Re: Bracha Zefira

[Judah Cohen <jcohen...>]

Joel,

    Always a great place to check for this kind of information is Harvard
University's on line library system (HOLLIS) at either
telnet://hollis.harvard.edu or http://hplus.harvard.edu.  There should be no
restrictions for searching.  Harvard has hands down the largest collection
of Israeli recorded music in the world (all Israeli institutions included),
and the Judaica people do their best to make sure everything's included in
the catalog.  Especially because Harvard's relatively close to you, it might
serve as a useful resource (though I'm not entirely sure what restrictions
they may have on listening).

The Harvard Judaica Division began to collect in the late 1970s, so they
don't seem to have any Bracha Zephira originals.  However, the collection
lists two albums (on cassette), one tape of a 1962 interview with her on Kol
Yisrael, and some sort of published songbook.  Bibliographic information is
listed below.

Be well.
Judah.

%START:
%HOLLIS#: HU ACZ3518
%FORMAT: sco
%YEAR: 1978
%AUTHOR: Zephira, Bracha.
%TITLE: Kolot rabim: atsilutah-shel-hishtayakhut mehayevet: osef lehanim
mi-shel
edot ha-mizrah be-Yisrael u-lehanim mi-shel falahim u-Vaduim be-Yisrael im
divre
hesber.
%EDITION:
%PUB. INFO: Tel Aviv: Masadah, c1978.
%PUBLISHED IN:
%DESCRIPTION: 279 p. of music: photos.,; 29 cm.
%SUMMARY:
%SERIES:
%FREQUENCY:
%NOTES:
%NUMBERS:
%SUBJECTS:
%AUTHORS: Zephira, Bracha.
%LOCATION: Widener:  Harvard Depository Mus 499.7.3421  Consult Circ. Desk
for
HWN2NZ.
%END:

%START:
%HOLLIS#: HU BLO2281
%FORMAT: rec
%YEAR: 1990
%AUTHOR: Zephira, Bracha.
%TITLE: Meaz ve-ad olam [sound recording]: Brakhah tsefirah ve-nahum nerdi.
%EDITION:
%PUB. INFO: [Tel Aviv]: Kolot, [1990?]
%PUBLISHED IN:
%DESCRIPTION: 1 sound cassette: 1 7/8 ips, stereo.
%SUMMARY:
%SERIES:
%FREQUENCY:
%NOTES:
%NUMBERS:
%SUBJECTS: Songs, Hebrew--Israel. \ Audiocassettes.
%AUTHORS: Zephira, Bracha. \ Nerdi Nahum
%LOCATION: Widener:  Harvard Depository JC 2167  Consult Judaica Div.
%END:

%START:
%HOLLIS#: HU BEZ6333
%FORMAT: rec
%YEAR: 1995
%AUTHOR:
%TITLE: Pegishah im Berakhah Tsefirah [sound recording ]
%EDITION:
%PUB. INFO: Yerushalayim: Kol Yisrael, 1995.
%PUBLISHED IN:
%DESCRIPTION: 1 sound cassette: 1 7/8 ips, stereo.
%SUMMARY:
%SERIES: Az ve-atah; melel 1529
%FREQUENCY:
%NOTES: Recording of radio program broadcast in 1962.
%NUMBERS:
%SUBJECTS: Songs, Hebrew--Israel. \ Music--Israel--History and criticism.
%AUTHORS: Zephira, Bracha. \ Kol Yisrael.
%LOCATION: Widener:  Harvard Depository JCKY 823  Consult Judaica Div.
%END:

%START:
%HOLLIS#: HU BLN9287
%FORMAT: rec
%YEAR: 1988
%AUTHOR: Zephira, Bracha.
%TITLE: Shire ha-zahav shel Berakhah Tsefirah [sound recording]: me-shire
edot
israel = Songs of ethnic comunities in israel.
%EDITION:
%PUB. INFO: Tel Aviv: Kolot, 1988.
%PUBLISHED IN:
%DESCRIPTION: 1 sound cassette: 1 7/8 ips, stereo.
%SUMMARY:
%SERIES:
%FREQUENCY:
%NOTES:
%NUMBERS:
%SUBJECTS: Songs, Hebrew--Israel. \ Audiocassettes.
%AUTHORS: Zephira, Bracha.
%LOCATION: Widener:  Harvard Depository JC 2155  Consult Judaica Div.
%END:


----------
>From: Joel Bresler <jbresler (at) ma(dot)ultranet(dot)com>
>To: World music from a Jewish slant <jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org>
>Subject: Re: Bracha Zefira
>Date: Mon, May 22, 2000, 10:30 PM
>

> 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
>>
>>________________________________________________________________________
>>Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com
>>
>
>
>
> 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
>
> ---------------------- jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org 
> ---------------------+
>