Re: schmaltz, pandering and Klezmatics

[Owen Davidson <owend...>]

Or for the sake of less than the five, Abe!

My father studied mural art in Mexico in the late '40's.  He was the only
American student in the class, and thought his Spanish was pretty good.  His
teacher painstakingly translated everything into English, for the sake of the
one.  My dad was embarrassed by this, and told the professor that he needn't
take the trouble, that he could understand Spanish.  "But, how do I know how
well you understand Spanish?" was the reply.  And as with anything, there are
many ways to understand that story.  I think about it a lot.

Wholesale Klezmer Band wrote:

> At 2:02 AM -0400 7/23/99, Bloom wrote:
> >While Wholesale Klezmer may have played the same set at both places, I
> >doubt it was the same show.  For one thing, more Yiddish could be used with
> >the older crowd.  I'm sure that the length and content of the explanations
> >between songs also varied, and that these changes flowed naturally from the
> >fact that Joe was talking to different people when he gave them.
> >
>
> Of course, and thanks for pointing that out.  We have something to say with
> our music, and it wouldn't make sense to leave the audience in the dark
> about what it is.
>
> We've played for some audiences at which I've asked if anyone in the house
> wanted me to translate my remarks into English.  "Redt nor Yidish" (Speak
> only Yiddish) shouted back many in the audience.  But what if there were
> even five people in the audience who don't understand Yiddish?  Wouldn't
> you teach the meaning in English for the sake of the five?
>
> Zayt gezunt (be healthy),
>
> Yosl (Joe) Kurland
> The Wholesale Klezmer Band
> Colrain, MA 01340
> voice/fax: 413-624-3204
> http://www.crocker.com/~ganeydn
>

--
Owen Davidson
Amherst  Mass
The Wholesale Klezmer Band

The Angel that presided o'er my birth
Said Little creature formd of Joy and Mirth
Go Love without the help of any King on Earth

Wm. Blake


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