Re: College level Jewish Music course

[Eliott Kahn <Elkahn...>]

For a college survey, I'd use: 

Gradenwitz, Peter,1910- The Music of Israel :from the biblical era to modern 
times \.2nd ed., rev. and expanded.Portland, Or. :Amadeus Press,1996.

Of course, you'll have to supplement sections on hazzanim, klezmorim, and 
Sephardic and Mizrahi music, but you will get a broad, fairly accurate and 
up-to-date historical overview.

I definitely concur with the importance of the articles on Jewish music in New 
Grove II (2000) and in the Encyclopedia Judaica by Hannoch Avennary.

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



At 09:42 AM 5/17/02 -0400, you wrote:
>I have a question for the group.
>
>For the past four years I have been trying unsuccessfully to offer a course
>on the history of Jewish music at the college where I teach (Southern
>Connecticut State University, New Haven).  However, it finally looks like my
>patience will be rewarded.  The enrollment figures for the fall look good
>enough for it to run.  So now I am beginning in earnest to make plans for
>the course.  When I first began to develop the course, a few years ago, I
>had discussed  the subject and received suggestions and help from several
>members of this group about books and syllabus.  But time has passed and I
>have been spending much more time of late making Jewish music rather than
>studying it as an academic subject.  I am devoting this summer to getting
>myself back up to speed and revising my syllabus.  The question I am posing
>for  the group is twofold.
>
>1.  Suggestions about subjects in Jewish music that you absolutely feel MUST
>be covered in a sophomore-junior level survey music history course.
>
>2. A textbook or series of books that you feel adequately addresses the
>subject for this particular level of students.  Keep in mind that I teach at
>a school where most of the kids hold full-time jobs in order to go to
>college.  Not only do they have trouble affording the textbooks, I find them
>so busy trying to make both ends meet that I cannot give them Ivy School
>length  reading assignments.  I've looked over the field and personally
>haven't found a single recent book (I'm not counting Idelsohn and feel funny
>asking the students to use a book that is missing the last 60+ years of the
>history) that might address my concerns.  Has anyone suggestions?
>
>I hope to hear from you either off-group or on this talk group.  Outside of
>my obvious needs, I think this subject  might make for an interesting and
>provocative discussion.
>
>Thanks --
>
>David
><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
>David Chevan, Bassologist
>for more info visit my web site located at
> www.chevan.addr.com
>

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