Klezmer, anyone?

[beaumonde]

I recently acquired a small collection of Jewish music (secular and liturgical) on 78 (to add to my even smaller one). I spent a couple of days this week making listenable transfers of the klezmer (instrumental) discs, which are all acoustic and date from about 1915-23.

Here are a few samples. To share how noisy some of the surfaces are (in particular those green Columbias from the mid-teens), I've included both unfiltered and processed versions of the first tune.

National Hora (Part 1) (unfiltered) (Col E4745; 86287) Abe Schwartz and Daughter (Violin & Piano)

National Hora (Part 1) (filtered)

Beim Schtefaneshter Rebin (Emerson 13111; 41289) Abe Schwartz's Orchestra

Freid sich Yiddalech--Tanz (Be Happy-Dance) (Vic 77488) Naftule Brandwein's Orchestra




For those not familiar with this genre of Jewish secular music, here is the introduction to the Wikipedia entry:

"Klezmer (from Yiddish כּלי־זמיר, kley — instrument and zemer — song; etymologically from Hebrew k'li zemer כְּלִי זֶמֶר, "musical instrument") is a musical tradition which parallels Hasidic and Ashkenazic Judaism. Around the 15th century, a tradition of secular (non-liturgical) Jewish music was developed by musicians called klezmorim or kleyzmurim. They draw on devotional traditions extending back into Biblical times, and their musical legacy of klezmer continues to evolve today. The repertoire is largely dance songs for weddings and other celebrations. Due to the Ashkenazi lineage of this music, the lyrics, terminology and song titles are typically in Yiddish.

"Originally, klezmer (plural klezmorim) referred to musical instruments, and was later extended to refer to musicians themselves. It was not until the mid-to-late 20th Century that the word was used to identify a musical genre. Early 20th Century recordings and writings most often refer to the style as "Yiddish" music, although it is also sometimes called Freilech music. Compared to most other European folk music styles, very little is known about the history of klezmer music, and much of what is said about it must be seen as conjecture." (the entire entry is at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klezmer)

[Roaring20s]

That was great. I love the soulfulness of it.

I have always enjoyed Klezmer. Never found a 78 of it, so I picked up a CD called Dave Tarras, Yiddish-American Klezmer Music, 1925-1956 many years back. That fills the void.

James.

[WDC]

Very odd to my ears but quite interesting too. It certainly has many elements of Greek and Turkish music of that era. Thanks for posting!

[beaumonde]

As a follow-up, I've made contact with a very helpful graduate student in Yiddish Studies at Columbia University, who has translated (and condensed) the spoken introductions to the "National Hora" disc, as follows:

The two intros can be summarized as follows:

1. Waiter, bring me another bottle of wine! And you, brothers, play
something! I am paying a whole dime!

2. I liked the first piece so much that I would love to hear another
one! -- Sure, why not? Here you are!