RE: Cymbaly /was Re:/

[Reyzl Kalifowicz-Waletzky <reyzl...>]

Another unsent message....


>I really don't think that in common Polish knowledge
>cymbaly are Jewish instrument. Most of the people links
>cymbaly rather with Gypsy or Hungarian music.
>
>Jerzy


But the question is was that always so or just today when Jews are not 
around?  Or is that so since the "tsimbl" was abandoned for the more 
preferred "Western" instruments after the first World War?  As I 
understand, Yiddish theater in Poland or Vilna did not favor the 
instrument.  (Please someone correct me if I am wrong about the latter, 
because I have not studied the history of this Jewish musical instruments.) 
 I do know that being able to play piano and especially Chopin on the 
piano, became a goal of middle-class Jews and assimilationists between the 
two world wars.

BTW, the most common connotation the word 'tsimbl' has in Yiddish is one of 
banging or making noise.  It has no association with stupidity or laziness 
and one you think about how and why would a instrument for which one has to 
put effort to play it be associated with laziness.


Reyzl



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