Re: Deutchland Uber Alles et al.

[Robert Cohen <rlcm17...>]

I learned from Kay Kaufman Shelemay that the (Syrian Jewish) composer of a 
particular pizmon--i.e., an original paraliturgical hymn, often composed to 
a borrowed melody--in this case (not atypically) composed in honor of a 
wedding, set the text, on request (which is also not atypical) to the 
groom's high school anthem--which turned out to be (itself a borrowing from) 
O Tannenbaum!  A marvelous example, in a many-layered way, of "cultural 
cross-pollination."

Now I just have to find a Jewish text set to "Far Above Cayuga's Waters" ... 
  (Take that, Robinson ...)

--Robert Cohen



>It's also the "Alma Mater" of my alma mater, Columbia University (with
>hilariously awful and very Latinate lyrics that begin "Mother stayed on
>rock eternal/Crowned and set upon a height").
>
>George (a roaring Columbia Lion if there ever was one) Robinson
>
>
>Jonathan Gordon wrote:
> >
> > Unless my recollection is wrong, Salomon Sulzer, the first great Cantor 
>of
> > international repute has a setting of Deutchland Uber Ales, with 
>different
> > words, of course, for the birthday of some great person in one of his
> > volumes of compositions.  I think it is scored for harp and other
> > instruments as well as full choir.  It must have been a German national
> > treasure before the fascists put those words in. Imagine the book Shir 
>Zsion
> > with that tune in it.
> > jonathan gordon

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