The Klezmer Fiddle... LIGHT IN BABYLON - Hinech Yafa - Istanbul. Barcelona Gipsy Klezmer Orchestra - Djelem Djelem. What Instruments Are Played in Klezmer Music? Klezmer music is a Yiddish folk music that developed during the renaissance in Eastern Europe. The style features mainly acoustic instruments, though modern American takes on the style incorporate drums and vocals into the blueprint, as well. Because of its origins, klezmer is still considered a form of Jewish music, and is frequently heard at Jewish weddings and other functions. Violin The violin sits at the heart of klezmer music. Musicians capitalize on the stringed instrument's highly expressive qualities. As klezmer originally intended to mimic human sounds such as laughter or sobbing, the violin's versatility proved to be the cornerstone of the style; Balkan influences may permeate klezmer songs, but traditional klezmer fiddle players rely heavily on traditions that originated in Jewish communities separate from the gypsy overtones associated with Balkan folk music.
Hammered Dulcimer Accordion Clarinet Drums Drums are a modern and recent addition to the klezmer band. Brass. A Brief History of Klezmer Music. By Carl Dimow The term klezmer originally came from two Hebrew words referring to musical instruments. Over time it came to signify the musicians themselves, and in current usage it also refers to the musical genre - secular Jewish music - which dates back at least as far as the 16th century. The early klezmorim (plural) played primarily for Jewish weddings though they were also hired for other Jewish and non-Jewish events. Jews lived under a variety of ever changing legal restrictions in Europe which effected when and where the klezmorim could work. As the Jewish people moved throughout Central and Eastern Europe, the music was influenced by local cultures.
There are strong Middle Eastern roots which can also be heard in Jewish litugical music. Other major influences came from Romania, Russia, the Ukraine, and Bessarabia. Abraham Goldfaden (1840 - 1908) founded the first Yiddish theatre in Romania in the 1870’s. This material drawn from: Phillips, Stacy.