Re: East and West

[Alex J. Lubet <lubet001...>]

Responding to the message of <3B02AC61(dot)7050407 (at) bellatlantic(dot)net>
from jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org:
> 
> Yosl Kurland's Eyn Keyloheynu is a Western Sephardic 
> (Spanish-Portuguese) "standard" version (not particular to a Festival) 
> that is also sung in other Sephardic locales and, apparently, is 
> spreading to plain-vanilla congregations.  Western Sephardic synagogue 
> tunes typically do have a character falling somewhere between "Oy!" and 
> "Ach!" (let's call it the "Mid-Western 'Oh' ") that makes them easier to 
> "tolerate" (as Adrianne put it), yet they have a hint of exoticism -- in 
> small doses.
> 
> An interesting sub-chapter in the story of German synagogue music reform 
> was a small movement (I'm sorry but I don't recall more particulars) to 
> incorporate this kind of "easy to swallow" Sephardic melodic content and 
> chanting style as representing a more "refined" musical approach and one 
> more "authentically Jewish" than the corrupted style of the Ost-Juden.
> ....................................................................
> 
> I'll also tie in under this subject the following excerpt from Alex 
> Lubet's posting:
> 
>    >Even if the foreground melody was indeed composed by
>    >a Jew, the melodic contours, intonation system, harmony,
>    >meter, form ...        ... are all products of that Western
>    >(and usually Germanic) tradition.
> 
> by noting that it can be said that culturally Ashkenazic Jews "are all 
> products of that Western (and usually Germanic) tradition" with an 
> Eastern underlay and overlay.  This is especially true of traditional 
> Synagogue song, often referred to as "Minhag Ashkenaz," where "Ashkenaz" 
> simply means Germany.  It is interesting to observe the ongoing process 
> of fine-tuning the East-West balance in synagogue music in order to 
> achieve the optimal internal comfort level for Minhag America. 
> I guess we'll never feel just right until we're neither "this" nor "that."
> 
Brilliantly put, Sam.  You're not only a fountain of knowledge, but a keen 
observer of culture and behavior.  The two do not always dwell in the same 
person and in my experience that kind of insight is much needed in our 
community.  What troubles me much is that in academic circles the very people 
who have the training to enable them to make rich contributions to our 
understanding of ourselves as a people have chosen to devote themselves full to 
the study of someone or something else.

It's hard to know what if anything will constitute the appropriate balance of 
east and west.  Surely it will vary among individuals and congregations.  
Doubtless it will always be the same for balancing tradition (whatever that 
means:  in a congregation I used to belong to, I was told that Debbie Friedman's
Shma was traditional) and innovation (which could be the introduction of 
something old but unfamiliar in a congregation used to Debbie Friedman).

  

   

Alex Lubet, Ph. D.
Morse Alumni Distinguished Teaching Professor of Music
Adjunct Professor of American and Jewish Studies
University of Minnesota
2106 4th St. S
Minneapolis, MN 55455
612 624-7840 612 624-8001 (fax)

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