TRADITION REVISITED: A BLEND OF OLD-WORLD...
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Tradition Revisited: A Blend of Old-WorldEntertainment and the Formal Setting of Classical
Music in Paul Schoenfield's Concerto, KlezmerRondos for Flute, Male Vocalist, and Orchestra
Item Type Electronic Dissertation; text
Authors Kaplan, Rachel Lynn
Publisher The University of Arizona.
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Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/144609
TRADITION REVISITED: A BLEND OF OLD-WORLD ENTERTAINMENT
AND THE FORMAL SETTING OF CLASSICAL MUSIC
IN PAUL SCHOENFIELD’S CONCERTO,
KLEZMER RONDOS FOR FLUTE, MALE VOCALIST, AND ORCHESTRA
by
Rachel Kaplan
_______________________ Copyright © Rachel Kaplan 2011
A Document Submitted to the Faculty of the
SCHOOL OF MUSIC
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of
DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS
In the Graduate College
THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
2011
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THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA GRADUATE COLLEGE
As members of the Document Committee, we certify that we have read the document prepared by Rachel Kaplan entitled Tradition Revisited: A Blend of Old-World Entertainment and the Formal Setting of Classical Music in Paul Schoenfield’s Concerto, Klezmer Rondos For Flute, Male Vocalist, and Orchestra and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the document requirement for the Degree of Doctor of Musical Arts. ___________________________________________________ Date: 04/11/2011 Brian A. Luce ___________________________________________________ Date: 04/11/2011 Jerry Kirkbride ___________________________________________________ Date: 04/11/2011 Neil Tatman Final approval and acceptance of this document is contingent upon the candidate’s submission of the final copies of the document to the Graduate College. I hereby certify that I have read this document prepared under my direction and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the document requirement. ___________________________________________________ Date: 04/11/2011 Document Director: Brian A. Luce
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STATEMENT BY AUTHOR
This document has been submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for an advanced degree at The University of Arizona and is deposited in the University Library to be made available to borrowers under rules of the Library.
Brief quotations from this document are allowable without special permission, provided that accurate acknowledgement of source is made. Requests for permission for extended quotation from or reproduction of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the copyright holder. SIGNED: ____Rachel Kaplan______________________
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to express my gratitude to Paul Schoenfield for providing me with the score
to Klezmer Rondos, as well as his personal insight to the compositional process. Also, I
deeply appreciate Carol Wincenc’s enthusiastic support and encouragement in the
completion of this project.
I would like to thank the members of my advisory committee:
Professor Brian Luce for his tireless efforts at guiding me through the long
process of completing my degree.
Professors Jerry Kirkbride and Neil Tatman for their endless moral support and
assistance.
My thanks to Terry and Jeff Tauzin for allowing me to borrow their internet for endless
hours at a time, as well as keeping me motivated and energized with food.
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DEDICATION
To my mom, Karen, for loving me unconditionally.
To Marisa Martinez, Lucik Aprahamian, Terry Tauzin, Ana Laura Gonzalez and Connie
Nokes-Roberts for reminding me who I am and what I can accomplish, no matter what
obstacles occur along the way.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
LIST OF MUSICAL EXAMPLES................................................................................8
LIST OF FIGURES .......................................................................................................9
LIST OF TABLES.......................................................................................................10
ABSTRACT.................................................................................................................11
CHAPTER ONE: PAUL SCHOENFIELD .................................................................12 Early Life and Collegiate Studies ....................................................................12 Work as a Composer........................................................................................13 Compositional Style.........................................................................................14
CHAPTER TWO: HISTORY OF KLEZMER MUSIC ..............................................17 Destruction of the Jerusalem Temple ..............................................................17 Music During the Second Temple Period........................................................18 Destruction of the Second Temple...................................................................19 Middle Ages.....................................................................................................22 Jewish Music in Renaissance Italy ..................................................................24 Development of Yiddish Theatre.....................................................................27 Jewish Music in 20th Century America............................................................30
CHAPTER THREE: KLEZMER MUSIC STYLE .....................................................32
Modes...............................................................................................................32 Forms ...............................................................................................................35
CHAPTER FOUR: KLEZMER RONDOS BY PAUL SCHOENFIELD.....................40
Place in Schoenfield’s Repertoire....................................................................40 The Commission ..............................................................................................42
Klezmer Influences ..........................................................................................43 Orchestration........................................................................................43 Analysis................................................................................................45 Ornamentation......................................................................................67
CHAPTER FIVE: CONCLUSION: SIGNIFICANCE WITHIN A CULTURAL REPERTOIRE .................................................................................................70
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TABLE OF CONTENTS – Continued
APPENDIX A: POEM TEXT AND TRANSLATION...............................................73
APPENDIX B: INSTRUMENTATION......................................................................75
APPENDIX C: PERFORMANCES OF KLEZMER RONDOS ..................................76 APPENDIX D: COMPLETE LIST OF WORKS........................................................78
APPENDIX E: PERMISSION FOR USE OF MUSICAL EXAMPLES....................81
APPENDIX F: PERMISSION FOR PUBLICATION OF TRANSCRIPTION OF PHONE INTERVIEW WITH CAROL WINCENC .......................................82 APPENDIX G: TRANSCRIPTION OF PHONE INTERVIEW WITH CAROL WINCENC.............................................................................83 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................87
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LIST OF MUSICAL EXAMPLES
Musical Example 3.1 Klezmer Rondos, measures 1-9................................................46 Musical Example 3.2 Klezmer Rondos, measures 9-11..............................................47 Musical Example 3.3 Klezmer Rondos, measures 21-24............................................47 Musical Example 3.4 Klezmer Rondos, measures 21-37............................................48 Musical Example 3.5 Klezmer Rondos, measures 83-93............................................49 Musical Example 3.6 Klezmer Rondos, measures 111-115........................................49 Musical Example 3.7 Klezmer Rondos, measures 116-121........................................50 Musical Example 3.8 Klezmer Rondos, measures 179-197........................................51 Musical Example 3.9 Klezmer Rondos, measures 272-276........................................52 Musical Example 3.10 Klezmer Rondos, measures 292-301......................................52 Musical Example 3.11 Klezmer Rondos, measures 308-338......................................53 Musical Example 3.12 Klezmer Rondos, measures 308-340......................................54 Musical Example 3.13 Klezmer Rondos, measures 361-363......................................55 Musical Example 3.14 Klezmer Rondos, measures 365-372......................................56 Musical Example 3.15 Klezmer Rondos, measures 381-385......................................57 Musical Example 3.16 Klezmer Rondos, measures 417-423......................................58 Musical Example 3.17 Klezmer Rondos, measures 450-462......................................58 Musical Example 3.18 Klezmer Rondos, measures 507-508......................................59 Musical Example 3.19 Klezmer Rondos, measures 510-514......................................59 Musical Example 3.20 Klezmer Rondos, measures 518-520......................................60 Musical Example 3.21 Klezmer Rondos, measures 521-529......................................61 Musical Example 3.22 Klezmer Rondos, measure 510...............................................61 Musical Example 3.23 Klezmer Rondos, measures 553-560......................................62 Musical Example 3.24 Klezmer Rondos, measures 614-632......................................63 Musical Example 3.25 Klezmer Rondos, measures 689-695......................................64 Musical Example 3.26 Klezmer Rondos, measures 752-759......................................65 Musical Example 3.27 Klezmer Rondos, measures 771-775......................................65 Musical Example 3.28 Klezmer Rondos, measures 798-805......................................66 Musical Example 3.29 Klezmer Rondos, measures 654-662......................................66 Musical Example 3.30 Klezmer Rondos, measures 59-62..........................................67 Musical Example 3.31 Klezmer Rondos, measures 164-168......................................68 Musical Example 3.32 Klezmer Rondos, measures 200-205......................................68 Musical Example 3.33 Klezmer Rondos, measures 515-516......................................69 Musical Example 3.34 Klezmer Rondos, measures 554-555......................................69
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LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 2.1 Scale in the Ahava-Raba mode..................................................................33 Figure 2.2 Arabic maqam ‘Hijaz Kar’ ........................................................................33 Figure 2.3 Scale in the Magen-Avos mode .................................................................34 Figure 2.4 Scale in the Mishbeyrakh or Ov-Horakhamim mode ................................34 Figure 2.5 Scale in the Adonoy Molokh mode ............................................................35 Figure 3.1 Lubavitcher nigun rikud ............................................................................64
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LIST OF TABLES
Table 3.1 Complete works for flute ............................................................................40 Table 3.2 Works with Jewish influence......................................................................42
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ABSTRACT
This study demonstrates Paul Schoenfield’s reintroduction of the flute as the lead
instrument in klezmer music, diverging from the recent exclusive use of the clarinet. The
present study of Schoenfield’s blending of klezmer and classical idioms focuses upon his
chamber concerto, Klezmer Rondos for Flute, Male Vocalist and Orchestra.
This document presents a brief biography of the composer exemplifying
Schoenfield’s compositional process and the influences on his music. In order to provide
the reader with an informed understanding of klezmer style, the history and development
of klezmer music is chronicled and the various stylistic elements idiomatic of this
traditional music are described. Ultimately, a discussion on the genesis of Klezmer
Rondos from the commissioning process through later revisions, as well as a complete
analysis of the work, illustrates the composer’s use of klezmer modes, ornamentation, and
orchestration blended into the classical concerto genre.
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CHAPTER ONE:
PAUL SCHOENFIELD
Early Life and Collegiate Studies
A native of Detroit, Michigan, Paul Schoenfield was born January 24, 1947. He
began playing piano at age six and wrote his first composition the following year. His
piano teachers included Julius Chajes, Ozan Marsh, and Rudolf Serkin. After earning a
bachelor’s degree in music at Converse College in Spartanburg, South Carolina,
Schoenfield received a Master of Fine Arts degree from Carnegie-Mellon University,
where he was an assistant to the Russian composer and pianist, Nikolai Lopatnikoff. In
addition to his music studies at Carnegie-Mellon, Schoenfield also received a degree in
mathematics. He then continued his education at the University of Arizona, studying
composition with Robert Muczynski and completing a Doctorate of Music Arts at age
twenty-two.
In addition to Paul Schoenfield’s career as a composer, he is a highly esteemed
pianist. His solo and collaborative tours have included the United States, Europe, and
South America at festivals including Music from Marlboro. He performed Mussorgsky’s
Pictures at an Exhibition in 1966 with the New York Philharmonic, conducted by
Leonard Bernstein, for the nationally televised Young People’s Concerts: Young
Performers series. He won numerous competitions including the Leonard Bernstein
Competition, the National Young Artist’s Award and the Southwest Pianists’ Foundation
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Award. His recordings as a pianist include the complete works for violin and piano by
Bartok, with Sergiu Luca on the Nonesuch Records in 1981.
Work as a Composer
As a composer, Schoenfield has received numerous commissions and grants from
entities including the National Endowment for the Arts, the Rockefeller Fund, Chamber
Music America, the American Composers Forum, the Bush Foundation, Meet the
Composer, the Ohio Arts Commission, the Minnesota Commissioning Club, the
Philadelphia Music Project and Soli Deo Gloria of Chicago.1 Of particular note, The
Juilliard School commissioned his Channa (a symphony with chorus) as part of the 2006
Focus! Festival for its centennial celebration.
Following his formal education, Schoenfield has held teaching positions at the
University of Minnesota as a lecturer in orchestration and theory, the University of
Toledo as professor of composition and theory, the University of Akron as professor of
piano, and the University of Michigan as professor of composition. Beyond his academic
employment, he continuously worked as a freelance composer and pianist in the greater
Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area. Committed to promoting the development of
Israel, he has lived on a kibbutz in Migdal HaEmeq, Israel, and taught mathematics to
high school students.
1 Milken Archive, “Paul Schoenfield.” http://www.milikenarchive.org/artists.artists.taf?artistid=43
(accessed April 6, 2009).
