Klezmer
Klezmer (Yiddish: כליזמר or קלעזמער (klezmer), pl.: כליזמרים (klezmorim), כליזמר from Hebrew: כלי זמר — instruments of music) is a musical tradition of the Ashkenazi Jews of Eastern Europe. Played by professional musicians called klezmorim, the genre originally consisted largely of dance tunes and instrumental display pieces for weddings and other celebrations. In the United States the genre evolved considerably as Yiddish-speaking Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe, who arrived between 1880 and 1924,[1] met and assimilated American jazz. Compared to most other European folk music styles, little is known about the history of klezmer music, and much of what is said about it must be seen as conjecture.[2] Starting in 2008, "The Other Europeans" project, funded by several EU cultural institutions,[3] spent a year doing intensive field research in Moldavia under the leadership of Alan Bern and scholar Zev Feldman. Etymology[edit] Style[edit] History[edit] Klezmer musicians in Jerusalem
KLEZMER MUSIC
Klezmer music originated in the 'shtetl' (villages) and the ghettos of Eastern Europe, where itinerant Jewish troubadours, known as 'klezmorim', performed at joyful events ('simkhes'), particularly weddings, since the early middle age till the Nazi and Stalinian prosecutions. It was inspired by secular melodies, popular dances, 'khazones' (khazanut, Jewish liturgy) as well as by the 'nigunim', the simple and often wordless melodies, intended by the 'Hasidim' (orthodox Jews) for approaching God in a kind of ecstatic communion. In (mutual) contact with Slavic, Greek, Ottoman (Turkish), Gypsy and -later- American jazz musicians, using typical scales, tempo and rhythm changes, slight dissonance and a touch of improvisation, the 'klezmorim' acquired the ability to evoke all kinds of emotions, through a very diversified music. back home "Klezmer: it's not just music - it's a way of life!" A klezmer kapelye (~1910) Attention, please: Pronounce 'kleZmer' and not 'kleTzmer'! Feidman Although
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. Abraham Goldfaden (1840 - 1908) founded the first Yiddish theatre in Romania in the 1870’s. It was also around this period that the clarinet became the primary lead instrument in klezmer. The mass immigration of Jews to the U.S. between 1880 and 1920 coincided with the development of commercial recording technology.
Klezmer Conservatory Band
Klezmer Artists
The Klezmatics
Biography
Written by Jeff Tamarkin Since their emergence more than 30 years ago, the Klezmatics have raised the bar for Eastern European Jewish music, made aesthetically, politically and musically interesting recordings, inspired future generations, created a large body of work that is enduring, and helped to change the face of contemporary Yiddish culture. Often called a “Jewish roots band,” the Klezmatics have led a popular revival of this ages-old, nearly forgotten art form. They have performed in more than 20 countries and released 11 albums to date—most recently the album Apikorsim (Heretics), produced by Danny Blume (who helped the band win a Grammy in 2006) and the first of the band’s albums to feature only the 6 members. On their Grammy-winning 2006 album Wonder Wheel, the Klezmatics set a dozen previously unsung Woody Guthrie lyrics to music, widening their stylistic base by largely diverging from klezmer. “Klezmer,” says London, “is the unique sound of East European Jewishness.
