Re: "authentic" American music

[Kame'a Media <media...>]

George Robinson wrote:

>  The Magnificent Seven, written by that nice Jewish
> boy Elmer Bernstein. (And why would anyone name their kid Elmer?)
>
> George Robinson

As Jews began to enter the mainstream of American life and forgoing
traditional Jewish names for more "American" ones,  a council
of rabbis (possibly the Reform) actually published a list of acceptable and
appropriate names for Jewish Americans. I think your answer may lie here.

Wolf



>
>
> Robert Cohen wrote:
> >
> > At one of this past weekend's BAM seminars in re Kurt Weill (and THE ETERNAL
> > ROAD), Leon Botstein, I think, remarked that Brooklyn Jewish boy Copland
> > wrote the quintessential open-spaces Americana (I actually can't remember
> > which piece he's referring to) that became (sadly) the Marboro Man music.
> > He definitely saw it as specifically growing out of his marginality, or
> > sense of marginality. -- Robert Cohen
> >
> > >From: "robert wiener" <wiener (at) mindspring(dot)com>
> > >Reply-To: jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org
> > >To: World music from a Jewish slant <jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org>
> > >Subject: Re: Germans and klezmer
> > >Date: Wed, 1 Mar 2000 13:53:59 -0500
> > >
> > >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"
> > > >
> > > >----------------------
> > >jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org ---------------------+
> > > >