Re: Poles & Klez

[Owen Davidson <owend...>]

Here's one for ya:  I heard an instrumental on the radio here which was
undeniably a polka-ized version of "Reb Dovidl," without the freygish lowered
second.  The title was "Palestine Kolomeyka."

Also, on the Banner record "Freilach Music," Abe Ellstein's orechestra with Dave
Tarras plays a tune called "Polka Mazurka," which is (to ignorant me) identical
in rhythm and phrasing to a dance called "oberek:" the second staple of polka
bands.  Perhaps the only difference is that the mazurka is a tad more stately.

Owen

"Paul M. Gifford" wrote:

> MaxwellSt (at) aol(dot)com wrote:
>
> > Having said that, I have done a few outreach concerts.  DO include polkas,
> > mazurkas and krakoviaks.  Do NOT include Russian music--Jewish music is OK,
> > but Russia is the oppresser and Ochi Chorniye or Moscow Nights would be
> > distinctly unwelcome additions to this program.
>
> On the other hand, Russian-style Gypsy music is popular with Poles.
> My friend Nicolae Feraru, a Romanian Gypsy, has played at a couple
> of "Gypsy Night" Polish cabaret concerts in Chicago (he being the
> only Gypsy), organized by a Polish violinist. But this was for Polish
> immigrants, rather than Polish-Americans. I heard a Gypsy street band
> in Warsaw play stuff like "Ochi chorniye" as well as Hungarian notak.
> There was a Polish Gypsy ensemble that toured in the '70s and made a
> record---there music resembles the Tsarist-era Gypsy choir music---
> but supposedly they got asylum in Sweden or somewhere and there was
> no more Polish Gypsy ensemble. Maybe some wouldn't like Russian
> stuff, but some seem to like a popular "Gypsy" music, Russian Gypsy
> being the main thing they would be familiar with. Incidentally, on
> the streets of Warsaw, there are a lot of Gypsy beggars from Serbia
> (NOT hereditary professional musicians) with children who play one
> tune on small accordions. And guess what that tune is? Ochi chorniye.
>  Obviously they are conforming to the Polish conception of what is
> expected from Gypsies----playing for money on the street is accepted
> as a longstanding custom, but just begging, with appearing to play
> anything, is not liked.
>
> Then there is the "Internationale," but that's a different story....
>
> Paul Gifford
>

--
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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