Re: 3-voice klezmer

[SamWeiss <SamWeiss...>]

Daniel Katz's article appeared in the Journal of Synagogue Music Vol. XXIV 
#2 (December 1995) pages 35-80:  "A Prolegomenon To The Study Of The 
Performance Practice Of Synagogue Music Involving M'Shor'rim."

Without arguing for or against the relationship between the styles of 
Hazzan+2 choristers ("Meshorerim") and 3-voice klezmer, I just want to 
point out that in the former style the three voices are typically not heard 
simultaneously, the predominant texture being an alternation between solo 
(Hazzan) and duet (bass and descant).  This will either involve an echoing 
of the text (and/or melodic fragment) of the Hazzan, or a metrical melodic 
section serving as a contrast to the preceding recitative section.  Of 
course, when the three voices do sound together, the melody will usually 
not be in the highest voice (as in the klezmer style) but in the middle voice.

I wonder, BTW, if parallels can be found among these two styles and any 
aspects of liturgical singing of the Eastern Orthodox church.


At 03:19 PM 6/26/02, Joshua Horowitz wrote:

>Dena wrote:
>
> > What is
> >>the idea that the 3-voice structure of klezmer music> ?
>
>========================================
>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

_____________________________________________________________
Cantor Sam Weiss === Jewish Community Center of Paramus, NJ