Klezmer

The Sound

• Expressive melodies
• Reminiscent of the human voice, complete with laughing and weeping
• Meant to imitate liturgical singing
• Often facilitates dancing ie. weddings
• Pace can slow to a near halt, picking up slowly, and then burst into a happy son again
• Blends Yiddish instrumental with jazz

Instrumentation

• Because of a history of persecution, klezmorim (musicians) preferred instruments that were portable
• Clarinet
• Violin
• Trumpet
• Accordion
• Cymbalom

Language

• Klezmer is generally instrumental, but often accompanies a wedding entertainer (emcee)
• Klezmer is often played in Jewish prayer "modes"
• Ahava Rabboh - "abounding love"
• Mi Shebeirach - "He who blessed"
• Adoyn-y Moloch - "My lord reigns"
• Yishtabach - "It shall become superb"

The Jewish Diaspora

Untitled Slide

Klezmer is primarily a musical tradition of Ashkenazi Jews in Eastern Europe. There is also a Sephardic tradition that traces back to the 15th century expulsion of Jews from Spain.

Geography

Cultural History

• After the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD, rabbis discourages the used of musical instruments
• Musicians continued to emerge at weddings and celebrations for merrymaking
• Based secular instrumental music upon devotional vocal music of synagogues
• Strongly influenced by Romanian music

The word KLEZMER comes from the Hebrew words "tool to make music" and later became a pejorative to refer to musicians themselves. During the 16th to 18th centuries, this replaced the word LEYTES, or "clown."

"Klezmorim"

• Klezmorim and other entertainers continued to be looked down upon by rabbis, mostly for their traveling fun-loving lifestyle
• Many faced persecution in Ukraine, etc.
• In the U.S., Yiddish-speaking Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe arrived between 1880-1924, coming into contact with American jazz

Famous Klezmer Bands

• The Klezmatics
• The Klezmorim
• The Klezmer Conservatory Band
• Kapelye
• Burning Bush
• Dave Tarras

Klezmer has continued to influence world music by providing traditional inspiration to Jews the world over and making new connections with avant-garde jazz, third-wave ska, and New Orleans funk among many other genres