Re: Bracha Zefira

[Joel Bresler <jbresler...>]

Hi, Noa. This is great. Comments interspersed.

Best,

Joel

At 03:50 PM 5/22/00 -0700, you wrote:
>Joel
>
>IMI in Israel have all the recordings of Bracha Zefira, but, I believe 
>they have for years now stoped producing the CDs or tapes.

I'm unaware of any CD and would love to know more.

>If they still have the originals, I may be able to convince them to make 
>one off copies for me. I will try. They list three recordings -  one with 
>Orchestra and small ensembles, performing Partos, Lavry, Boskovich and Ben 
>Haim.

If this is the re-release cassette, "Shirei HaZahav Shel Bracha Zefira", I 
would dearly like to know when the originals were released, and any 
available discographic information.

>Second with Nahum Nardi on piano performing Israeli songs,

Same request for this, which I take to be "Meaz v'ad olam, Bracha Zefirah 
v'Nahum Nardi, hashirim shel hagedolim b'zemer ha'ivri, 1937-1950.

>and the third recording songs by her performing with an ensemble. Her 
>songs (which were only melodies) were arrnaged on this recording by 
>Lakner, Maayani, Avni, Paul Ben Haim, and Haim Alexander. It looks like 
>she is not singing on it but H. Ben Haim, soprano is the singer.

Also unfamiliar to me, and I would like to know more.

>Incidentally, as a soprano myself, I have performed two years ago in 
>London with an Israeli Dancer, Nima Jacoby (the grand daughter of the 
>composer Jacoby) a programme dedicated to Bracha Zefira. Nima visited 
>Bracha Zefira?s archive, which contains all the music she collected 
>herself, and we performed (me singing, Nima dancing) music from that 
>archive. The Library contains hundreds and hundreds of songs written and 
>arranged for her, by all the Israeli composers at the time, who all 
>admired her voice and personality, together with some of her own songs. 
>There was also a book published about her life I believe, with music, and 
>a documentary which is available on Video (for sale??? I will need to find 
>out) produced by the Israeli TV ­ very interesting indeed.
>
>I found her most fascinating and will try to find out if the recordings 
>are available.
>
>I will let you know soon.
>
>Yours
>
>Noa


yes, she is a fascinating person!!

J

>>From: Joel Bresler <jbresler (at) ma(dot)ultranet(dot)com>
>>Reply-To: jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org
>>To: World music from a Jewish slant <jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org>
>>Subject: Bracha Zefira
>>Date: Mon, 22 May 2000 06:13:22 -0400
>>
>>Chevra:
>>
>>Is anyone familiar with the Ladino recordings of Bracha Zefirah? Born of
>>Yemeni parents, raised by several "eastern" families; steeped in their
>>music, while also learning traditional Sephardic songs from Yitzhak Navon.
>>Accompanied first on piano by Nahum Nardi, in 1930s, her repertory was
>>later re-set by Paul Ben-Haim, Marc Lavry and Oedoen Partos, among others,
>>in a Western Art song idiom.
>>
>>I have a cassette of Israeli CBS recordings, but it's obviously from much
>>earlier masters and I'd love to know when the original recordings were made
>>and distributed.
>>
>>Thanks,
>>
>>Joel
>>
>>
>>Joel Bresler
>>250 E. Emerson Rd.
>>Lexington, MA 02420 USA
>>
>>Home:           781-862-2432
>>Home Office:    781-862-4104
>>FAX:            781-862-0498
>>Email:          jbresler (at) ma(dot)ultranet(dot)com
>
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Joel Bresler
250 E. Emerson Rd.
Lexington, MA 02420 USA

Home:           781-862-2432
Home Office:    781-862-4104
FAX:            781-862-0498
Email:          jbresler (at) ma(dot)ultranet(dot)com

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