Re: Rossi (et al.)

[Robert Cohen <rlcm17...>]

I enjoyed Alex's mellow ('at a distance') reflections here.  And as it 
happens, I've often made the (seemingly anomalous) comparison of Debbie 
Friedman with Rossi:  to wit, they both set Hebrew texts in the musical 
style (or, obviously, one of the musical styles) of their time.  I'm afraid 
that will horrify those for whom the art music vs. popular/folk music 
distinction is key--and, obviously, the comparison doesn't extend at all to 
that dimension (whereas it does vis-a-vis Rossi and, say, Sulzer--and by 
extension, as I've argued, Schubert).

BTW, and for what it's worth (sorry, FWIW), I don't myself feel a need to 
"lay claim" to Rossi's music (or anyone else's) as Jewish; for me, it's a 
straightforward recognition that his was the music (as, again, per Richard 
Neuman) of the Jews of a certain time and place.  As Debbie Friedman's is, 
today.  Both intended that their music be used *as* Jewish music--i.e., by 
Jews in Jewish contexts.  Though, as Alex perceptively points out, that 
wouldn't strictly speaking be necessary, if a Jewish community eventually 
used their music Jewishly regardless of their intention--or of the music's 
source.

I don't know if Schubert intended his piece to be used as liturgical music 
in the synagogue, but it stands to reason that he did.  Certainly his friend 
Sulzer intended Schubert's Psalm 92 to be used that way, or he wouldn't have 
published it, as he did, in a volume consisting mostly of his own music 
(i.e., his own settings of liturgical text).  And Sulzer *clearly* intended 
*his* (Sulzer's) music to be used in synagogue.

Thanks for the comments, Alex.

--Robert Cohen

--



> >
>I've been laying out of most of this because I'm no Rossi maven, but I'm
>enjoying it nonetheless.  It's all been informed and well-considered.  What 
>I'm
>really enjoying though is the degree to which it seems that everyone wants 
>to
>claim Rossi as Jewish music despite its 'non-Jewish' sound.  This 
>vindicates the
>notion of Jewish purpose that is intrinsic to the way I define Jewish 
>music.
>
>There's a subtext to this as well.  We (and it seems to be true of all
>contributors) want to lay claim to Rossi because we feel that there is an
>artistic integrity there regardless of whether there is nusach or not.  
>More
>simply put, beyond the Jewish purpose inherent in its texts and uses, we 
>claim
>it because we like it.
>
>It seems to me that we've had similar discussions of Debbie Friedman, for 
>whom
>the 'Jewish' case is similar to Rossi, based on test and purpose, and many 
>on
>this list want to disown or disclaim her because they think it's shlock.  
>I'm
>happy to say that Debbie Friedman is Jewish music and even that I think the
>enthusiastic response she gets from many people (though not me) is good for
>Judaism.  She's also done stuff for HIV/AIDS activism and I'll bet she's a 
>gite
>neshama.
>
>In any case, this thread has served us all well in sorting out some of the
>complexities of what it might mean for something to be Jewish music.  Also 
>nice
>to change from the usual subjects.  Good going, folks.
>
>
>
>
>
>Alex Lubet, Ph. D.

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