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Robert Cohen wrote:
I guess my problem w/ George's original posting--notwithstanding hisFirst, let me correct a misapprehension here -- I love Shlomo Carlebach's music; Reb Shlomo is the epitome of ruakh, and I work his songs into services every chance I get at Beth Am. His best stuff is nothing less than thrilling to sing.
entirely thoughtful and dignified reply--is that I think it almost
necessarily closes your mind/heart/kischkes to some music to describe a
whole genre of music (in his original, sweeping reference, including Baruch
Chait, Shmuel Brazil, and Dvekus [!] as well as Shlomo and Debbie et al.) as
"dorky"--and it doesn't honor the impulses and kavannah (loosely, intention)
that may have given rise to the music. It's also not a very well chosen
word, if you look up its usual meanings; and it more or less suggests that
the music in question, whatever it is, isn't "cool." But I don't care
whether any given niggun/melody, song, or symphony is or isn't "cool" by
today's standards; I care, only, whether it opens my heart--in/to joyful
exuberance or the deepest poignant yearning, or to/in something else. Sure,
some/much of Debbie's/Debbie-influenced music is, to my ears and heart,
shvach--it just doesn't make it (for me). But much, or (technically) most
Irving Berlin was shvach, too. Even much of Mozart--G-d help me!--is sort
of weak; or some of it, anyway. (Well, maybe this _doesn't_ apply to
Mozart...) But the _best_ of Debbie is sublime and enchanting; and so,
maybe, is the best of some of her "imitators" (some of whom were composing
before, or simultaneously w/, her--and there are other styles of
contemporary liturgical folk-style music--e.g., various chant and a cappella
styles--that, like/love/detest them or not, aren't really imitating either
Debbie _or_ Shlomo). A la Steerforth's injunction to David Copperfield, I
think we should judge any genre by its best, not its most mediocre,
examples; the contrary path is invariably taken, e.g., by diehard champions
of the so-called "Golden Age" of American popular music (which, by all
means, produced some wonderful, wonderful music)--who invariably "compare"
some nonpareil Gershwin or Rodgers or Kern at their best to some bubble-gum
drivel of the 50s or 60s. (Pre-ordained conclusion: No contest!) But they
don't compare "Easter Parade," or worse Berlin mediocrity, w/ "Mr.
Tambourine Man" or "Violets of Dawn" or "Both Sides Now" or ... or...
or.... (Or to "Whispering Bells," for that matter.)
I do, however, find most of Friedman insipid, well-intentioned but shallow and derivative.
As for the esteemed Mr. Seeger, yes, "Old Devil Time" is a wonderful song and so are a few of his others. I will not defend the banjo however. (Think of it as the accordion of the next millenium, if you like.)
As for the magazine idea, now much discussed on this list -- what hath George wrought? -- I stand by my original concept, a print magazine with a website in support, covering the range of Jewish music (but not, I will concede this time, music by Jewish artists that is not somehow "Jewish" itself -- don't let's start that again -- more because there are plenty of venues in which we can write about Steve Lacy and Al Kooper and Jascha Heifetz and whoever). It would be nice to have a regular column/feature on liturgical music, on klezmer, on worldbeat, on neo-Hasidic music, whatever; record reviews galore; concert reports; schedules of upcoming events; teaching pieces of working musicians; and feature pieces on both the stars and the stars-to-be.
Now all we need to do is find a way to get everyone together, draw up a business plan, find a several thousand dollars, put together a pilot issue and sell it.
Should be simple. Mickey? Judy? Got any concrete ideas?
i can tell you one thing from painful personal experience. Startups are a bitch.
George Robinson ---------------------- jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org ---------------------+ Hosted by Shamash: The Jewish Internet Consortium http://shamash.org ---------------------- jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org ---------------------=
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