Helene Engel recording

[Fred Blumenthal <xd2fabl...>]

Helene Engel appreciates critical attention to her CD, but seems too polite
to self-advertise.  She asks, since she performs traditional music, and if
she isn't famous, whether her recording is important.  Then she answers her
own question by saying it's important if it touches the listener.

I would like to draw a comparison between music and another of my great
loves, eating.  There are things I exclude from my habits, but I have my
favorites, and I have some knowledge of food preparation but I'm not a
gourmet.  Simply, there comes a time when I need to stop reading recipes
and (help) make supper.  I use ingredients at hand, and don't obsess over
searching out difficult-to-find ingredients.  One listens to the best one
can and arrives at opinions, but one listens to what's around, and
continues to take pleasure at the progress of a student, even when at an
elementary level.  In music my knowledge is greater, and sometimes it is
important to search something out, but in both cases we begin with what we
learn at our parents' knees.

Mostly from reading the posts, but also from listening to Fleytmusik and
other klezmer recordings, I've come to the conclusion that the level of
musical competence in this ListServ is extremely high.  We should pat
ourselves on the back over this, together with the high-tech industry in
Israel, the number of Jewish Pulitzer and Nobel Prize winners, the oeuvre
of Jerry Lewis, etc.  Just, we shouldn't throw our shoulders out of joint
while patting ourselves on the back.  Ms. Engel's post demonstrates good
taste.

Shabbat Shalom, Gut Shabbes and Chag Sameach,

Fred Blumenthal
xd2fabl (at) us(dot)ibm(dot)com

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