Re: Verdi and the Sefardim

[I. Oppenheim <i.oppenheim...>]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Mon, 11 Aug 2003 09:49:16 +1000
From: "Bernshaw, David" <David(dot)Bernshaw (at) petermac(dot)org>
To: I. Oppenheim <i(dot)oppenheim (at) xs4all(dot)nl>
Subject: RE: [JLM] Verdi and the Sefardim

Dear Irwin, There is a theme Verdi employs for tenor
early on in Don Carlos which , at least in the first
bar, is identical to the northern european melody used
for maoz tzur. While it may be coincidental, the
content of this opera relates to the resistance of the
Flemish to the power of catholic dominated Spanish
empire and in Nabucco, Verdi does relate the battle of
the Italian people against the political oppression, to
the oppression of the jews in Babylon most effectively.
So perhaps one can speculate that Verdi is using a
familiar tune associated with religious and political
resistance in another sphere as a code for early
Italian national resistance of which he was a most
significant supporter. With best wishes, David Bernshaw
(Melbourne)

-----Original Message-----
From: I. Oppenheim [mailto:i(dot)oppenheim (at) xs4all(dot)nl]
Sent: Sunday, 3 August 2003 7:58 AM
To: jewishshulmusic (at) yahoogroups(dot)com; jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org
Subject: [JLM] Verdi and the Sefardim


Below I have attached a picture with a transcription of
the theme of the Agnus Dei from Verdi's Requiem next to
a transcription of a Halleil theme for Pesach, used by
the Portuguese Jews in Amsterdam.

Both themes are strikingly similar. Do you know whether
one of the themes was based on the other, or if both
themes have a source in common?

Do you know whether this tune is only used by the
Sefardim in Amsterdam, or also by Sefardim in other
places?


Please have a look at the transcription:
http://www.joods.nl/~chazzanut/port/verdi.png


 Groeten,
 Irwin Oppenheim
 i(dot)oppenheim (at) xs4all(dot)nl
 ~~~*

 Chazzanut Online:
 http://www.joods.nl/~chazzanut/

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