Re: Duelling harps (Was Re: kol isha]

[George Robinson <GRComm...>]

Unfortunately, as others on the list will undoubtedly attest, the use of
synth players as a cheap alternative to hiring a band is hardly a trend
limited to the Orthodox world. 

As a good union man I hate it.

George

Reyzl Kalifowicz-Waletzky wrote:
> 
> Harp - the instrument.  What they picture angels playing.  Don't know
> anything about Sonny Boy Williamson
> 
> Jordan claims that there are women harp players at Orthodox weddings.
>  Hasidic dance scholar Jill Gellerman recently told me that the quality of
> music in the Orthodox community has seriously declined because they depend
> on one electric keyboard player to do all kinds of musical magic.  So much
> cheaper than having a full band.  But here we have harps and they are women
> players yet too.   I dunno.
> 
> Reyzl
> 
> ----------
> From:  George Robinson [SMTP:GRComm (at) concentric(dot)net]
> Sent:  Wednesday, February 28, 2001 9:44 PM
> To:  World music from a Jewish slant
> Subject:  Duelling harps (Was Re: kol isha]
> 
> Do you mean harp, like angels, or harp like Sonny Boy Williamson? I
> can't offhand recall a klezmer group that uses either. Am I missing
> something here?
> 
> I must say, though, that it is interesting to note how few classical
> harpists are men. Without getting too far off topic, does anyone have an
> idea why that is? Or is that just my mistaken perception?
> 
> George
> 
> Reyzl Kalifowicz-Waletzky wrote:
> >
> > I agree with what you say about modesty, but how is it that klezmer
> >
> > >has not really made it in the Orthodox and Chasidic community.
> > >It is only now beginning to attract attention. So an artist like Margot
> > >is suffering under the double whammy of performing music not generally
> > >used to any great extent, yet.
> >
> > What do you think they play at Jewish weddings if not klezmer, which is
> > Jewish wedding music.  Yes the repertoire is a bit different from what
> most
> > stage performing klezmer bands play.  These like to play the repertoire
> > from the old recordings
> > or what the founding bands established as standard.  But if someone like
> > Margot were to add to her repertoire some wedding standards, such as Od
> > Yeshama when the bride and groom enter, Jewish nigunim, a few modern
> Hebrew
> > songs, the line dancing repertoire, etc., she could play at those hasidic
> > weddings.
> >
> > > If she was interested in performing as
> > >a side musician, all she needs to do is contact one of the big
> > >commercial offices like Neginah or Neshoma, and while I am not sure
> > >she would get much play there, for other reasons, she would be able to
> > >get a truer test of the motivation not to use her.
> >
> > Yes, it's those other reasons that you are not expressing.  Like make
> sure
> > their stable of men make a nice living, while a woman shouldn't have to.
>  I
> > don't think they would tell her the real reason either.  They are polite
> > guys.
> >
> > >Women are playing violin, harp, and keyboards on Orthodox bands,
> >
> > Harp is a special instrument and it seems that it is highly populated
> with
> > women musicians.  If you want a harp, your choices are more limited.  But
> > Jewish women fiddlers and keyboard players in Orthodox bands?  Which
> bands
> > have women musicians?  How often have you seen them?
> >
> > I don't know I seem to answering all my mail as it comes today.
> >
> > Reyzl
> >
> > ----------
> > From:  TROMBAEDU (at) aol(dot)com [SMTP:TROMBAEDU (at) aol(dot)com]
> > Sent:  Wednesday, February 28, 2001 3:41 PM
> > To:  World music from a Jewish slant
> > Subject:  Re: kol isha
> >
> > In a message dated 2/27/01 3:12:24 PM Eastern Standard Time,
> > rlcm17 (at) hotmail(dot)com writes:
> >
> > > The reason I would think Margot's posting is "a digression from kol
> > > isha"-and bringing up relevant economic issues is *not* a halakhic
> > > digression, by the way-is that kol isha applies (for better or for
> worse,
> > > etc., etc.) to women's *voices* and hence to women *singers,* not-so
> far
> > > as
> > > I know-women instrumentalists like Margot.
> > >
> > >
> >
> > At the risk of starting a new war here, I would point out that the reason
> > for
> > not having women in the band is that the idea of Women performers in
> public
> > is considered objectifying, and therefore, not in keeping with
> traditional
> > concepts of modesty.
> > This appears to be less prevalent in Chasidic and Orthodox thinking to
> day,
> > as
> > Orthodox people are more accustomed to seeing Women in roles that were
> not
> > part of the social structure in Europe before the war.
> > But Margot and others also have to realize that in general, Klezmer has
> not
> > really made it in the Orthodox and Chasidic community. It is only now
> > beginning to attract attention. So an artist like Margot is suffering
> under
> > the double whammy of performing music not generally used to any great
> > extent,
> > yet. If she was interested in performing as a side musician, all she
> needs
> > to
> > do is contact one of the big commercial offices like Neginah or Neshoma,
> > and
> > while I am not sure she would get much play there, for other reasons, she
> > would be able to get a truer test of the motivation not to use her. Women
> > are
> > playing violin, harp, and keyboards on Orthodox bands, although I have
> not
> > yet seen woman horn players. I don't know why those instruments are seen
> as
> > less problematic, but there it is. Personally, I would love to have
> Margot
> > in
> > the band, but she has to bring her sax and flute as well. Nowadays,
> > Clarinet
> > is still struggling to make a comeback.
> >
> > Jordan
> >
> 
> --
> George Robinson
> Author, Essential Judaism
> Please visit my website, "Essential Judaism and Beyond"
> at www.GeorgeRobinson.freeservers.com
> 

-- 
George Robinson
Author, Essential Judaism
Please visit my website, "Essential Judaism and Beyond"
at www.GeorgeRobinson.freeservers.com

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