Re: MAX concert in Munich Jewish Festival, Nov 17

[Eliott Kahn <Elkahn...>]

At 12:25 AM 11/1/01 -0500, you wrote:
>I think it would be unfortunate if the valid controversy regarding honoring
>Carl Orff were to distract or to detract from the announcement and anticipation
>of the Maxwell Street Klezmer Band's concert in the hall named after him.  In 
>my 
>zeal to reveal the facts about him,  I may not have been clear enough in 
>emphasizing
>that his dishonor should not in any sense be reflected onto the musicians 
>performing
>in that concert hall.  
>  
>As I said before, a concert of Jewish music is valuable "on its own." I hope 
>the
>Munich Jewish Festival goes well and that their concert is a success. 
>Rather than wishing halz un bein bruch, how about brokho vehatzlokho?
>Lee


These issues are all complex and not likely to be resolved anytime soon. It 
seems to me that whereas the U.S. has provided great political and religious 
freedom for so many Jewish emigres, it has never really provided adequate 
cultural support. Several musicians who work in Jewish idioms find more 
financial support in European countries. This situation might be somewhat 
similar to the experience of so many African-American musicians who had to live 
and work in Europe to have their work appreciated (e.g. George Russell, Dexter 
Gordon). And, although the American Jewish community has certainly dropped the 
ball on support of Jewish culture, it's difficult to blame them because their 
funding comes solely from private donations. The German funding model--at least 
from before the war--took a percentage of a person's income and contributed it 
to the Gemeinde (community) of a particular person's religious faith. I don't 
know if that formula is still in effect.

But I did say "somewhat similar" and that is because the Holocaust makes the 
situation very unique indeed for Jews who are working in Germany and Poland. 
This situation is not just unique to musicians; the American Reform movement is 
consciously trying to rebuild Germany's Liberal Jewish communities. I'm out of 
the loop but I believe that's probably a real hot button issue to German-Jewish 
emigres and their children who remember what an incredible community they once 
had--and had to leave and--ultimately--see destroyed.

RE: Orff's music: I don't believe its accessible motor rhythms, modality and 
polytonal harmonies were part of any "plot" to incite the German Volk into 
primitive behavior. During the twenties there was a movement to make music more 
accessible and, certainly, to appeal to the German Volk.  Works at the time by 
Paul Hindemith and even Kurt Weill attempted to be "Gebrauchsmusik" or music 
for everyday use. 

I don't know enough about Orff's politics, but for him to claim he was a member 
of the "White Rose" resistance movement was certainly a whopper. It's doubtful 
anyone who resisted the Nazis would remain under their employ--or alive. Just 
look at the case of church composer Hugo Distler, who was associated with the 
Bonhoffer (and Dohnanyi) Lutheran resistance crowd. The Nazis effectively 
killed the Lutheran resistance movement  ca. 1937-38.  Distler had to leave his 
church job after--if I recall correctly--his church was closed and the leading 
Resistance clergy arrested (and killed). Eventually Distler would kill himself 
ca. 1942, after considerable Nazi party harassment that inevitably recruited 
him as a tank commander . (This is all to the best of my recollection; it's 
been a few years.)

Finally, about Munich herself. For what it's worth, I believe Germany, despite 
its past, has built a solid Democratic foundation during the past 55 years. I 
realize Munich was a hotbed of antisemitism and the birthplace of the Nazi 
party, but these days especially, any democracy on the globe is worth 
protecting, even cherishing. No doubt there are still antisemites and their 
children there, but I'd prefer to support the folks of good faith and try to 
keep these bastards from ever again gaining the upper hand. 

My personal recommendation would be: go play; make beautiful and lively Jewish 
music. But since it is "Jewish" music, why not try to remember the vibrant 
Jewish community that was once part of Munich? Perhaps the musicians might find 
some time to go to Herzog Max Strasse, where there's supposed to be a memorial 
to the glorious Hauptsynagoge that once stood there. The Nazis dismantled it in 
Summer 1938 as a rehearsal  for Kristallnacht in November. I'm sure there are 
other places one could visit--other than Dachau--that could enable these Jewish 
musicians to pay their respects to the folks who once called that part of the 
world their homes.

Eliott Kahn





Dr. Eliott Kahn
Music Archivist
Library of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America
3080 Broadway
New York, NY 10027
WK: (212) 678-8076
FAX (212) 678-8998
elkahn (at) jtsa(dot)edu

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