Italian connections...

[Francesco Spagnolo <yuval.italia...>]

Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco ties with Italian Jewish music still need 
to be explored. As far as I can understand (although there is a book 
out that covers most of his work -- I have to check in our archive), 
he set for organ music a few Italian synagogue pieces (organ was 
widely used in Italy until WW2), as a hommage to his family's 
heritage, which was Tuscan, hence a mixture of Italian and Ashkenazi 
minhagim. I am not sure that his vocal pieces have anything to do 
with Italian Jewish music, though.

Betty Olivero is indeed an Israeli composer, who has lived in Italy 
for several years. She is now back in Israel.

Alberto Hemsi, born in Turkey, did have an Italian connection. In 
fact, he was an Italian citizen (as were many Sephardic Jews), and 
received a degree from the Milano Music Conservatory, and even fought 
in the Italian army during WW1. In his memoirs (check the 
introduction to the "Cancionero Sephardi", edited by E. Seroussi and 
published by the Hebrew University), he recalls studying music 
history in Milan, were the teacher denied any autonomy to Jewish 
music. In his later years, he suggested that such a denial prompted 
him to research traditional Sephardic music.

As far as traditional Italian Jewish music is concerned, the CD I've 
edited, "Italian Jewish Musical Traditions. From the Leo Levi 
Recordings (1954-1961)" -- which is about to be released by the 
Hebrew University, as I will soon announce to the list in a separate 
message -- offers a selection of 42 samples of Italian chazanut and 
folk songs of various origins.

Concerning the role of Jewish composers in 20th century Italy -- and 
their disappearance after the Anti-Semitic Laws were approved by 
Fascism in 1938 -- Yuval Italia has recently formed a study group, 
with the aim of gathering information, collecting musical materials 
and reconstructing a quite relevant part of the past century's 
musical history.

Francesco


>You might look at the music of Betty Olivera.  She is a contemporary 
>composer born in Israel and living in Italy.  A lot of her music is 
>based on Sephardic motifs.
>
>yoel
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: owner-jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org 
>[mailto:owner-jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org]On Behalf Of 
>IKochinska (at) aol(dot)com
>Sent: Tuesday, February 05, 2002 7:44 AM
>To: World music from a Jewish slant
>Subject: Castelnuovo-Tedesco's Jewish songs
>
>Dear List,
>I have a little programming emergency - a concert I was just asked 
>to do with only a month to go, and with a very specific focus 
>(Italian-Jewish).  I want to do some songs of Castelnuovo-Tedesco 
>(henceforth "C", so this doesn't take me all night!), but apparently 
>a lot of his compositions are unpublished & with limited time, any 
>pointers would be a big help.  I'm only interested in his explicitly 
>Jewish songs.   I have his "V'erastich" and a group of 3 Sephardic 
>Songs - but I know he wrote a lot more.  If anyone has a specific 
>suggestion, especially pieces for soprano, but also any pieces you 
>think are really good - I would really appreciate it!  
>The other composer I'm interested in, if anyone has specific 
>recommendations, is Alberto Hemsi.
>Thanks,
>Ilana

-- 


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