Re: Tsimbl revisited 3

[Joshua Horowitz <horowitz...>]

Itzik Gottesman wrote:

> I would only add to the question of the
> low status of the drummer. I believe the drummer was considered the one
> with the least ability, and in family bands, the youngest child was given
> this instrument to break him into the kapelye. I think the bass would be
> the next up leading up to the lead fiddle at the top. I don't know how the
> tsimbl fit into this social status ladder. - Itzik

Yes, that sounds very accurate. The lead fiddler was usually the primas,
or as Poldek called him "Stehgeiger" (standing violinist) because he
stood the whole time to lead the band. But if the primas played another
instrument (say, clarinet or tsimbl) his position was higher than the
other fiddlers in the band. Apparently that wasn't too often. Yermye
Hescheles tells of Moyshke Mekhel, the tsimbler of the Gliner Kapelye
that became the Boiberiker Kapelye in the US. When he talks about him,
he lights up. Moyshke was very well respected, not because of virtuosity
(he was apparently not a virtuoso), but because he played so tastefully.
He could play melody, but often played figuration and accompaniment.

Some of the tsimblists made careers as soloists, such as  

Yankele Tsimbalist, Michael Josef Guzikov (played tsimbl before
xylophone) Mordko Fajerman, Berka Sverlov, "Pushkin Yanek Liberman, Yosl
Tsimbalist, Lepianski from Vitebsk, Shvider of Lvov, and the Pole, Chaim
Tsimbalist (the court Tsimbalist in the retinue of the ruler,
Wallenstein). Moyshe Tsimbler (Mosa Tambalaru/Tambalagiu) of Galati,
Romania, father of Joseph Moskowitz who was also known as a singer of
Romanian, Russian and Yiddish songs and was famous for his renditions of
folk music in the 19th Century and played on the Russo-Turkish front.

I think in general, tsimblists had a fairly high status, due to the fact
that they made up the gist of the rhythm section. I'll bet they were
often like contra players today though: They were the brunt of musicians
jokes- frustrating to play with at times due to tuning problems and
frequent wrong chords when they were shiker, but necessary nonetheless.
In Polish they still say "Ty cymbale!" to say "You idiot!" 

Do you have any documents about the status of poiker or bass players,
Itzik, or did you know about that through the descriptions of your
grandmother? Josh

---------------------- jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org ---------------------+