questions

[Judith R Cohen <judithc...>]

while I'm at it, no one actually answered the horns-vald(not valid art
qustion Josh asked, but no one answered or commented on mine, about how
people would feel about a complex, beautiful, rather archaic and not
really heard any more, repertoire of Yiddish song and/or of klezmer
music being learned by people with very little or no background in the
tradition, exclusively from some excellent transcriptions - they've
never heard any but commercial recordings of a few pieces from a
different part of the tradition, they don't speak Yiddish, aren't
familiar with the tunes or their style - but they're good transcriptions
by trustworthy, talented musicians who themselves have worked with this
tradition. 
Would that be enough for the hypothetical Yiddish song/klezmer melodies
repertoire in question, or if it were at all possible to hear the music
in addition to having the transcriptions and background notes, would
that be preferable?
Again, some of the wildest changes in Yiddish song and klezmer, and the
most successfull  have been made by people like Michael Alpert who know
the tradition so well they know how to work with it and stretch/add
to/change it, give it new dimensions. 

In terms of contradictory reactions to change, for me a major example
has been BOW's "Mayn Feter Elye". I learned it from Michael when he
presented it way back in '88 or '89 at KlezKamp, fell in love with the
song (you know how you can fall instantly in love with a song!), learned
it, practiced it along with the tape from Michael's class, recorded it
myself (it's on my "Primavera en Salonica" cd) - and when I opened the
BOW CD with it , settled down happily to hear Michael singing it with
the group. And I was SO disappointed. I really just don't like what they
did. BUT - hey, if anyone knows that song and the tradition well - it's
Michael. So while I don't LIKE the interpretation, I listen to it,
respect it and do appreciate the artistry, the knowledge, the thought -
and the musical risk-taking which went into it, as opposed to simply
dismissing it . KNowing that these musicians do know the tradition makes
me listen carefully and end up learning from what they do with it,
rather than dismissing it . "Authentic" has nothing to do with it, it's
the knowledge base of departure which counts for me, I guess.
Judith (I didn't sign last time 'cause the sent button was already doing
its work)

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