Re: 3-voice klezmer

[Marlene Segelstein <cookfidl...>]

And then there is the more modern, even futuristic, albe-it a long time ago,
in a galaxy far, far away universal (or out of such) use of the viola, dare
I say brash use of bratsche...

In Star Wars: Obi Wan Kenobi soli violi oblogati
In Mexico: Ole frijole soli violi
Or strolling in a bad restaraunt: ochio chiorni violi

Obligated to point it out...

Cookie(closet violist)

----- Original Message -----
From: "Joshua Horowitz" <horowitz (at) budowitz(dot)com>
To: "World music from a Jewish slant" <jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org>
Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2002 3:19 PM
Subject: 3-voice klezmer


>
> Dena wrote:
>
> > What is
> >>the idea that the 3-voice structure of klezmer music> ?
>
> > Dena (someone who should know shoyn!)
>
> Dear Dana,
>
> In short, the heterophonic structure of klezmer music is based upon
>
> 1) melody (violin)
> 2) rhythm (secunda fiddle, tsimbl, later accordion)
> 3) Tenor or low line (figuration, drone or rhythmically based bass
function
> played by celli, small basses, later trombones or tenor wind instruments)
>
> In spite of modern arrangements of bands in the 78 recording era which
make
> occasional use of 4-parts, many of the older ensemble musics of eastern
> Europe developed functionally out of the three functions of melody, rhythm
> and figuration, and did not participate in the same developments which
> crystallized in the music of high culture.
>
> The basic progression of classical western polyphonic history in a
nutshell
> is:
>
> 1) Single voice chant
> 2) 2-voiced organum (perfect 5ths and 4ths)
> 3) 2- voiced organum with octave (perfect 5ths and 4ths and octaves)
> 4) 3-voiced cantus firmi (given melody, around which 2 other parts are
> constructed
> 5) multi-voiced counterpoint (independant melodies working against each
> other using strict rules of the treatment of dissonances)
> 6) Homophony (melody + harmony based music, resulting from the
> simplification of the above history)
>
> The developments of multi-voiced music go hand in hand with the movement
of
> music from the Church to Court to Concert hall, a progression which is
> missing in the folk music, in spite of which you can still observe mutual
> interaction.
>
> Since folk musicians up until the 19th century were not accepted into the
> bona fide guilds and did not service the church as composers, they were
not
> educated in the particulars of composition. Their music developed
> functionally and made use of a 3-voice structure which developed its own
> rules and styles, independently of the strict rules governing the
treatment
> of contrapuntal dissonance which formed the basis of 4-voice music.
>
> You can see overlap in Mozart's orchestral use of viola obligati and folk
> contra playing, but one would find it difficult to prove a causal
connection
> to Mozart and folk playing styles, the first problem encountered being
that
> ensemble folk music was not written down and Mozart's music was.
>
> The 3-voiced Jewish choral music which Daniel Katz wrote about also did
not
> make use of the telling Alto line, and seemed to be built upon a different
> basis of multi-voiced construction than that found in corresponding
> structures of Church music, namely the "Melody-Obligati-Drone" structure.
> Since this construction paralleled that which is found in older Klezmer
> music and myriad other east European folk music, my little red light went
on
> and has stayed on till this day.
>
> When old Klezmer music makes use of a 4-part structure, the surrogate Alto
> line is a heterophonic second melodic line rather than an independent line
> in and of itself.
>
> This may all be bull malarky, but food for thought. Josh
>
> Budowitz
> www.budowitz.com
>
>
>
>


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