RE: JEWISH-MUSIC digest 1602

[Eliott Kahn <Elkahn...>]

Idelsohn's JEWISH MUSIC IN ITS HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT is usually an excellent 
source for information about a broad range of Jewish music topics ca. 1920. 
This makes it particularly valuable for references to 19th century hazzanim 
like Baruch Karliner. 

Few sources and published scores survive that document the lives and musical 
expression of many of these 19th century hazzanim from Russia and Eastern 
Europe. What manuscripts of their compositions survive (and we have quite a few 
of them here at the library) were usually notated by their choristers or 
conductors and then passed on to their apprentices. Unlike the German-speaking 
lands where music publishing was a tad more achievable, in the Pale of 
Settlement a hazzan, conductor, or chorister's repertoire were their bread and 
butter, and they carried their tunes and arrangements with them to positions in 
new towns. Unlike today, nineteenth-century hazzanim (cantors) often functioned 
as composers--some were even hired for that reason despite their vocal 
deficiencies.

This is a broad overview gleaned from Idelsohn and various sources I have 
looked at. Please be wary of Idelsohn's value judgments re: the quality of the 
music itself. I also don't have much faith in either his taste or analytical 
skills. Some other good sources for the study of the nineteenth (and early 
twentieth) century cantorate are:

Zaludkowski, E. KULTURTRAEGER VON DER JUEDISCHEN LITURGIE [in Yiddish]. 
Detroit, Mich.: Prof. Zaludkowski, 1930.

Friedmann, Aron. LEBENSBILDER BERUEMTER KANTOREN, v.1-3 [in German]. Berlin: 
1918-1927.

DIE CHASANIM WELT [in Yiddish]. periodical published by the cantor's 
association in Warsaw from 1933-1939.

Vigoda, Cantor Samuel. LEGENDARY VOICES: THE FASCINATING LIVES OF THE GREAT 
CANTORS, v. 1-2. (Interesting reading, but please do not take everything at 
it's face value) NY: M.P.Press, Inc., 1981.

Eliott Kahn






At 04:03 PM 7/12/00 -0400, you wrote:
>Zorn told me he got the reference to Karliner from a description in a
>footnote in Idelsohn's "Jewish Music," which Zorn thought resounded through
>the years and hinted at a possible precursor. I don't know if there's
>anything else known about him other than what Idelsohn wrote.
>
>
>p.s. Bert Stratton, please phone home (please Email me).
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: owner-jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org
> > [mailto:owner-jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org]On Behalf Of jonathan walton
> > Sent: Wednesday, July 12, 2000 3:15 PM
> > To: World music from a Jewish slant
> > Subject: Re: JEWISH-MUSIC digest 1602
> >
> >
> > Hi there,
> >
> > I just noticed a dedication on my John Zorn 'Bar Kokhba' CD (Hugely
> > recommended by the way) to Boruch Karliner (died 1879), who Zorn calls
> > 'a legendary khazan from Karlin whose bold modulations and powerful
> > improvisational style established a fertile precedent opening the door to
> > new possibilities in Jewish music.'
> >
> > A pretty impressive eulogy - would be v grateful for any more info about
> > this musician who has certainly piqued my interest.
> >
> > Thanks
> > Jonathan Walton
> > ________________________________________________________________________
> > Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com
> >
> >
> >
>

Dr. Eliott Kahn
Music Archivist
Library of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America
3080 Broadway
New York, NY 10027
WK: (212) 678-8091
FAX (212) 678-8998
elkahn (at) jtsa(dot)edu

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