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His compositions have been recorded and released by the Angel, Decca/London
Argo, Vanguard, Innova, EMI, Koch, BMG, and New World record labels. Prestigious
orchestral ensembles including the New York Philharmonic, Seattle Symphony,
Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano, Haifa Symphony Orchestra, Netherlands Radio
Philharmonic, Minnesota Orchestra, National Symphony, Cleveland Symphony, and
Savannah Symphony Orchestra, as well as numerous chamber ensembles such as the
Orion Ensemble, Trio Solisti, and the Eroica Trio have performed his works.
Compositional Style
Paul Schoenfield’s compositional style demonstrates particularly strong ties to his
Jewish heritage. He frequently employs elements in his music that are rooted in
traditional Jewish music. His broad musical experience as a chamber musician also
inspires his work, including influences from folk traditions, jazz, vaudeville, and popular
styles as well as the traditional canon of Western art music. Schoenfield revels in
eclectically combining disparate ideas from different environments and cultures to create
a unique musical pastiche. These fusions result in rhythmic, melodic, and exuberant
works that, despite the complexity of the incongruous elements, challenge performers and
entertain listeners equally.
Self-effacingly, Schoenfield does not contend that his works hold particular
significance within traditional Western art music:
I don’t consider myself an art-music [serious music] composer at all. The reason my works sometimes find their way into concert halls is [that] at this
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juncture, there aren’t many folk music performers with enough technique, time or desire to perform my music. They usually write their own anyway.
2
He also posited his perspective on the state of Western art music within the general
public sphere and the inspiration of his music:
I realized from a very young age that Western classical [music] was finished, although I continue to do it…I don’t deserve credit for writing music – only God deserves the credit, and I would say this even if I weren’t religious.
3
When asked more specifically about the folk inspirations for many of his works,
Schoenfield stated that he frequently writes music based on traditions he has very little
knowledge about before starting the piece:
I generally am asked to write in a certain style when I am commissioned. In order to compose my gospel oratorios, I listened to CDs of well-known gospel choirs and to sermons of several preachers. Before writing Klezmer Rondos, I knew very little about klezmer music itself. I happened to have recently heard some klezmer groups perform and found myself very inspired by the “freshness” of the music….something I wasn’t hearing a lot of in contemporary music at the time.
4
While living in Cleveland, Schoenfield became an active and much loved participant in
the city’s musical population. In 1994, he was awarded the Cleveland Arts Prize and
distinguished music commentator Klaus George Roy paid tribute to him:
Paul Schoenfield writes the kind of inclusive and welcoming music that gives eclecticism a good name. In the tradition of Bach, who never left German soil but wrote French suites, English suites and Italian concertos, and in the tradition of Bartok, who absorbed and transformed not only Hungarian music, but that of Romania, Bulgaria and North Africa, Paul draws on many ethnic sources in music, assimilating them into his own distinctive language. As Donald Rosenberg wrote in the [Cleveland] Plain Dealer, reviewing Paul’s recent and nationally cheered compact disc recording of three concertos, ‘the composer’s
2 Milken Archive, “Paul Schoenfield.” http://www.milikenarchive.org/artists.artists.taf?artistid=43
(accessed April 6, 2009). 3 Ibid.
4 Paul Schoenfield, telephone conversation with the author, March 10, 2011.
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grasp of music history joins hands with popular and folk traditions of America and beyond. This is cross-over art achieved with seamless craftsmanship.’ If Paul considers himself essentially a folk musician, it is surely a highly sophisticated one. His rich and multi-branched musical tree grows from strong and well-nourished roots. What he communicates to us is marked by exuberant humor and spontaneous freshness, however arduous the process of composition may actually have been. His work rises from and returns to those fundamental wellsprings of song and dance, of lyricism and physical motion, and often of worshipful joy, that have always been the hallmarks of genuine musical creativity.
5
5 Milken Archive, “Paul Schoenfield.” http://www.milikenarchive.org/artists.artists.taf?artistid=43
(accessed April 6, 2009).
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CHAPTER TWO:
HISTORY OF KLEZMER MUSIC Destruction of the Jerusalem Temple
In the late 7th century B.C.E.,6 the kingdom of Judah, located in the southern
region of modern-day Israel, belonged to the prevailing Assyrian empire. Babylon, a
province with its own powerful history, overthrew Assyria during the last decades of the
century. Following this, Babylon entered into a lengthy conflict with Egypt over control
of the Assyrian territory. Although Judah was assimilated into the Babylonian half of the
region, the court at Jerusalem was divided into two parties: one pro-Egyptian and the
other pro-Babylonian. These two parties continued their struggle for power until 587
B.C.E. when Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon defeated the Egyptians and took Jerusalem.
During this battle, Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the city wall and the Temple; afterward,
Judah became a Babylonian province, Yehud Medinata. Many Jews fled to surrounding
kingdoms, including Egypt. In 538 B.C.E., Cyrus of Persia (c. 600 B.C.E. or 576 B.C.E.
– 530 B.C.E.) captured Babylon, and his Edict of Restoration returned control of
Jerusalem to the Jews, allowing them to rebuild the Jerusalem Temple.
6 Although the Jewish culture traditionally uses the Hebrew calendar, the Gregorian calendar is also often
used. In such cases, the notation of B.C.E. (“Before the Common Era”) and C.E. (“Common Era”) are applied to specific dates.
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Music During the Second Temple Period
As the exiled Jews returned to Jerusalem, construction on the new temple began
with celebratory music and song. The temple was completed between 520 and 515
B.C.E., during the sixth year of the reign of the Persian King Darius (550 B.C.E. – 486
B.C.E.).7 The dedication took place the following year. In the middle of the 5th century
B.C.E., Nehemiah was appointed governor of Jerusalem. During his tenure, he
succeeded in rebuilding the city wall, which was dedicated in a great ceremony filled
with pomp and music. As services in the Temple were reinstated, rabbinic literature
mentions several references to music and singing:
They did not sound less than twenty-one blasts in the Temple and not more than forty-eight in a day. They played on not less than two lyres or more than six, and on not less than two flutes or more than twelve. And on twelve days in the year the flute played before the Altar: at the slaughtering of the First Passover, and the slaughtering of the Second Passover offerings, on the first Festival day of Passover, and on the Festival day of Pentecost, and on the eight days of the Feast of Tabernacles. And they did not play on a brass flute but on a reed flute, because its tone was more pleasant, and the music was concluded with one flute only since this on its own produced a nicer conclusion.
8
The Talmudic tractate of Sukkah also mentions music in the Temple:
Men of piety and good deeds would dance before them with lighted torches in their hands, and sing songs and praises. Levites without number with harps, lyres, cymbals, and trumpets and other musical instruments were there upon the fifteen steps leading down from the Israelite Court to the Women’s Court, corresponding to the fifteen songs of Ascents. It was upon these steps that the Levites stood with their instruments of music and sang their songs.
9
7 Book of Ezra, Chapter 5.
8 Tractate of Arachin, Mishnah 3. The Tractate of Arachin is one of the volumes of the Talmud. It deals
primarily with the evaluation of persons and things dedicated to the Temple or to God. 9 Tractate of Sukkah.
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Instruments used during the Second Temple Period included the kinnor, often
referred to as the Harp of David, similar to a lyre; nevel, also a stringed instrument with
characteristics of a lyre, harp, or psaltery; tziltzil, a small cymbal, five to eight inches in
diameter;10
chatzotzra, a long, straight trumpet usually made of silver or gold; chalil, a
double-reed pipe;11
and the shofar, a horn, traditionally that of a ram, used for Jewish
religious purposes.
Destruction of the Second Temple
In 66 C.E., Judah rose against the Roman rule that had controlled the region since
the first century B.C.E. Led by the future emperor Titus (39 – 81 C.E.) and his second-
in-command Tiberius Julius Alexander, the Roman army surrounded Jerusalem. Titus
imperiled the city’s food and water supplies by allowing pilgrims into the city to
celebrate Passover and then refusing their departure. The outer walls of the city were
breached, followed by the taking of the Fortress of Antonia, which protected the Temple.
It is unclear whether Titus intended to actually destroy the Temple and it is thought that
perhaps he wanted to preserve it in order to convert it to a temple to honor the Roman
Emperor. According to Flavius Josephus (37 - c. 100 C.E.), a Romano-Jewish historian
from the first century C.E., Titus took a moderate approach and ordered that the Temple
10
The name may indicate how the tziltzil sounded. The text appears to indicate that they were played only by men and may have been restricted to clergy. Thus, they were considered a sacred instrument, with the loud sound emphasizing the intensity of praise to God. 11
Nathan Ausubel, ed., "Musical Instruments in the Bible," The Book of Jewish Knowledge (New York: Crown Publications, 1964), 311-319.
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be spared.12
He viewed the dead bodies in piles around the Temple as disrespectful to the
holy ground and did not wish to further defile the religious sanctuary of the Jews.
However, Roman soldiers, growing angry at the Jewish attacks and tactics, went against
Titus’ orders and set fire to a building next to the Temple, which soon spread and
destroyed the Temple itself.
…The rebels shortly after attacked the Romans again, and a clash followed between the guards of the sanctuary and the troops who were putting out the fire inside the inner court; the latter routed the Jews and followed in hot pursuit right up to the Temple itself. Then one of the soldiers, without awaiting any orders and with no dread of so momentous a deed, but urged on by some supernatural force, snatched a blazing piece of wood and, climbing on another soldier’s back, hurled the flaming brand through a low golden window that gave access, on the north side, to the rooms that surrounded the sanctuary. As the flames shot up, the Jews let out a shout of dismay that matched the tragedy; they flocked to the rescue, with no thought of sparing their lives or husbanding their strength; for the sacred structure that they had constantly guarded with such devotion was vanishing before their very eyes…As the flames had not yet penetrated to the inner sanctum, but were consuming the chambers that surrounded the sanctuary, Titus assumed correctly that there was still time to save the structure; he ran out and by personal appeals he endeavored to persuade his men to put out the fire, instructing Liberalius, a centurion of his bodyguard of lancers, to club any of the men who disobeyed his orders. But their respect for Caesar and their fear of the centurion’s staff who was trying to check them were overpowered by their rage, their detestation of the Jews, and an utterly uncontrolled lust for battle.
13
The destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple had a profound impact on the
Jewish people and brought about a dramatic change in Judaism itself. The Temple rituals
represented the concept of Judaism to its people. With its destruction, a sense of shock,
12
Flavius Josephus, The Wars of the Jews or The History of the Destruction of Jerusalem, c. 75 C.E. Translated by William Whiston. 13
Ibid.
21
bitterness, and pessimism pervaded the Jewish world. Honoring the memory of the
Temple became a key to survival.
Along with the general sense of resentment and cynicism, a feeling of negativity
toward music in regards to its involvement in Jewish culture became rampant among the
rabbinical members of society. Although vocal music remained part of the synagogue
service, all instrumental music was forbidden. Outside of the synagogue, attempts were
made to prohibit or at least restrict non-religious music, with the only exception being
weddings. The thought behind these limitations was that music should only be performed
in a religious setting; music for pure entertainment was considered inappropriate for a
suffering people in exile.
Through the next several centuries, these views on music held strong and were
reinforced by various scholars. Rabbi Hai Gaon (939 – 1038),14
a tenth-century scholar,
felt that the memory of the destruction of the Temple had to be kept alive. Therefore,
musical instruments at banquets and even weddings should be banned. The combination
of wine and song could lead to lewdness, insulting the memory of the Temple. This view
even found its way into Jewish law codes. Moses Maimonides (1135 – 1204), a medieval
Talmudist and philosopher, as well as physician and astronomer, had even stronger views
regarding music. His beliefs included the idea that music had no intellectual value and
was, in general, a waste of time. He even felt that religious hymns had no place in the
liturgy of the Sabbath and other holidays. On the other hand, he could not discount the
14
The last of the Talmudic scholars (known as Geonim) who headed the Yeshiva of Pumbeditha (a small town near present-day Baghdad), Gaon wrote numerous Halakhic opinions (interpretations of the Talmud, referred to as Teshuvot or Responsa) as well as works dealing with various aspects of business and dietary laws, treatises on Hebrew and Arabic grammar, and composed religious poetry.
22
ability of music to relax the mind and felt it had therapeutic value when used to distract
people from gloomy thoughts.
