Early Klezmer

Many times I have purchased historical recordings of music to be disappointed with the educational but unlistenable species of ethnomusicology that thrived in old recordings. This, however, is a gem. There are many tunes here that will stay in your head and make you want to hum. The recordings are a little fuzzy due to their age, but the mastery of the musicians make it more than bearable. Abe Schwartz is the mensch!

This is a definite must if you want to learn klezmer from the old school (78's). This is the stuff most modern klezmer players go to in order to find material and learn how to play it authentically. There are also some really cool solos and players here.

Put aside your preconceived notions about klezmer because this superb collection ably demonstrates that this kind of music need not always sound like something from the soundtrack to Fiddler on the Roof, although certain tracks may very well conjure up images of shtetls in your head. "Klezmer Music" features Jewish musicians of mostly Eastern European origin performing material as diverse as the countries from which they came. Although often rooted in ancient Hebrew melodies, the music of the klezmorim (musicians) was greatly influenced by Slavic, Greek, Turkish, and Romanian music, a reflection of the migratory nature of Ashkenazi Jews during the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. The most fascinating thing Klezmer Music reveals is that, in many cases, Jewish instrumentalists were not just preserving their own musical heritage, but the musical heritage of other cultures as well. Recorded in both Europe and the US, this is passionate stuff - at times exuberant and at other times melancholy, but always coming directly from the heart, as all true folk music should.

The multicultural background of the first track, "Doina and Hora" sets the tone for this compilation. As Dr. Martin Schwartz's detailed booklet notes explain, a doina is an archaic pre-Roman improvisatory musical form that originated in Dacia (now part of modern-day Romania) noted for its "slow, intense, non-metrical" characteristics. Originally a rural style, the doina tradition was carried on by Jewish, Gypsy, and Greek musicians who resided and performed in cities during its heyday in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The second part of the recording features an uptempo hora intended for dancing. With Jacob Hoffman's impeccable xylophone playing and backing from Kandel's Orchestra, this piece covers a tremendous amount of musical territory in a mere three minutes. One of this disc's stars is violinist Abe Schwartz, who was originally from Romania and whose orchestra was the most prolific klezmer band of the 1910s and 1920s in terms of recordings. While magnificent sides such as "Mechutonim Tantz," the jolly "Der Shtiller Bulgar," and "Sher" serve as excellent examples of the virtuosity of the fiddler's ensemble, material such as the mesmerizing "National Hora Part II," a duet between Schwartz and his pianist daughter Sylvia, shows that he did not always have to play with a large group in order to produce an engaging performance. The other star on "Klezmer Music" is clarinetist Naftule Brandwine (or Brandwein), who hailed from Galicia, which is now divided between Poland and Ukraine. He and his orchestra create klezmer magic on "Kallarash," a record that is practically definitive for the genre and is my favorite track on this anthology. Brandwine alternately makes his clarinet sound like it's laughing or crying and at times conversing with the other instruments. His collaboration with Abe Schwartz's Orchestra on "Fihren die Mechutonim Aheim" is predictably excellent, and the translation of the similarly outstanding "Oi Tate, S'is Gut" says it all: "Oh, (heavenly) Father, it's good." Yes, it is. And so is "Turkische Yalle Very Uve," which has a title that indicates its western Anatolian origins.

This compilation also features tracks that spotlight the enchanting sound of the cimbalom, the Hungarian hammered dulcimer, on the driving "Sadigurer-Chisud." which pairs the appealing combination of Joseph Moskowitz on the aforementioned instrument and Max Yussim on piano, in addition to the haunting "Haneros Haluli" by H. Steiner (from 1909!) and equally atmospheric two-part "Doina" by S. Koch (from circa 1911!). Others outstanding sides include the raucous "Sirba" by Orchestra Orfeon and "Kleftico Vlachiko" (whose first part almost sounds like something from a Morricone-scored Spaghetti Western) by Orchestra Goldberg, both recorded in Istanbul, Turkey respectively in 1912 and 1908.

If you're looking for a first-rate introduction to old school klezmer, this is it.

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