
which the music is played.  A Chassidic Jewish wedding, for example, has much 
symbolism and content that is explicitly sexual.  I would be interested in 
hearing from members of the list who were brought up in a Haredi family and 
educated from childhood in the Haredi school system: do you find Jewish wedding 
music sexy?  Does it turn you on? 

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-----Original Message-----
From:   Joshua Horowitz [SMTP:horowitz (at) styria(dot)com]
Sent:   ä éåìé 15 1999 0:47
To:     World music from a Jewish slant
Subject:        Re:sexual rhythms in Jewish music? 

Hi Wolf,

you know, in all seriousness, the question of the non-sexiness of
Ashkenaz music has haunted me and my group for years, for no less a
reason than the debilitating lack of groupies (premature balding could
also be a factor, but I also prefer to believe that the music has
inherent inhibitive qualities). I actually think the subject is very
worthy of study and am glad you brought it up. Only the smallest circles
of musicians are aware of this. I think it would make for a fantastic
topic well worthy of publication or at least lengthy discussion. 

Interestingly, one of the themes which fascinated Professor Alfons
Michael Dauer (Graz Academy where I worked as his research assistent for
7 years) was what he called the *world rhythm*. By this he meant the
uneven division of the 8/8 meter. The most common divisions include:
3+2+3;2+3+3; and 3+3+2, whereby the latter is by far the most common
division worldwide. The fact that this division is found in practically
every culture on the planet should make us perk up our ears to a
possible neurological base common to all humans (I don't know of any
such studies in psychoacoustics, but this is not my area).

Whereby the division is found in Argentinian Tangos, Serbian Todorcas,
Puerto Rican Salsa mambos, Vallachian Mituleasas, etc. etc. etc, the
reasons for their effectual differences have to be noted, otherwise you
get oversimplified comparisons that spawn statements like *This piece is
a Bulgar - a form of Jewish Tango* (taken from the liner notes of an
unnamed Klezmer CD).

Why some cultures manage to create music out of that which is fairly
dripping with body juices and others less so must lie in the combination
of other elements of the music (melody, phrasing, instrumentation,
emotive gesture, etc). At least I hope so. I'd hate to think we were
doing anything musically contradictory to the Mitzvah of being fruitful
and multiplying. Josh Horowitz

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