It was not until the birth of Reform Judaism during the 19th century that
instrumental music returned to synagogue worship. Instruments such as the organ, guitar,
flute, or harp continue to accompany the services in these synagogues today. Within the
more orthodox communities, the belief remains that the use of musical instrumentation in
the synagogue service will only be accepted when the Temple is restored.15
Middle Ages
Besides having an impact on Jewish worship practices, the destruction of Judea
also resulted in the dispersal of the Jewish people throughout the world. Some were sold
as slaves or transported as captives. Others joined the existing diaspora, integrating
themselves into the Roman Empire. However, with the rise of Christianity, restrictions
on the Jewish people’s participation in society forced additional changes to their lifestyle,
including the development of Jewish ghettos. In order to find work and escape the
difficult and depressing ghetto life, many musicians adopted a peripatetic lifestyle,
traveling from town to town and entertaining across Europe. These early Jewish
minstrels, called shpilmen, disseminated popular gentile melodies and dance tunes that
local cantors frequently incorporated into Sabbath services. A fear developed that the
15 Ronald H. Isaacs, Jewish Music: Its History, People, and Song (Northvale, NJ: Jason Aronson, Inc., 1997).
23
music of the gentiles was contaminating both the synagogue service and the ethics and
morals of Jewish life. Thus, wandering musicians were often banned from communities,
causing a constant struggle for legitimacy and acceptance.
As the shpilman began to incorporate other light forms of entertainment into his
act, he was often dubbed a lets (Hebrew: clown, jester, buffoon). In addition to playing
music, he would include magic tricks, tumbling, comical dancing, jokes and riddles, short
dramatic soliloquies, and humorous and satirical songs. The joy and merriment the letsim
provided made them extremely popular at Jewish weddings. Despite the disapproval of
religious leaders, these celebratory occasions rarely occurred without the letsim. Over
time, this profession evolved into that of marshalik (Yiddish: marshal), a master of
ceremonies, and badkhn (Yiddish: wedding bard). During the wedding ceremony, the
marshalik was responsible for ensuring the flow of both the traditional events and the
performances of the entertainers. The badkhn served the role of jester, singing, and
making up rhymes and parodies about the bride and groom. He also played an integral
part in preparing the bride for her wedding vows during the pre-wedding ceremonies.16
Gradually, these various occupations melded into that of a klezmer. The word
klezmer comes from the Yiddish kley, meaning instrument, and zemer, meaning song, and
thus originally referred to musical instruments. Etymologically, it comes from the
Hebrew k’li zemer, meaning vessels of song, explaining how the term came to signify the
musicians (klezmorim) themselves.17
16
Henry Sapoznik, The Compleat Klezmer (New York: Tara Publications, 1988), 23. 17
Yale Strom, The Book of Klezmer: The History, The Music, The Folklore (Chicago, IL: A Cappella Books, 2002), 1.
24
As the musical personality of the klezmorim developed, the Jewish communities
continued to be affected by political upheavals throughout Europe. Of particular note,
the massacres by Hetman Bogdan Chmielnicki (1595 – 1657) in 1648-49 during the
Cossack revolt against the Polish nobility are considered the worst tragedy to happen to
the Jews prior to the Holocaust. As the Jewish musicians fled south to territories within
the Ottoman Empire, including Greece and Turkey, they teamed up with Rom (Gypsy)
musicians, traveling along the Balkan peninsula and Black Sea regions, eventually ending
up as far as Odessa and Istanbul. The music they performed took on Turkish modalities,
tuning and playing styles, resulting in an entirely new klezmer style and repertoire.
Jewish Music in Renaissance Italy
The Italian aristocracy had a more liberal treatment of the Jewish people than
other European countries during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. This facilitated
development in the arts, in particular, music. In addition, the rabbinical laws regarding
music were not as strict. With a large exile population, including people from the Middle
East, the Iberian Peninsula, and Central Europe, the large Jewish community in Italy
quickly became the most cosmopolitan in all of Europe.
At the end of the 16th century, a well known cantorial school in Italy, the Casale
Monferrato, was founded. Its leader, Salamone Rossi (ca. 1565 – ca. 1628), was a
conductor, violinist, composer, and teacher. During this time, the Gonzaga family ruled
in Mantua, so Rossi was under the patronage of Duke Vincenzo I. Because of his talents
25
and musical prowess, Rossi was given the rare exemption from having to wear the
degrading yellow badge denoting his Jewish faith in 1606.18
His most significant
contributions to Jewish music were in his own compositions. His collection of Jewish
liturgical music, Ha-shirim asher li-Shlomo (The Songs of Solomon), published in 1623,
reflected the existing styles of the early Baroque and had little connection to traditional
Jewish cantorial music.19
This significant seminal work began the assimilation of sacred
Jewish music into the European canon.
Jewish instrumental music flourished through this Italian Renaissance period.
Considered the best teachers of their instruments, Jewish musicians were hired to teach
the children of aristocratic families. The court of Mantua represented the height of
luxury and artistic splendor. In the service of the House of Gonzaga, numerous Jewish
musicians contributed to the magnificence of the court including Abramo dell’Arpa (harp
player), Isacchino Massarano (singer, dancer, lutenist and composer), Madama Europa
(soprano, sister of Salamone Rossi), Allegro Porto (composer of madrigals) and
Benedetto Sessigli (lutenist). Even the duchess Isabella d’Este Gonzaga had a Jewish
18
Most frequently known for its use by the Nazis to identify Jewish people during World War II, the yellow badge (also referred to as “yellow patch” or “Jewish badge”) was first introduced in the ninth century in Muslim countries. Islam and Judaism both forbid permanent skin markings, so rather than enforce the tattooing and branding of captives and slaves common in ancient times, non-Muslims were forced to wear special emblems on their clothes. Bells, headgear, armbands, and medallions were also used to denote non-Muslims. In Christian countries in Europe, the Fourth Council of the Lateran of 1215 ruled that Jews and Muslims be distinguishable by their dress, resulting in the use of the yellow badge. Prior to this, many illustrations portray a cone-shaped hat (“Judenhut” or Jewish hat). This remained a key distinguishing mark of Jewish dress into the Middle Ages but the badge outlasted it, surviving into the eighteenth century in places. 19
Eduard Birnbaum, Jewish Musicians at the Court of the Mantuan Dukes, 1542-1628 (Tel-Aviv: Tel-Aviv University, Faculty of Fine Arts, School of Jewish Studies, 1978).
26
dance instructor, Gugliemo Ebreo Pesaro, author of one of the most important
choreography treatises of the 15th century.20
When Mantua fell to Kaiser Ferdinand II of Austria in 1630, many Jews sought
refuge in Venice. Leone Modena (1571 – 1648),21
an Italian rabbi (khazn) and choral
conductor, was notable for his criticism of the mystical approach to Judaism, specifically
the Kabbalah.22
He was also responsible for helping to establish the first music academy
in the Venice ghetto in 1629. The academy presented weekly concerts, which attracted
an audience consisting of both Jews and gentiles.
During the middle of the 17th century, the accord between gentile and Jewish
musicians began to crumble. A large number of gentile musicians began to reject Jewish
musicians’ employment during both church and secular events. In addition, priests
developed concerns about the influence of Jewish music on their parishioners, as well as
the musicians’ interpretation of the Catholic Church’s music. To restrain this Jewish
participation, the church imposed extensive taxes upon the Jewish musicians, enforced
restrictions on who could perform, and dictated the acceptable venues and duration of
these events. With these impositions restricting Jewish musicians’ successful careers,
many began to leave Italy for communities in Central Europe to seek employment.
20
Don Harran, Salamone Rossi: Jewish Musician in Late Renaissance Mantua (New York: Oxford University Press, 1999). 21 Mark R. Cohen, ed., The Autobiography of a Seventeenth-Century Venetian Rabbi: Leon Modena’s Life of Judah (New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1988). 22
Kabbalah is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the mystical aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It is a set of esoteric teachings meant to explain the relationship between an eternal and mysterious Creator and the mortal and finite universe that is His creation. The scriptures that make up the Kabbalah are distinctly separate from traditional Jewish scriptures. Kabbalah seeks to define the nature of the universe and the human being and the nature and purpose of existence while presenting methods to aid in the understanding of these concepts in order to achieve spiritual realization.
27
Development of Yiddish Theatre
Nineteenth century Europe saw a rise in nationalism in all facets of life, including
politics, economics, and music. With this came an escalation in interest among musicians
for cultural aspects of their various native countries, including folk songs. Among the
Jews, this was especially prevalent, with the centuries of Diaspora life demanding an
even stronger need for ties to their origins. This was necessary to maintain some sense of
Jewish identity and thus Jewish music came to represent the lives of the Jews around the
world.
Klezmer musicians were still considered persons of lower class in society, thought
of as poor, dirty, and illiterate. The earliest documented klezmer, Yechiel-Michl
Guzikow (1806 – 1837) faced these stereotypes despite developing a reputation as an
extremely virtuosic and accomplished musician. As a child, he studied flute with his
father and established a significant career playing the instrument at Jewish weddings and
holiday celebrations. However, the devastating effects of tuberculosis caused him to
abandon the flute; instead, he began a new, equally phenomenal career on the “shtroy
fidl,” a seemingly primitive instrument consisting of wooden sticks laid across bundles of
straw. Guzikow’s musical abilities demonstrated that klezmer musicians could be far
more talented than public opinion presumed.
In the Slavic areas of Eastern Europe, the Yiddish language had evolved over a
thousand years, becoming the dialect of the Ashkenazi Jews. Hebrew (“the holy tongue”)
and the ancient language of Aramaic, were used only for study and prayer, as well as
28
official records and documents. Instead, Yiddish served as the vernacular language. It
became part of the customs, folklore, literature and music of the Jews.
Yiddish folk songs spanned a variety of topics, particularly in regards to the
human life from birth through death. Storylines included childhood, courtship, family,
livelihood, and religious observations. In addition to the Yiddish folksongs, many of the
itinerant musicians enhanced their musical performance by incorporating costumes and
spoken material during their performances. These troupes, which used traditional
biblically based plays, such as the telling of the story of Purim, influenced the
development of Eastern European Yiddish theater. This was eventually professionally
established in Romania in the middle of the nineteenth century.
Abraham Goldfaden (1840 – 1908) was a Russian-born Jewish poet, playwright,
stage director and actor in the Yiddish and Hebrew languages. The author of about forty
plays, Goldfaden is considered the father of Jewish modern theater. As a child in
Imperial Russia, he liked to sing and recite poems, frequently imitating wedding
performers. Because of this, his father gave him the nickname “Avrumeleh badkhen”
(“Abie the Jester”).23
By the time he was seventeen, Goldfaden was already performing at local
weddings, and he began studies at a government endorsed rabbinical seminary in the
Ukraine. Here he had exposure to Hebrew and Yiddish literature, liturgical chants, and
religious folk songs. His keen interest in the subject drew him to write poetry, stories,
and songs about the Jewish culture in these areas. His teachers, as well as his father,
23
Nahma Sandrow, “The Father of Yiddish Theater,” Zamir, Autumn 2003.
29
were advocates of the Jewish modernist movement of the time, known as haskalah
(“enlightenment”).24
The city of Zhitomir itself was very cosmopolitan, holding the
theater culture in high regard. There were Russian-Ukrainian theaters, but also ones that
showed French and Italian drama, music and dance.
In 1876, he traveled to Iasi, Romania, considered the commercial crossroad
between the three European empires of Russia, Austria-Hungary, and Turkey. Here, he
teamed up with Yisroel Grodner, developing elaborate theatrical performances with a
small troupe of entertainers. Goldfaden’s troupe traveled across Romania, including
Bucharest, where they thrived and eventually acquired their own theater hall. As the
group gained popularity, it grew in size to include actors, musicians, choristers, and their
families. By 1879, Goldfaden brought the troupe to Odessa, where he established a
theatrical home.
