Re: Germans and klezmer

[robert wiener <wiener...>]

We might also have posed the question of Jews playing German music,
for example, German classical music.
The most common example in such discussions has been Wagner.

While I believe that the issue of Germans and klezmer is more complex,
I'd like to open the discussion up a bit.
I believe that one steeped in a cultural/musical tradition is likely
to make better music coming from that tradition.  Yet being born of a
Jewish mother doesn't mean that one is steeped in the Jewish
cultural/musical tradition.  I am grateful for the discussions of that
tradition that we have on (and off) this list that enables all of us,
especially those of us who are musicians, to reflect on that
tradition.

Yet, despite the possible musical inter-marriages, I am loathe to
encourage only provincial music-making (e.g., to discourage Asians
violinists from playing European classical music).  We might note that
some of what we consider the most "authentic" American music was
written by relative newcomers to the United States (e.g., Irving
Berlin and Aaron Copland).  And that much of what we see as
traditional to Judaism comes from other cultures (e.g., blintzes).
(How about hamantaschen?)

Perhaps we all have much to learn from each other.

Bob

-----Original Message-----
From: Sapoznik (at) aol(dot)com <Sapoznik (at) aol(dot)com>
To: World music from a Jewish slant <jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org>
Date: Wednesday, March 01, 2000 12:45 PM
Subject: Re: Germans and klezmer


>More two cents:
>I think the issue of Germans playing Jewish  music can be put into
context by
>remebering that historically European Jewish and Gentile musicians
did play
>music together (think of Gypsies and peasants sitting in in Jewish
bands and
>Jews augmenting Rom orchestras...) The fact that Germans play klezmer
music
>is not such a big deal, after all they are no better or worse at it
than
>bands from the U.S. or anywhere else.
>It is what happens when that performance extends outward from klezmer
music
>where deeper problems occur. What did send a chill down my spine on
my
>numerous tours in Germany with Kapelye  (and also caused me to grit
my teeth)
>was hearing German babyboomers performing songs like "Zog Nit
Keynmol" and
>"Shtil di Nakht" Holocaust songs written in direct response to the
policies
>of the performers grandparents, uncles and fathers. I will never
forget
>hearing one, no doubt well meaning singer rendering the Partisans
Hymn as if
>it were "Strangers in the Night" replete with offbeat finegr
snapping! It was
>blood chilling.
>It is this more troubling performance of repertoire which raises for
me the
>ticklish issue of what, in my book, I call  "Cultural Ownership". Who
has a
>"right" to sing this material? After all, when a German singer
performs a
>song about "di soyne" (The enemy) might'n't he be talking about his
Uncle
>Helmut or his beloved old Granddad?
>I don;t have a ready answer. Just a feeling....
>
>Henry Sapoznik
>Author
>"Klezmer! Jewish Music
>>From Old World to Our World"
>
>----------------------
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>