Re: romanceros, Kol Isha

[Judah Cohen <jcohen...>]

This is a thought-provoking comment in itself, Judith, that to me has
EVERYTHING to do with "Kol Isha."  These Jews lived with some "sensual"
voice "regulations" in "place" as well (Maimonides mentioned an early
version of "Kol Isha", among others)--how well they knew or acknowledged
them is more your realm of expertise tham mine.  But it says a lot to
suggest that "non-compliance" may have been the norm--or, conversely, who is
to say that for both men and women, listening (or singing) to the opposite
sex with knowledge of this issue didn't heighten the experience (and I don't
necessarily mean sexually. . . compare the idea of a "sensual" woman's voice
with the lyrics of the songs [a number of these songs are known for their
"female" emotional intimacy, unless I'm taking the "popular line" a little
too much])?  

 Moreover, I wonder (and if anyone knows, I trust it would be you) if "Kol
Isha" and related gender issues might have helped regulate *how* these songs
were heard by men (i.e., did they have to be "overheard"? were there
particular special performance venues?), and *how* they were sung in front
of them throughout history.

By saying the "Kol Isha" issue is irrelevant to these communities, you may
have brought out a very interesting example of how "Kol Isha"-style issues
were *made* relevant to a community by *all* the community's members
themselves.

Judah.

> From: Judith R Cohen <judithc (at) yorku(dot)ca>
> Reply-To: jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org
> Date: Mon, 19 Feb 2001 06:43:36 -0500
> To: World music from a Jewish slant <jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org>
> Subject: romanceros, Kol Isha
> 
>> What if, for example, the "Kol Isha" situation was a major contributor to
>> ........., for that matter, Judeo-Spanish "romanceros" (which were often
>> passed from mother to daughter)?
> 
> NOTHING to do with Kol Isha. Men heard them sung by women all the time.
> This is irrelevant!! (Regardless of your other thought-provoking
> commnets :)   ) Judith
> 

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