During this time, Imperial Russia was under the reign of Tsar Alexander II (1818
– 1881), who accepted Jewish music as part of society. Klezmer musicians were
permitted to play louder instruments than had previously been used, resulting in the
replacement of the violin by the clarinet as the lead instrument. In addition to blending
well with the other instruments of the ensemble, the clarinet had the unique ability to
replicate sounds of the human voice, incorporating wailing, moaning, and chirping as
imitations of the melismatic style of the cantor. As military bands conscripted
klezmorim, a shift began toward the inclusion of brass and percussion instruments as
well. The assassination of Tsar Alexander II in 1881 and the resulting anti-Jewish 24
Joel Berkowitz, “Avrom Goldfaden and the Modern Yiddish Theater: The Bard of Old Constantine.” Pakn Treger, no. 44, Winter 2004.
30
reaction cut short the future of Yiddish theater in Russia with its official ban on
September 14, 1883.25
Jewish Music in 20th Century America
Half a million Jewish immigrants came to the United States at the beginning of
the twentieth century. Seeking jobs, many musicians found work performing with the
already established Yiddish theaters primarily located at many of the resorts in the
Catskills Mountains in upstate New York. Many of these entertainers debuted with
Abraham Goldfaden in Russia and continued to perform his works in America. The
topics of ethics and morality combined with the centuries-old eastern European musical
elements distinguished the American Yiddish Theater. As the immigrants assimilated the
American culture, their art also became more mainstream.
Devastation of the Yiddish theater, culture, and the language itself occurred as a
result of the Holocaust. After World War II, Jews in the United States adopted the
mainstream American culture, lessening their own. This concept of fitting into a
particular society existed internationally as well, most notably in the Soviet Union when
composers had to adapt their compositional styles to regain political favor in order to earn
a living. Despite the decline of traditional performances, both Jewish and non-Jewish
composers, including Leonard Bernstein, Aaron Copland, and Dmitri Shostakovich,
turned to klezmer as an inspiration for their music.
25
Jacob Adler, A Life on the Stage: A Memoir, trans. Lulla Rosenfeld (New York: Knopf, 1999), passim.
31
In the 1970’s, U.S. and European musicians began a klezmer revival, drawing
upon old recordings and surviving klezmer musicians’ repertoire. Largely instigated by
non-Jews in the United States and Germany, a second revival began during the 1980’s,
finding inspiration from transcriptions, recordings and the few remaining klezmorim in
Eastern Europe. Hankus Netsky,26
a multi-instrumentalist and composer, discovered that
both a grandfather and uncle performed in Philadelphia klezmer orchestras in the 1920’s.
In 1980, while an instructor at the New England Conservatory of Music, he founded one
of the oldest klezmer bands, the Klezmer Conservatory Band, which continues to tour
worldwide. Flutist Adrianne Greenbaum, after thoroughly researching the genre,
emerged during this decade as one of the key klezmer performers. With the limited
information regarding the historic use of the flute in klezmer music, Greenbaum is a
crucial source for the interpretations and style developed in the Old World.27
26
Hankus Netsky received both Bachelors and Masters degrees in music from The New England Conservatory and a Ph.D. in Ethnomusicology from Wesleyan University. He currently teaches improvisation and Jewish music at The New England Conservatory and has previously taught Jewish music at Hebrew College and Wesleyan University. In addition, he has lectured extensively in the United States, Canada, and Europe, and has essays on klezmer music published by the University of California Press. He has produced numerous recordings, including many with the Klezmer Conservatory Band and has collaborated with such artists as Marty Ehrlich, Itzhak Perlman, Robin Williams, Joel Grey, and Theodore Bikel. 27
Adrianne Greenbaum is the founder and leader of “FleytMuzik” and “The Klezical Tradition,” both performing klezmer bands. She has been on the faculty of Living Traditions’ KlezKamp and presents workshops and master classes in the art of klezmer performance to classical musicians. She performs on a simple system flute to provide a more accurate representation of 19th century klezmer practices.
32
CHAPTER THREE:
KLEZMER MUSIC STYLE
Modes
The cantors in the synagogue used the taamey hamikra, a collection of twenty-
five signs and symbols, to interpret the traditional chants of Jewish prayers as well as the
Torah. These interpretations, in combination with musical influences from surrounding
non-Jewish neighborhoods, led to the emergence of scales or harmonic modes
(‘shteygers’ in Yiddish), which form the basic harmonic structure of klezmer music.
Klezmer does make use of the major and minor scales of Western music (most
frequently harmonic and melodic minor) but the distinct sound of klezmer comes from
four typical Ashkenazi (or Eastern European) modes. The names of these modes come
from the traditional prayer in which they appear and may be connected to certain notions
of ethos or emotional contexts.28 In addition, they have many similarities to the Arabic
maqamat, including the extensive use of augmented seconds and the ability to convey
various moods. The major difference is the use of microtones in the Arabic maqamat,
resulting in the rare existence of defined harmony. The Jewish musicians’ high level of
artistry in their traveling performances drew the attention of many Sultans in the
caliphate. Thus, many ensembles found employment in the royal courts and the Sultans
28
Strom, The Book of Klezmer, 121.
33
developed a strong affection for them.29
It was customary that each Sultan employed a
personal Jewish musician.30 This Muslim court practice illustrates middle eastern
influence on Jewish music.
The Ahava-Raba (Hebrew: “great love”) mode is similar to Western music’s
Phrygian mode, but with a permanent raised third (see Figure 2.1).
Figure 2.1. Scale in the Ahava-Raba mode.
Occasionally, the raising of the seventh scale degree creates another augmented second,
replicating the Arabic maqam ‘Hijaz Kar’ (see Figure 2.2).
Figure 2.2. Arabic maqam ‘Hijaz Kar.’
This mode is often used by the muezzin (the Muslim cantor) when he calls his fellow
Muslims to prayer.
29
Jewish composers helped shape and diffuse Ottoman art music. While maintaining their own religion, language, and cultural institution, they shared freely in high Ottoman musical culture. An example is Turkish composer Isak Tanburi Effendi (born Fresco Romano, 1745-1814) who worked under Sultan Selim III. 30
Amnon Shiloah, Jewish Musical Traditions (Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1992), 202.
34
The Magen-Avos (Hebrew: “guardian of our fathers”) mode is most similar to the
Dorian scale. This klezmer mode, however, differs with the inclusion of a flat sixth (see
Figure 2.3).
Figure 2.3. Scale in the Magen-Avos mode.
Frequently, the Ahava-Raba and Magen-Avos modes were combined, creating a third
called Mishbeyrakh (Hebrew: “he who blesses”) or Ov-Horakhamim (Hebrew: “father of
mercy”) (see Figure 2.4).
Figure 2.4. Scale in the Mishbeyrakh or Ov-Horakhamim mode.
This mode was prominently used in the southern Ukrainian and Romanian klezmer
repertoire, earning it the title of “Jewish” scale by both klezmorim and non-Jewish
musicians. Hassidic melodies from sects in Galicia utilized the Adonoy Molokh (Hebrew:
“the Lord is king”) mode, similar to the Lydian mode with a flat seventh (see Figure
2.5).31
31
Strom, The Book of Klezmer, 122.
35
Figure 2.5. Scale in the Adonoy Molokh mode.
Forms
Klezmorim performed particular types of tunes at specific ritual events. Among
their repertoire, the musicians performed traditional and original tunes specific to Jewish
life as well as a wide variety of music corresponding to the popular taste of the regions in
which they lived.
At weddings, the most common venue for klezmer performances, the types of
music could be classified into two categories: music for the guests to dance to and music
for listening. Dance music comprised the majority of this repertoire, including both
popular dances from the region and those specifically of Jewish origin. Some of the non-
Jewish forms included mazurkas, polkas, waltzes, and the hopke, a lively Russian circle
dance where one person danced within a bigger circle of dancers.
Among the tunes of Jewish origin, several served functions during the wedding
ceremony itself. The koyletch tants (Yiddish: dance of the khale, or challah bread) was
sometimes performed immediately after the khupe (Hebrew: wedding canopy). Usually
the grandmother would dance in front of the bride and groom holding up the challah as
the procession moved through town to where the feast was held. She would sing to the
groom: “Vos vilstu, di khale oder di kale?” (What do you want, the bread or the bride?)
& c œ œ œ# œ# œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ# œ# œ œ œ œ œ ˙
[Title][Composer]
36
The mazltov tants (Hebrew: congratulations or good-luck dance) was performed several
times throughout the ceremony: when the bride’s friends danced with her at the khupe
before the ceremony, after the groom veiled the bride, and during the meal when the
honored guests each came up to congratulate the newlyweds.
The most common dance music genre was the freylekhs, a group dance where the
dancers held hands or placed their arms on each other’s shoulders and danced in a circle.
This dance had no fixed tempo, ranging in speed from slow and stately to very upbeat
and lively. Often, like many traditional Jewish dances, the tempo would start slow and
the dancers would use quiet movements. They would gradually become faster and more
animated.32
It was always in duple meter and the phrases were either eight or sixteen
measures in length. In addition to circle dances, figure dances were also popular. The
most common of these was the sher, a group figure dance for four or eight couples and its
tempo was always fast. The sher and freylekhs tunes were frequently interchangeable,
depending on the location.
The basic character of the dance tunes was lively and spirited, with the intent of
creating a joyous, ecstatic mood among the wedding guests. The melodic motion was
frequently sequential, with intervals rarely larger than a fourth or fifth. To maintain the
upbeat tempos, the tunes contained many eighth and sixteenth notes, as well as frequent
syncopated rhythms.
The other music performed at weddings consisted of music for listening. These
tunes included pieces to greet the most honored guests as well as farewell tunes played as 32
Although technically considered a hora, the well-known Hava Nagilah is an example of dance music that demonstrates this traditional acceleration.
37
the festivities concluded and attendees began to leave. In addition, like many of the
dance tunes, the music for listening was often influenced by music of the region. The
most common of these was the doina.33
Originally a Romanian shepherd’s lament, the doina’s style had already been
adopted by the Roma.34
It had no set form, but consisted of an improvised solo played
over a drone. This drone typically sustained the tonic of the mode or primary chord of
the mode. Harmonic changes occurred at the will of the soloist, often being indicated to
the other musicians at the moment during the performance.
The doina is long and slow, with rubato melodies that can be meditatively simple
or highly ornamented. Its expressive vocal quality is intended to reflect the liturgical
cantillation and melismatic style of the cantor. During the ritual part of the wedding
ceremony, the doina played the role of the kale baveynen. This sad tune often caused the
bride to cry, as the badkhn reminds her she is leaving her childhood behind and becoming
a woman, with numerous tasks and sorrows to go along with her new responsibility.
33
“In 1882, the Romanian philologist B.P. Hasdeu proposed an interesting etymology for the word doina, which he linked to the Sanskrit dh, a derivation that leads us to the root dhan, ‘to resonate,’ hence the meaning of a ‘song in the sense of resonance.’” Bogdan Petriceicu Hasdeu, “Doïna. Originea poeziei poporane la români” [The doina and the origins of the popular poetry of the Romanians], in Studii de folclor (Cluj-Napoca, Dacia, 1979) 103-115, 275-277. The word doina therefore dates back to the pre-Roman period of Romania and was probably inherited from the former inhabitants of the region, the Dacians (a Thracian people). United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, “Nomination for inscription on the Representative List 2009 at the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage” (September to October 2009). 34
The term Roma is used as a designation for the branch of the Romani people with historic concentrations in Eastern Europe and the Balkans. They are frequently also referred to as Gypsies, from the Greek, Aigyotioi, meaning “Egyptian,” having originated in Egypt. Gypsy also refers to the traveling lifestyle many of these people followed.
38
The doina also served to entertain the wedding guests while they dined. In this
capacity, the klezmorim prepared the audience for a more upbeat tune to which they could
dance. The soloist could use this as an opportunity to show off or prove himself to the
crowd. According to modern klezmer musicians, the soloist would continue playing a
doina until he received substantial tips from the wedding guests before proceeding to a
dance tune.35 Typically, the doina served as a prelude (‘forshpil’) and concluded with a
short rhythmic interlude (‘tsushpil’), introducing a tempo change for the dance piece to
follow (often a freylekhs).
Although the doina was improvisatory in nature, the motives frequently made
reference to melodic fragments created through the use of the taamey hamikra signs and
symbols in Jewish prayers and Eastern European laments. Each musical figure held a
particular significance, with the ability to express the entire spectrum of human emotions.
