RE: Cymbaly /was Re:/

[Paul M. Gifford <PGIFFORD...>]

Reyzl Kalifowicz-Waletzky <reyzl (at) flash(dot)net> wrote:
> 
> >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?

About 30 years ago, a native of Cracow (a Pole) saw a dulcimer of 
mine, and he related a story that Jewish merchants used to play the 
instrument in Cracow 100 years earlier "in order to attract 
business." That, plus the numerous wood carvings of klezmorim 
(playing violin, flute, clarinet, cymbaly, and bass) that are sold in 
Warsaw and Cracow, plus Pan Tadeusz, led me to offer the observation 
that Poles thought of the instrument as Jewish. Reyzl and Jerzy are 
probably both right; this Cracow native would now be about 80 years 
old.

Paul Gifford

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