Re: Sephardic instrumental music

[Joel Bresler <jbresler...>]

OK, Owen, please continue your thought. That they must have carried the 
instrumental work over into their Jewish life? That they likely did? If 
three generations of pre-expulsion Sephardim used the hammered dulcimer 
(which was the source of the original EM question) I would be fascinated to 
learn that! I would never be so bold as to say, "that isn't traditional." 
Who better than tradition-bearers to change the tradition!! I am just 
really leery about leaping to conclusions about performance practices, etc. 
based on modern-day intution. That's why you get performers such as the 
Renaissance Players interjecting Balkan village music performance practices 
into some of their Sephardic renditions (_totally_ ahistoric) and a slew of 
EM groups doing this. The original question EM question was an inquiry 
about the tradition, so I was trying to answer it in that vein.

I love many of the EM versions of Sephardic music; it was my entree into 
the music 20+ years ago, etc., etc. These are durable songs and can be 
performed many different ways. Let a klezmer band tuck into a rollicking 
version of a Sephardic song, and I say, gazintaheit. As long as the 
performers make no claims for authenticity, I have no problems at all. But 
when EM groups do Sephardic music, to it can take on the flavor of those 
1970s novelty albums like "The Beatles Go Baroque", or some such. This is 
Judith R. Cohen's area of expertise, I'll send her out a lifeline question 
on this. (Sorry if our Canadians and overseas readers don't get the game 
show reference...)

Anyway, to bed.

The equally without academic standing Joel.

P.S. By the way, just cuz someone is proficient in professional 
(non-Jewish) musicmaking, that doesn't necessarily mean that they will 
carry it over into their Jewish life, does it...Somehow I never pictured 
Daniel Barenboim sitting down at the piano and being the life of the party 
at a Bar Mitzvah.


At 10:13 PM 5/23/00 -0400, you wrote:
>Joel,
>
>Let me tell you of a suspicion that I have which is based on neither research
>(which I have not done) nor Academic Standing, (of which have I none).
>
>I do love and have studied musical instruments in their evolution and in their
>contribution to the various musical cultures that surround, engender, and 
>inform
>them.
>
>Everything I have learned about the use of instruments in music indicates 
>that the
>instrument is an appliance, a mute enabler or potentiator, whose method of 
>use is
>informed by the societal need it serves.  Only when the use of a certain 
>instrument
>is proscribed, for whatever reason, does it fall into question on a 
>cultural level.
>
>Music lives in its own self, and is served and embellished by whatever 
>physical
>artifacts are to hand.  If three generations of Hawaiian Jews sing zmiros 
>to the
>chuckling strains of a ukulele, then there is a case for traditional 
>acceptance.
>Only in the dire and unpredictable case of a halakhic proscription should we
>refrain from our rejoicing, with whatever tool we have to hand.
>
>Joel Bresler wrote:
>
> > Chevra,
> >
> > We're having a discussion over in the early music list that may interest
> > some folks, and I could use some assistance as well. My understanding is
> > that Sephardic musicians are widely believed to have been present at the
> > court of Alfonso X, el Sabio and other Catholic monarchs. I suppose they
> > would have played all manner of instruments and some believe they
> > contributed melodies as well, in a court/Christian setting. But I have no
> > evidence that these instruments were used to accompany ANY flavor of
> > Sephardic music.
> >
> > Later on, there is also no doubt that Sephardim participated fully in the
> > world of Ottoman court music. But again, it was of Turkish music, not
> > Sephardic music.
> >
> > A correspondent replied:
> >
> > >Hm ... is there evidence that Sephardic folk (or other non-liturgical) 
> music
> > >avoided instruments, as you've said was the case with the liturgical
> > >music?  I'm
> > >not sure I understand the argument that musicians who both played and 
> composed
> > >for instruments in their professional sphere would have studiously avoided
> > >ever
> > >using those instruments at home or in their home communities (though 
> their use
> > >in a religious setting is another matter of course).  Is it just that
> > >there's no
> > >evidence of whether (or how) they used them, if they did?  It's a very
> > >speculative suggestion, of course (and I don't even know what body of 
> music
> > >survives from the times we're talking about) but some speculation might be
> > >reasonable.
> >
> > Can anyone help out?
> >
> > Best,
> >
> > 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
> >
>
>--
>Owen Davidson
>Amherst  Mass
>The Wholesale Klezmer Band
>
>The Angel that presided oer my birth
>Said Little creature formd of Joy & Mirth
>Go Love without the help of any King on Earth
>
>Wm. Blake
>
>



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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