An ostinato figure might represent insistence, while trills gave the sensation of a mystical
trance. Changes in tempo depicted changes in energy level and the bending of notes,
along with dissonance, provided tension.36
The characteristics of klezmer interpretation centered on emotionality and
expressivity, with the purpose and ability to move listeners deeply. Traditionally, the
violin was used most frequently because of its soft, warm, lyrical tone. A Yiddish folk
riddle characterizes the violin by saying: “It grows in the woods and hangs in a store.
Touch it and it starts to cry.” Yiddish writer Sholom Aleichem wrote about the 35
Lisa Miller Blajchman, “Exploring One’s Roots: Integrating Klezmer and Other World Music into the Western Compositional Palette” (M.A. diss., York University, 2007), 12. 36
Mark Slobin, Fiddler on the Move: Exploring the Klezmer World (New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2000), 72.
39
nineteenth century violinist known simply as Stempenyu: “He used to grab his fiddle and
draw the bow – just once, no more – and the fiddle would begin to speak, and how did
you think it spoke? With real words, with a tongue – you should pardon the comparison –
just like a human being.”
Klezmer music also contains significant ornamentation, including grace notes,
mordents, trills, glissandos, and the bending of pitches. These served the purpose of
imitating the various sounds created by the cantors when performing traditional chants.
Thus, they took on a quality that resembled the human voice. Beginning at the end of the
nineteenth century and continuing throughout the revival of the twentieth century, the
clarinet was used because of its ability to create these unique sounds. In addition to
blending well with the other instruments of the ensemble, the clarinet had the unique
ability to replicate sounds of the human voice, incorporating wailing, moaning, and
chirping as imitations of the melismatic style of the cantor.
40
CHAPTER FOUR:
KLEZMER RONDOS BY PAUL SCHOENFIELD
Place in Schoenfield’s Repertoire
Paul Schoenfield’s compositional output includes several works for flute. These
include his Slovakian Children’s Songs, Four Souvenirs, and most frequently performed,
two short pieces based on Hassidic melodies, entitled Achat Sha’alti and Ufaratsta.
Table 3.1. Complete works for flute
TITLE INSTRUMENTATION DATE OF COMPOSITION
Klezmer Rondos Flute, Male Vocalist, Orchestra 1989; revised 1994
Four Souvenirs Violin or Flute, Piano 1990
Slovakian Children’s Songs Flute, Piano 1995
Sextet Flute, Clarinet, Violin, Cello, Piano, Percussion
1995
Sonatina Flute, Clarinet, Piano published 2000
Achat Sha’alti Flute, Piano published 2001
Ufaratsta Flute, Piano published 2001
Three Bagatelles Flute, Cello, Piano published 2006
Six Chassidic Songs Flute, Piano 2007
Psychobird, A Sonatina Piccolo, Piano published 2008
In addition to these pieces, many of his other works display significant Jewish musical
influence. His Trio for Clarinet, Violin and Piano, composed in 1990 for clarinetist
David Shifrin, realized Schoenfield’s long-standing desire to “create entertaining music
41
that could be played at Hassidic gatherings as well as in the concert hall…each of the
movements is based partly on an eastern European Hassidic melody.” Sparks of Glory,
written between 1994 and 1995 for narrator, violin, clarinet, cello, and piano, is based on
four excerpts from books by Moshe Prager and Yaffa Eliach recounting the experiences
communicated by Holocaust survivors.37
In addition, he wrote a viola concerto for
Robert Vernon based on tunes he heard children singing in the kindergarten under his
studio in Israel. The libretto from his opera, The Merchant and the Pauper, which was
premiered in 1999, is adapted from a story told by Rabbi Nachman of Bratzlav in 1809.38
For a complete list of Schoenfield’s works with Jewish influences, see Table 3.2.
37 Moshe Prager’s book is also entitled Sparks of Glory (1974). Yaffa Eliach’s book is entitled Hassidic Tales of the Holocaust (1982). David Pasbrig, “An Analysis of Paul Schoenfield’s Sparks of Glory.” (DMA diss., Temple University, 2005), 3-4. 38
Rabbi Nachman was the great-grandson of the founder of Hassidic Judaism and is sometimes called the Jewish Hans Christian Andersen. He used parables to teach his students and make them think. In the story, the Merchant saves the Pauper’s wife, resulting in the betrothal of the Merchant’s son and the Pauper’s daughter. The two young people are separated due to struggles resulting from a sudden rise to noble power for the Pauper. Nachman intended the story to serve as an allegory about the reunion of the Messiah (the Merchant’s son) with Shekhinah, the Bride of God (the Pauper’s daughter) but Schoenfield’s opera is considered a secular work.
42
Table 3.2. Works with Jewish influences
TITLE INSTRUMENTATION DATE OF COMPOSITION
Trio Clarinet, Violin, Piano 1990
Tales from Chelm Narrator, String Quartet 1991
Sparks of Glory Narrator, Violin, Clarinet, Cello, Piano 1995
D’vorah Oratorio in 5 parts for black gospel choir and 5 soloists
1998
The Merchant and the Pauper Opera, Two Acts 1999
Camp Songs 2 Voices, Clarinet, 2 Violins, Cello, Double Bass
2001
Achat Sha’alti Flute, Piano published 2001
Ufaratsta Flute, Piano published 2001
Six Improvisations on Hassidic Melodies
Piano published 2003
Channah Oratorio first published 2006
Six Hassidic Songs Flute, Piano 2007
Ghetto Songs Mezzo-Soprano, Baritone, Piano 2008
Thus, the fact that in Klezmer Rondos, Schoenfield also returned to his heritage and used
traditional Jewish influences fits with the trend of many of his other compositions written
both before and after.
The Commission
Paul Schoenfield first met flutist Carol Wincenc as a teenager at the Chautauqua
summer music festival in New York and the talented musicians became fast friends.
Over the years, their individual careers kept them from maintaining close contact, but
according to Schoenfield, they reestablished their friendship during the early 1980’s.
43
Wincenc was to perform as a guest on American Public Media’s Saint Paul Sunday,
hosted by Bill McGlaughlin and aired by Minnesota Public Radio. Needing an
accompanist and knowing that Schoenfield lived in the Twin Cities, Wincenc contacted
him to assist. In 1989, Wincenc, along with flutists Paula Robison and Ransom Wilson,
participated in a project supported by the National Endowment for the Arts through a
Consortium Commissioning Grant to commission three contemporary composers to write
separate concerti. Wincenc immediately turned to Paul Schoenfield and asked him to
write for her. Her own Slovakian heritage and background as a folk dancer had given her
a love and passion for folk eastern European music. She therefore knew that she and
Schoenfield would make the perfect team for this commissioning project. Along with
Robert Beaser’s Song of the Bells and Joseph Schwantner’s A Play of Shadows, Klezmer
Rondos was premiered at the New York City Town Hall on April 16, 1990. Wincenc
would later commission several other works from Schoenfield, including the previously
mentioned Slovakian Children’s Songs, Achat Sha’alti, and Ufaratsta.
Klezmer Influences
Orchestration
The work was originally conceived for a small accompanying ensemble but was
revised and expanded in 1994 for its New York Philharmonic premiere to be a concerto
44
for flute, tenor, and symphony orchestra.39
The new orchestration calls for a
contemporary incarnation of an eastern European klezmer band, including both
historically emblematic instruments and atypical ones.
With the revival of klezmer music in the 1970’s, performers took an interest in
historical practices relevant to the style. In her research, flutist Adrianne Greenbaum
found that the flute did, in fact, play a significant role during the early period of klezmer
in the 1800’s. A traditional 19th century klezmer band usually consisted of four or five
musicians, with the lead role played by the violin. The other musicians in the group
played instruments including the tsimbl (or cymbalom), other string instruments, and
frequently, a wooden flute. The majority of the klezmer immigrants that came to
America at the beginning of the twentieth century had military training and thus played
the louder instruments that were employed in the bands of Imperial Russia under the
reign of Tsar Alexander II.
Talented clarinetists such as Dave Tarras and Naftule Brandwein, although born
in Europe, made their careers in America during the early to mid 20th century. Within a
generation, the violin, flute, and tsimbl had lost their place in klezmer ensembles to the
clarinet and brass instruments. Nearly all of the artistic and virtuoso repertoire of 19th
century klezmer music was abandoned with only dance music remaining. Paul
Schoenfield returned to the roots of klezmer by placing the flute as the lead instrument in
his Klezmer Rondos. However, he did not ignore the contemporary trends of the
39
According to the composer, the main request for the revision was a flashy ending. The original work concluded with the song based on “Mirele,” which had a soft ending. The revised piece was programmed when guest conductor Zdenêk Mácal appeared with the New York Philharmonic.
45
revivalist movement, maintaining a prominent role for the clarinet, including soprano,
alto, and tenor saxophones, brass, piano, and an extensive battery of percussion.
Analysis
The form of Klezmer Rondos consists of two large movements, although it could
be considered through-composed with the division only occurring out of necessity for the
soloist to switch from flute to piccolo. Since the composer does not restart the measure
numbers at the beginning of the second movement, this supports its bipartite single
movement form. For purposes of this analysis, the piece will be designated as having
two movements. The second movement is comprised of two sections, the first of which
is the piccolo interlude.
The title of the piece suggests that the composer uses the rondo form throughout
the three distinct sections of the work. There are, in fact, only two rondos: the first
consisting of the entire first movement and the second following the extensive piccolo
solo and concluding the piece.
The piece begins with a quick eight bar introduction by the klezmer band
consisting of the wind and percussion instruments (see Musical Example 3.1).
47
Immediately following, the solo flute makes its declamatory entrance on a third octave G
(see Musical Example 3.2).
Musical Example 3.2. Solo Flute entrance, Klezmer Rondos, measures 9-11.
This slower three-note statement serves as a demarcation for the beginning and end of the
rondo form. The first time it occurs, it signals the start of the principal theme, which is
fully stated in measure 21 by the flute (see Musical Example 3.3). It recurs at measure
361 with the entrance of the voice. In the principal theme, Schoenfield immediately
demonstrates the influence of the dance tunes traditionally performed by klezmer
musicians.
Musical Example 3.3. First theme in flute, Klezmer Rondos, measures 21-24.
48
Marked “sassy” in the score, the motive consists of staccato sixteenth and eighth notes in
syncopated patterns that do not always place on the expected downbeats. Notes that
sound as anacruses to downbeats according to the ear of the listener are actually leading
to the second beat of the measure. Schoenfield accomplishes this effect by varying the
meter throughout the piece. In addition, the theme is sixteen measures long (see Musical
Example 3.4), another reference to klezmer dance music, specifically the freylekhs.
Musical Example 3.4. Complete first theme in the flute, Klezmer Rondos, measures 21-37.
The second theme of this movement begins in measure 83 with a more lyrical
melody similar in rhythm to the principal melody, again introduced by the flute (see
Musical Example 3.5).
49
Musical Example 3.5. Second theme in flute and saxophones, Klezmer Rondos, measures 83-93.
This theme is developed in a more virtuosic and contemporaneous manner, with score
indications such as “like a jazz lick” (see Musical Example 3.6).
Musical Example 3.6. Second theme variation in the flute, Klezmer Rondos, measures 111-115.
50
The main motive returns in measure 116, only this time the composer alters the metric
feel of the music by switching to triple meter. In addition, the motivic line is divided in a
pointillistic manner between the brass and flute parts (see Musical Example 3.7).
Musical Example 3.7. Return of the first motive, Klezmer Rondos, measures 116-121.
Beginning in measure 179, the solo flute plays a series of accelerating scales that
exemplify the standard modal structures that characterize klezmer music (see Musical
Example 3.8).
51
Musical Example 3.8. Modal scales in the flute, Klezmer Rondos, measures 179-197.
