Re: Bukhara Jews

[Carol Freeman <tsipra...>]

Pete Rushefsky wrote:

> Jews were central to the music culture Central Asia--

Pete is so right on when he says this. Yes, a lot of music performed by
Bukharan Jews is Uzbek and Tadzhik, but as in other Jewish communities
around the world, and especially so in the Bukharan community, it's true
that Jews played a significant role in the presentation and development
of the host country's music.

> I'm not sure to what degree Jews had a different repertoire (outside
> of liturgical settings) of music and dance from "mainstream"
> Uzbek/Tadjik music--

There is a repertoire that is uniquely Jewish that is sung in the
Bokhari Jewish language. Some of this repertoire is celebratory (wedding
songs, etc.)

> Ashkenazim <ashkenaz (at) mi(dot)ru> wrote:
>
>       and the music they use sounds not Jewish at all.
>
If you attend you attend festivals of Jewish music from different
communities around the world, you will find that a lot of secular Jewish
music is virtually identical (musically and stylistically, not
linguistically) to the music of the host country. There are exceptions,
but certainly it's hard to say that any one music sounds or doesn't
sound Jewish.

The Bukharan Jewish community carries an extraordinary musical legacy,
in which singing is paramount . Just in New York alone I've heard close
to twenty sublime virtuoso singers, both male and female, and those are
just the ones I've happened to run across.

By the way, Paulina, Pete's advice to read Ted Levin is an excellent way
to learn more about this musical culture.

Carol

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