Within these ten bars, Schoenfield makes use of the harmonic minor scale and the Ahava-
Raba mode with its unique placement of augmented seconds. The scales begin in the
lowest octave for the flute and swirl up and down, gradually building in intensity as they
move up to the third octave and leading to yet another statement of the original motive in
measure 197. At this point, the composer begins a lengthy development section in which
the theme is presented by the strings and is interspersed with snappy interruptions from
the flute, clarinet and saxophone (see Musical Example 3.9).
52
Musical Example 3.9. Developmental material, Klezmer Rondos, measures 272-276.
Throughout this section, the meter changes nearly every bar, creating a sense of disarray
and confusion. Schoenfield continues to alter the original theme metrically and non-
harmonically in the flute (see Musical Example 3.10).
Musical Example 3.10. Manipulation of main theme in the flute, Klezmer Rondos, measures 292-301.
53
At this point, he begins to close the opening rondo, leading to a peaceful coda section
starting in measure 308. Although the tempo does not slow, the mood changes as the
previous melodic line consisting of quarter notes and half notes is played by the alto and
tenor saxophones in augmentation (see Musical Example 3.11).
Musical Example 3.11. Saxophone duet at the coda, Klezmer Rondos, measures 308-338.
54
According to the composer, this melody quotes a Hassidic tune he heard one time while
at synagogue. Unfortunately, he himself is unsure of its name or specific origin. In
contrast to the expansive melodic line played by the saxophones, the solo flute plays a
quiet obbligato of ornamental flourishes (see Musical Example 3.12).
Musical Example 3.12. Flute flourishes (over saxophone duet), Klezmer Rondos, measures 308-340.
55
In measure 355, the trumpet glissando that occurred in the opening measure of the
piece returns, followed by an abbreviated version of the brass and percussion
introduction. As mentioned earlier, the proclamatory statement in the flute again follows
this, only now with the added vocal part (see Musical Example 3.13).
Musical Example 3.13. Restatement of proclamatory statement in voice and flute, Klezmer Rondos, measures 361-363.
The remainder of the first movement is devoted to the text, “Mirele.” In his
collaboration with Carol Wincenc during the composition process, Schoenfield discussed
his particular awareness of the role of the professional badkhn, the jester, who
complemented the instrumental musicians at Jewish wedding festivities. At the time,
Wincenc was married to the acclaimed baritone, Douglas Webster, and thus the
collaborators felt it a perfect addition to include a vocal part in the piece. The text of this
original folk song is in Yiddish, paying homage to the traditional language of the klezmer
musicians and their use of Yiddish folk song in many of their performances. Based upon
56
a turn of the century poem written by Michl Virt (1877-1919),40
the song relates the
ironic story of Mirele, a girl so beautiful she is able to reject all suitors. Yet when she is
old, according to the song, she will be sorry she didn’t accept one. As the tenor sings the
text of the poem, the flute melodically portrays the central character, Mirele (see Musical
Examples 3.14 through 3.17).
In this excerpt, the tenor introduces the character of beautiful Mirele, the
storekeeper’s daughter and describes her standing by the window watching the sun and
the moon.
Musical Example 3.14. First stanza of Mirele, voice and flute, Klezmer Rondos, measures 365-372.
40
Michl Virt was a poet and lawyer who attended Lemberg University in the Ukraine. His poem, Mirele, was printed in Moyshe Basin’s anthology Antologye fun Finf Hundert Yor Yidishe Poezye [Anthology of Five Hundred Years of Yiddish Poetry] in 1917. According to Basin, it was first published in Gershom Bader’s Der Yidisher Folks-Kalendar.
57
The poem recounts Mirele captivating laughter, which attracts her suitors. In this
example, Schoenfield clearly intends the flute to depict Mirele’s laughter.
Musical Example 3.15. “Laughing” part in flute, Klezmer Rondos, measures 381-385.
The swirling lines in the flute seem to portray the “sighs flying up to heaven,” as
described by the vocal line. These sighs are actually those of the suitors who desire
Mirele’s attentions to no avail.
58
Musical Example 3.16. Voice and flute, Klezmer Rondos, measures 417-423.
Finally, the composer clearly shows Mirele’s flirting ways by explicitly instructing the
flute to play in a flirting and coy manner.
Musical Example 3.17. “Flirting” and “Coyly” in the flute, Klezmer Rondos, measures 450-462.
59
The movement concludes quietly with a plaintive motive in the flute (see Musical
Example 3.18).
Musical Example 3.18. Plaintive motive in flute, Klezmer Rondos, measures 507-508.
Following the lyrical section with the flute accompanying the tenor voice, the
composer creates a lengthy interlude that eventually builds up to the fast-paced finale. In
this interlude, Schoenfield portrays many elements representative of the traditional doina,
discussed earlier.
The composer varies the orchestration by using the piccolo in its low register for
the doina’s solo, improvisatory line (see Musical Example 3.19).
Musical Example 3.19. Low register piccolo, Klezmer Rondos, measures 510-514.
60
In this register, the piccolo’s hollow, mellow sound gives the tune the somber mood
expected from the lament of the doina. Although the use of piccolo in klezmer music
does not follow traditional practice, Schoenfield avoids the more shrill upper registers of
the instrument in order to maintain a tone reminiscent to that of the violin or clarinet used
in the nineteenth century klezmer band.
The composer makes use of the piccolo’s technical capabilities with flourishes of
notes, depicting the improvisational character distinctive to the doina (see Musical
Example 3.20).
Musical Example 3.20. Piccolo flourishes, Klezmer Rondos, measures 518-520.
Despite sounding like a complicated technical passage to the audience, analysis of the
scale on which these measures are based shows ornamentation of the Phrygian mode. As
mentioned previously, the Phrygian mode has close kinship to the traditional modes of
klezmer music. Thus, this passage, as well as numerous others throughout this section of
the piece, provides an opportunity for the soloist to display his or her technical prowess
(see Musical Example 3.21).
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Musical Example 3.21. Modal passage, piccolo, Klezmer Rondos, measures 526-529.
Underneath the solo piccolo line, Schoenfield scores a series of sustained drones among
muted strings and piano (see Musical Example 3.22).
Musical Example 3.22. Drone in piano and violins, Klezmer Rondos, measure 510.
The composer uses only four notes to depict the mode in which this section begins. He
emphasizes these four notes by striking them at the same time on the downbeat. While
Violins I and II-A continue to hold the chord, the piano and Violin II-B rapidly alternate
62
between the notes, creating a subtle, quiet wash of sound. With the tonic of the chord as
D major, Schoenfield’s use of the major third, minor sixth and major seventh creates the
harmonic structure of the Ahava-Raba mode. As the solo line progresses through its
various dramatic melodies interspersed with ornamented flourishes, the composer
changes the background murmur to fit the mode in which the piccolo performs.
Gradually, the solo part becomes less ornamented and more obviously thematic,
while simultaneously hinting at an increase in tempo. The piccolo then plays a cadenza
based upon a heavy, legato theme present throughout the doina section of the piece (see
Musical Example 3.23).
Musical Example 3.23. Piccolo cadenza, Klezmer Rondos, measures 553-560.
As the piccolo sustains its final note in measure 563, with a decrescendo to nothing three
bars later, the accompaniment takes a more prominent role. At this point, the other
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musicians begin an accelerando leading to the Presto finale. Schoenfield clearly follows
tradition by utilizing the doina as a prelude to a much faster dance tune.
The finale represents the other rondo that contributes to the work’s title.
Beginning in measure 614, the flute plays a sequence of eighth notes using a pattern of
half steps and minor thirds (see Musical Example 3.24).
Musical Example 3.24. Presto flute motivic material, Klezmer Rondos, measures 614-632.
This motivic material leads to a syncopated tune ornamented with grace notes and trills,
giving it a dance-like quality. The excitement of the theme builds, leading to a raucous
fortississimo chord sustained by the entire ensemble in measure 687. From this zenith,
Schoenfield lowers the intensity and the register, returning to the opening motive in
measure 702 (see Musical Example 3.25).
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Musical Example 3.25. Descent from climax, Klezmer Rondos, measures 689-695.
A new section begins in measure 731, as once again, the composer makes
reference to a traditional Hassidic tune. A fanfare-like introduction from the brass leads
to the quotation of a well-known Lubavitcher nigun rikud (dance tune) from the Hassidic
community in Nikolayev, Ukraine during the late 18th century. (See Figure 3.1)
Figure 3.1. Lubavitcher nigun rikud.
41
41
This excerpt comes from the Kehot Publication Society and Chabad Melodies by Eli Lipsker and Velvel Pasternak, found at www.chabad.org (accessed 15 September 2010).
65
Traditionally, it was sung with great gusto at Hassidic gatherings and other joyous
occasions. Schoenfield highlights the melody of this tune with the entrance of the
piccolo, playing with the clarinet and violin in measure 751 (see Musical Example 3.26).
Musical Example 3.26. Quotation of Lubavitcher dance tune, Klezmer Rondos, measures 752-759.
Once again, the composer returns to the original theme through his use of a descending
chromatic pattern in the flute (see Musical Example 3.27).
Musical Example 3.27. Descending flute line, Klezmer Rondos, measures 771-775.
After a shortened presentation of the theme, the music abruptly slows, and a brief respite
occurs with a return of the lumbering melody from the doina, this time played by the
66
flute, before taking off in a whirlwind of notes to the end of the piece (see Musical
Example 3.28).
Musical Example 3.28. Return of doina melody, Klezmer Rondos, measures 798-805.
Throughout this section, the reference to the traditional dance styles of klezmer music is
emphasized by the “oom-pah” played by a combination of the tuba and drum set (see
Musical Example 3.29). The reinforcement of the downbeats clarifies the duple meter
and march-like feel of many traditional Jewish wedding dances.
Musical Example 3.29. “Oom-pah” in tuba and drum set, Klezmer Rondos, measures 654-662.
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Ornamentation
Musical ornamentation in klezmer music distinguishes klezmer music from many
other eastern European folk music genres. Since the singing of the cantors in synagogues
originally inspired klezmer melodies, many of the embellishments are intended to imitate
human emotions and vocal qualities. In addition, the vocal inflections of the Yiddish
language had a significant influence, adding to the laughing, wailing and sobbing sounds
particular to klezmer music and its origins with shpilmen.
In his Klezmer Rondos, Schoenfield utilizes many of the standard effects
characteristic of klezmer music in nearly all of the wind and string parts. From the
trumpet glissando in the opening bar of the piece, it is clear he intends to fully employ
traditional stylistic elements.
Of particular note are the effects used by the clarinet, becoming a significant part
of klezmer bands during the last part of the 19th century in part because of its unique
capabilities to alter its sound and tone production. An example of the “chirp” occurs in
measure 59 (see Musical Example 3.30).
Musical Example 3.30. Clarinet “chirp,” Klezmer Rondos, measures 59-62.
68
Ornamentation was not traditionally notated in the music and performers were able to
embellish freely while still staying true to the prominence of the melody. Schoenfield,
however, specifically notates the majority of his ornamentation, as the performers are
most likely required to play in a style unfamiliar to them in this work (see Musical
Example 3.31).
Musical Example 3.31. Clarinet ornaments, Klezmer Rondos, measures 164-168.
Sometimes he simply describes a passage as “klezmerdic,” as in the clarinet part in
measure 202, where he expects the player to add a wailing type of sound to the bombastic
tune being played in unison with the rest of the brass (see Musical Example 3.32).
Musical Example 3.32. “Klezmerdic” clarinet, Klezmer Rondos, measures 200-205.
At this point, the clarinetist is playing E-flat clarinet, which adds to the screeching quality
that projects over the ensemble.
69
The solo flute part is full of embellishments as well, including numerous trills and
grace notes. The most significant appearance of ornamentation occurs during the piccolo
doina, as it portrays a more improvisatory quality. This section includes pitch bends as
well as the use of alternate fingerings to create timbral changes within a sustained note
(see Musical Examples 3.33 and 3.34).
Musical Example 3.33. Piccolo timbral trill, Klezmer Rondos, measures 515-516.
Musical Example 3.34. Alternate fingering suggestion for timbre change within sustained piccolo pitch, Klezmer Rondos, measure 555.
In combination with the other previously mentioned influences, the ornamentation
completes the unique character of the traditional style of klezmer music.
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CHAPTER FIVE:
CONCLUSION:
SIGNIFICANCE WITHIN A CULTURAL REPERTOIRE
Paul Schoenfield’s Klezmer Rondos should be viewed as an integral part of the
flute repertoire, providing flutists with a unique piece to showcase their classically
trained skills as well as highlight a neglected, but rich, musical style. This work “was
one of the first serious and successful attempts to employ the eastern European klezmer
style within a classical art music as well as symphonic framework.”42
As he frequently
does in many of his compositions, he uses the elements of traditional klezmer music by
“organically integrating and infusing them within the piece.”43
Schoenfield’s music is
not easy to perform, as it is an attempt to reflect the virtuosic capabilities of the klezmer
musicians of Eastern Europe. The composer himself has proclaimed that his music “is
not the kind of music for relaxation, but the kind that makes people sweat, not only the
performer, but the audience.”
Many other composers have employed traditional folk culture and music into their
works. Béla Bartók spent significant time collecting and analyzing folk music. These
ethnomusicological studies, especially the music of the Hungarian, Romanian and Slovak
peasants, deeply influenced his compositions. His piano pieces written between 1908 and
1911 demonstrate an increasing confidence in the use of folk materials. His fascination
42 Klezmer Concertos and Encores, Milken Archive, Naxos American Classics LC 05537, 2003. Program notes by Neil W. Levin. 43
Ibid.
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with musical detail and subtle observations of variant forms was demonstrated in works
such as his Romanian Folk Dances (1915), Fourth String Quartet (1928) and his Violin
Rhapsodies (1928). In England, Ralph Vaughan Williams was intrigued by British
folksongs, influencing his editorial approach to the English Hymnal (1904), which
contained numerous folk song arrangements set as hymn tunes. He also taught and
conducted at summer schools of the English Folk Dance and Song Society. Aram
Khachaturian relied on Armenian folk music to influence many of his works. Some of
his earliest impressions came from the music of his hometown of Tbilisi, as well as
listening to his mother sing. The various folk trends impacting his style added to the
improvisation, metrical and rhythmic variation, and polythematicism present throughout
his instrumental concertos. Like Schoenfield, these composers integrated the music of
their cultural background with their classical works.
Due to the lack of knowledge regarding the use of the flute in traditional 19th
century klezmer bands, very little music has been written placing the instrument in that
role. This is in contrast to the unchanging flute role in Irish music, the ney in Turkish
music, or the quena in Andean music. Apart from Adrianne Greenbaum’s advocacy and
performance as a klezmer flutist, most contemporary klezmer groups still retain the
clarinet as lead instrument. The collaborative efforts of Carol Wincenc and Paul
Schoenfield have resulted in Klezmer Rondos, a work that offers a unique departure into
an area of world music history that is still relatively unknown while providing a backdrop
for truly virtuosic performance. Qualitative research of klezmer music and its presence in
72
contemporary classical music underscores that Paul Schoenfield has written a significant
work illustrating this historically eclectic music.
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APPENDIX A:
POEM TEXT AND TRANSLATION
YIDDISH ENGLISH
Mirele Mirele
Der Kremerke’s Dwoirele’s Techterel heisst Schein Mirele, Mirele! Un Dwoirele sogt, as ihr einzige Treist Is Mirele, Mirele. Die Sunn scheint bei Tog, die Lewone bei Nacht, Un Mirele steht beidem Fenster un lacht… Lach, Mirele, Mirele! Dos Mirele is chejnewdig, zukerdig schejn, Dos Mirele, Mirele! Sie hot weisse Hentelech, weissenke Zejn- Ach, Mirele, Mirele! Die Jingelech weren far Benkschaft azsh blass- Nor Mirele’s Herzel is kilter vun Eis… Ei, Mirele, Mirele! Var Mirele’s Fensterlech drehn sich arum Seht Mirele, Mirele Die feinste Bochurimlech schweigendig stumm… Hm…Mirele, Mirele… Die Sunn scheint bei Tog, die Lewone bei Nacht, Un Mirele steht bei dem Fenster un lacht… Ei, Mirele, Mirele! Es lihen or Sifzen Himmel aroif----- Ach, Mirele, Mirele! Es nummt nischt kein Essen, es nemmt Nischt kein Schlof- Oi Mirele, Mirele! Es platzen die Herzer var Wehtug un Schmarz, Nor keener konn rihren s’ferfroirene Harz Vun Mirele, Mirele…
The store-keeper, Dwoirele’s daughter is Called beautiful Mirele, Mirele! And Dwoirele says that her only solace Is Mirele, Mirele. The sun shines by day, the moon shines by Night, And Mirele stands by the window and laughs… Laugh, Mirele, Mirele!
This Mirele is graceful, sweetly beautiful, This Mirele, Mirele! She has white little arms, small white teeth- Ah, Mirele, Mirele! The youths are ashen-pale with longing- But Mirele’s little heart is more frigid than ice--- Oh, Mirele, Mirele! Under Mirele’s window wandering about Sees Mirele, Mirele The finest young fellow, mute And silent… Hm…Mirele, Mirele… The sun shines by day, the moon shines by Night, And Mirele stands by the window and laughs… Oh, Mirele, Mirele… The sighs are flying up to heaven--- Oh Mirele, Mirele! One cannot eat, One cannot sleep- Oh, Mirele, Mirele! The hearts are bursting with ache and Pain, But no one can move from the frozen heart Of Mirele, Mirele…
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POEM TEXT AND TRANSLATION – Continued
Die Johren wie Wasseren Schwimmen Awek, She, Mirele, Mirele! Es hot schoin dein Schejnkeit genummen an Eck, Oi, Mirele, Mirele! Schoin finster dein Ponim, geboigen dein Kopp, Un roitlich die Oigen, un groi schoin der Zopp… Groi! Mirele…Mirele… Es leichten die Steren, die Lewone bei Nacht Oif Mirele, Mirele. Sie steht bei dem Fenster verumert, Vertracht- Oi, Mirele, Mirele! Es schwimmen die Wolken ahin un aher, Vun Mirele’s Eigelech kapet a Trer… Wein, Mirele, Mirele…
The years flow by like waters, See, Mirele, Mirele! Your beauty has come to an End, Oh Mirele, Mirele! Your face is haggard, your head is bowed, Your eyes are red-rimmed and your head is already Graying. Graying, Mirele, Mirele! The stars are twinkling, the moon nightly shines On Mirele, Mirele! She stands by the window Saddened, and music- O, Mirele, Mirele! The clouds are wafted to and fro, A tear falls from Mirele’s eyes…. Weep, Mirele, Mirele…
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APPENDIX B:
INSTRUMENTATION
Instrumentation Additional Notes
E-Flat Clarinet Doubles on B-Flat Clarinet
Alto Saxophone Doubles on Soprano Saxophone
Tenor Saxophone The score indicates that in the version using tenor voice, the tenor sax is tacit in measures 368 through 432 and measures 469 through 513.
Trumpet in C
Cornet in B-Flat
Trombone
Tuba
Two Percussionists
One percussionist plays: timpani, tam-tam, castanets, triangle, tambourine, xylophone, glockenspiel, and orchestral bass drum. The other plays the vibraphone and a trap set consisting of: high-hat, suspended cymbal, snare drum, small tom, large tom, and bass drum.
Male Vocalist Optional
Piano
Flute Concertante Solo flute; doubles on piccolo
Strings The score calls for six first violins, six second violins, four violas, four cellos, and two double basses.
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APPENDIX C:
PERFORMANCES OF KLEZMER RONDOS
Date Location Performer(s)
April 1990 (world premiere) Town Hall, New York City
Carol Wincenc, flute; Douglas Webster, baritone; Alasdair Neale, conductor; Solisti New York
Orchestra
October 1990 Indiana University Musical Arts Center
Carol Wincenc, flute; Douglas Webster, baritone; Keith Brown, conductor; Indiana University
Chamber Orchestra
September 1992 (Decca Argo Recording)
Miami Carol Wincenc, flute; Douglas Webster, baritone, John Nelson, conductor; New World Symphony
Orchestra
March 1995 St. Joseph, Michigan Carol Wincenc, flute; Douglas Webster, baritone; Robert Vodnoy, conductor; Southwest Michigan
Symphony Orchestra
March 1995 Ann Arbor, Michigan Carol Wincenc, flute; Douglas Webster baritone; Samuel Wong, conductor; Ann Arbor Symphony
Orchestra
May 1995 New York City Jeanne Baxtresser, flute; Alberto Mizrahi, tenor;
Zdenêk Mácal, conductor; New York Philharmonic
October 1995 Israel Marcelo Ehrlich, flute; Stanley Sperber, conductor; Haifa Symphony Orchestra
August 1996 Breckenridge, Colorado Carol Wincenc, flute; Douglas Webster, baritone;
Carl Topilow, conductor; National Repertory Orchestra
November 1996 University of Illinois Urbana-Champagne
Carol Wincenc, flute; Douglas Webster, baritone; Ian Hobson, conductor; Sinfonia da Camera
February 1998 Indianapolis Carol Wincenc, flute; Douglas Webster, baritone;
Kirk Trevor, conductor; Indianapolis Chamber Symphony
April 2000 New Jersey Performing Arts Center; Jewish Heritage Concert
Bart Feller, flute; Alberto Mizrahi, tenor; Zdenêk Mácal, conductor; New Jersey Symphony
Orchestra
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August 2001 Dallas; National Flute Association International Convention
Michael Faust, flute; Salvador Brotons, conductor; Dallas Symphony Orchestra
November 2003 Manhattan School of Music Carol Wincenc, flute; Alberto Mizrahi, tenor;
Gerard Schwarz, conductor; Chamber Sinfonia of the Manhattan School of Music
July 2004 Ford Amphitheatre, Los Angeles
David Shostac, flute; Alberto Mizrahi, tenor; Noreen Green, conductor; Los Angeles Jewish
Symphony
March 2006 Morristown, New Jersey Carol Wincenc, flute; Robert White, tenor; Leon Hyman, conductor; New Philharmonic of New
Jersey
June 2007 Seattle, Washington Scott Goff, flute; Melvyn Poll, tenor; Gerard Schwarz, conductor; Seattle Symphony Orchestra
January 2008 Ontario Annelie Metrakos, flute; Robert Clark, voice; Timothy Vernon, conductor; Orchestra London
October 2010 Tucson Jewish Community Center
Rachel Kaplan, flute; Dennis Tamblyn, tenor; Lucik Aprahamian, conductor; Tucson metropolitan area freelance musicians
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APPENDIX D:
COMPLETE LIST OF WORKS44
TITLE INSTRUMENTATION DATE OF COMPOSITION
Chamber Works
Quintet
Piano, 2 Violins, Viola, Cello published 1970
Three Country Fiddle Pieces Amplified Violin, Piano, Drum Set 1979; published 1984-87
Six British Folk Songs Cello, Piano 1985
Café Music Violin, Cello, Piano 1986
Four Souvenirs Violin or Flute, Piano 1990
Trio45
Clarinet, Violin, Piano 1990
Tales from Chelm Narrator, String Quartet 1991
High-Rock Ballet46
Amplified Violin, Saxophone, Bass Guitar, Drum Set, Synthesizer, Piano
1994
Slovakian Children’s Songs Flute, Piano 1995
Sparks of Glory Narrator, Violin, Clarinet, Cello, Piano 1995
Sextet Flute, Clarinet, Violin, Cello, Piano, Percussion
1995
Sonatina Flute, Clarinet, Piano published 2000
Four Music Videos Violin, Cello, Piano published 2000
Carolina Reveille Violin, Viola, Cello, Piano 2001
Achat Sha’alti47
Flute, Piano published 2001
Ufaratsta Flute, Piano published 2001
Partita Violin, Piano 2002
Memoirs String quartet 2003
Refractions48
Clarinet, Cello, Piano 2006
Three Bagatelles Flute, Cello, Piano published 2006
44
The majority of Schoenfield’s works are self-published through his own publishing company, Migdal Publishing. In addition, some have been published by Davidge Press, Schirmer, and Carl Fischer. 45
Written for clarinetist David Shifrin. 46
Commissioned by the James Sewell Dance troupe in Minneapolis. 47
Both Achat Sha’alti and Ufaratsta are published as part of a collection entitled “Valentines,” edited by Carol Wincenc. 48
Based on music from Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro.
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COMPLETE LIST OF WORKS - continued Chamber Works, continued
Six Chassidic Songs Flute, Piano 2007
Psychobird, A Sonatina Piccolo, Piano published 2008
Sonata Violin, Piano 2009
49
Commissioned by the Schubert Club of St. Paul, Minnesota for their international series. 50
Written for Robert Vernon, principal violist of the Cleveland Orchestra. The work is based on tunes Schoenfield heard children singing in the kindergarten under his studio in Israel. 51
Commissioned by the Toledo Symphony Orchestra for an event at the Toledo Museum of Art. 52
Commissioned by the Seattle Symphony for its Centennial Season.
Works for Piano Six Improvisations on Hassidic Melodies
Piano published 2003
Peccadilloes49
Piano 1997
Taschyag 2 Pianos published 1996
Five Days from the Life of a Manic Depressive
Piano 4-Hands 1984
Three Pieces (from the suite Five Days from the Life of a Manic Depressive)
Piano 4-Hands 1984
Three Intermezzi Piano 2004
Concerto/Orchestral Works
Klezmer Rondos Flute, Male Vocalist and Orchestra 1989, rev. 1994
Vaudeville Piccolo Trumpet and Orchestra 1988
Viola Concerto50
Viola and Orchestra first published 1998
Collage51
Orchestra 2004 - 2005
Nocturne Cello and Orchestra first published 2002
Four Parables Piano and Orchestra 1982-1983
Sinfonietta52
Orchestra 2004
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COMPLETE LIST OF WORKS - continued
53
Text by Maggie Stearns. Commissioned by Soli Deo Gloria of West Chicago, Illinois. Premiered by the Haifa Symphony Orchestra in Israel in 1998. 54
Libretto by Maggie Stearns. Adapted from a story told by Rabbi Nahman of Bratzlav in 1809. Commissioned and given world premiere by the Opera Theatre of St. Louis June 17, 1999. 55
Text based on a sermon by Reverend R.A. Vernon. Commissioned by The Juilliard School for its Centennial Celebration. 56
Text by Christina Rossetti. 57
Text by Mordecai Gebirtig.
Vocal Works
D’vorah53
Oratorio in 5 parts for black gospel choir and 5 soloists
1998
The Merchant and the Pauper54
Opera, two acts 1999
Four Motets A capella choir published 1996
Channah55
Oratorio first published 2006
A Children’s Game56
Female chorus and piano 4-hands Published 1971
Camp Songs 2 Voices, Clarinet, 2 Violins, Cello, Double Bass
2001
Ghetto Songs57
Mezzo-Soprano, Baritone, Piano 2008
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APPENDIX E:
PERMISSION FOR USE OF MUSICAL EXAMPLES Email from composer dated March 10, 2011 10:25 PM MST From: [email protected] To: [email protected] To Whom It May Concern: This comes to state that Rachel Kaplan has permission to use any of my works, in whole or in part, for her dissertation. Sincerely, Paul Schoenfield Professor of Composition University of Michigan
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APPENDIX F:
PERMISSION FOR PUBLICATION OF TRANSCRIPTION OF
PHONE INTERVIEW WITH CAROL WINCENC
Email from interviewee dated February 21, 2011 12:29 PM MST
From: [email protected] To: [email protected] To Whom It May Concern: It gives me pleasure to grant permission for Rachel Kaplan’s use of our phone interview on September 13, 2010 for any and all necessary presentations of her dissertation on Paul Schoenfield’s Klezmer Rondos for Flute, Male Vocalist and Orchestra. She is performing a service to the scholars and archivists of American Music to have our conversation preserved. Thank you most kindly for your attention, Sincerely, Carol Wincenc Concertizing Solo Flautist Faculty: Juilliard School, Stony Brook University
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APPENDIX G:
TRANSCRIPTION OF PHONE INTERVIEW WITH CAROL WINCENC
Phone Interview dated Monday, September 13, 2010
Rachel Kaplan: What aspects of Paul Schoenfield’s music interested you and drew you to commission a piece from him? Carol Wincenc: I have a long-standing friendship with Paul. We were teenagers together at the Chautauqua Music Festival in Chautauqua, New York. I believe he was sixteen and I was fifteen. He was a little older than I was. That’s when I first met him and of course I was in complete awe as were everybody else in awe of him because he was a sensational keyboardist, I mean, literally. He walked around with a silent keyboard and things like that. He was quite out of the mainstream as a young man and he was already, you could see the fomenting in his being of, you know, his artistry. I think we re-established a friendship in the end of the seventies, I think, because it was the mid-sixties when we knew each other at Chautauqua. We rekindled our friendship through…I forget what it was. I think I first heard his Three Country Fiddle Pieces and I must have called him or gotten in touch with him somehow. I’m a little vague on that. I heard his Café Music, I mean, I was hearing a lot of things that he was writing and I just out and out asked him if he would write a concerto for me because we had a National Endowment for the Arts grant to commission composers. It was myself, Paula Robison commissioned Bob Beaser, Ransom Wilson commissioned Joe Schwantner, and I commissioned Paul Schoenfield. And so that was the very early nineties, I think it was 1990 when we premiered that at Town Hall in New York City. It was an evening that was based on this grant. We recorded the pieces for New World Records. The rest is history and then from there came Slovakian Children’s Songs and then the Valentine’s and the Six Hassidic Songs was written for me and Tom’s Tune. That was another interesting work that he wrote for me that was for the inauguration of Thomas Ehrlich who was the new president of Indiana University and it coincided with my first year at Indiana in 1986. So Paul also wrote a little tune called Tom’s Tune, which also occurs in the trumpet concerto and also in another work. He would kind of, like Vivaldi would recycle a lot of his thematic material in other pieces. RK: Other than it being a concerto, did you have any specific requests for the commission? CW: I did express my absolute love and passion for folk music and also music of Eastern Europe because he came from that background as well. In fact, Slovakian Children’s Songs was an overt homage to my background and also the people who commissioned
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the work, which was Linda and Jack Hoeschler,58
and they had Slovak background in their family too. In terms of Klezmer Rondos, we talked about it being a klezmer concerto and of course I flipped out at the idea, I loved it so much. I was a folk dancer and knew about folk music. I didn’t realize that the slow movement would be this remarkable, Transylvanian, beautiful thing on piccolo. RK: Did you know anything about klezmer music particularly before this? CW: Sure. If you engage in folkloric interests, one knows about klezmer music. But I’m not Jewish, so it didn’t…you know that’s always the association, the wedding band music. Only to discover that the depth of a lot of klezmer has many sources in Eastern Europe. But I certainly knew of it. Then of course, the whole Yiddish song thing…when he said he wanted to have…we talked about that because I was married at the time to the baritone Doug Webster. RK: Did you have any involvement in the revision process or any input that caused him to do the revision? CW: He wanted to include, as a sort of comedic element, the song about Mirele, and I was married at the time to a wonderful lyric baritone, Douglas Webster. You can hear him on the recording. I thought it would be really great if we could have that element of including the voice. So it was perfect that he came up with this idea and it was also a wish of Paul’s too. I’m not sure whether he thought of the song element before I did. I did the DECCA recording with the saxophones instead of the singer. That was for the sake of New World Symphony. They wanted that because I don’t think they wanted to have to bother with a singer. The saxophones were fine, but I have to say that the one with the singer, the original, was my favorite. If I’m not mistaken, Paul said to me that was his version of choice. RK: The 1994 version that I have actually has both the saxophones and the singer but the tenor sax sits out during the singer portion of it. CW: Is that the Philharmonic version when Jeanne Baxtresser did it? RK: The recording I have to go with it is Scott Goff with Seattle Symphony. CW: Right that Gerry Schwarz did. It has singer and saxophones? I don’t have that one.
58
The Hoeschlers founded the Minnesota Commissioning Club in 1990. The club consists of six couples that annually contribute to commission a composer to write contemporary music that is agreeable to listeners and has more emotional content. Before selecting the composer, the group determines the type of ensemble for which the piece should be written. The composer then has free reign over the creation of the music. After the work is completed, the Club takes on the role of executive producers; working to ensure the piece has multiple performances and significant exposure beyond the premier.
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RK: The score says that if a singer is used, the tenor sax is tacet through those measures when the vocalist sings. But there are parts for them during the rest of the piece. CW: I did that with Gerry but I’m blanking on when…I just remember he wanted to do his version. The point is, I didn’t have anything to do with it beyond the DECCA recording with New World Symphony. When I learned that Jeanne Baxtresser wanted to do it with the New York Philharmonic, my understanding is that she wanted a more upbeat ending. Whether that came from the dictate of the New York Philharmonic powers that be or from her, the point is, that’s what happened. I wasn’t even at the premiere with the Philharmonic. I have to say; I was nonplussed, I was upset, because it was so perfect, in my eyes, the way it existed. I think Paul was totally open to it. Composers have to live and eat too. It was a wonderful opportunity for him to have a premier with the New York Philharmonic. I think they even called it a premier even though it was the same piece and I had premiered it. The point is, that it has that upbeat ending. It’s still great music. So no, I didn’t have any say in that latter bit when it got into the Philharmonic’s hands. RK: I hadn’t actually found any information about Jeanne Baxtresser being the one to change that. CW: It could have been a dictate from Kurt Masur, who was the acting music director at the time, I believe. Maybe he’s the one that listened to the piece and said, “No, no, no, we must have upbeat ending!” RK: Sticking with the commissioning process, when he was writing the piece, did you have any particular (other than having the song) input? CW: Absolutely! We went over it…I’ve done this with many composers, saying this really works or this isn’t playable. We changed…you should see my original score. There are parts where I taped over the original with different changes of notes. Sometimes he would modulate to a different key entirely…there were a lot of revisions, let me just put it that way, before the first performance. For me, I want to ensure that a piece has a future so if something really doesn’t work very well, I feel it’s my duty to say, “Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait a minute.” RK: When you started rehearsals, I’m sure things were adapted as well. When things had kind of settled, was there anything you noticed, particular areas or issues that a conductor should be aware of? CW: The slow movement is fascinating, and I must say, Jeanne did work with, I think, David Krakauer, on coming up with a different kind of approach to the piccolo part. I’ve always wanted to go back to David and ask him what exactly did they do there.
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RK: Did you think about doing any additional improvisation? Did he leave it up to you to do some? CW: He did, in a way. Not when the piece was first being born. I just relied on everything that he wrote. Now that it’s had these different evolutions, I think that he’s very open to that. Although it works really well the way he…you can hear the way I recorded it…I like it that way too. I’m trying to get the haunted thing going. RK: What I’m doing with this is showing how he incorporates traditional playing with a classical setting. He’s very clear about writing in what he expects to hear that would make it sound more traditional. So I don’t know how much additional playing around even needs to be done or would be done to make it sound more traditional. When I do the performance, I don’t know how much more beyond what is there I would even want to do. CW: If you took it to a klezmer expert, they might say, “I know that figure and this is the way I do it.” They would probably understand where Paul was coming from and they might say, “Oh yeah, this could go this way.” RK: Did you feel like you needed to learn any stylistic techniques or perfect or change your classical playing skills? CW: I find that because…if I were coming at it cold, like you….well, you’re Jewish so you know these modalities well from having grown up with being in Temple. So you’re familiar with the harmonic language because of that. But if somebody, let’s say a devout Episcopalian who was not conversant or exposed to sitting in Temple or services, then that could all be very new. But I know those sounds and tonalities and the bending of the pitch and the expressivity. That kind of came naturally to me. I could see how a person would have to really…it would be best to educate them to listen to things in order to play this well. And also, all those fast licks, I use a lot of harmonics. Why suffer? In that top octave, use as many harmonics as you can. There’s nasty stuff in there. Just experiment and you’ll probably find some fingerings that work. It’s supposed to have that “whiz by” quality. It can’t get too…it’s not like you’re playing Taffanel/Gaubert here, you have to really rip through it. You get that sort of swinging, euphoric motion going.
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