Sephardic Music

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

SEPHARDIC MUSIC AND ITS ROOTS The rise and much-deserved renaissance of World music in the last few years has created an increasing interest in Sephardic music and has given the Sephardic traditional, popular and liturgical music an unprecedented interest worldwide. Sephardic music was born in medieval Spain and comprises the music and songs, mainly ballads; cantigas; coplas (calendar cycle songs); canciones (songs performed at the royal courts); romances (Hispanic narrative ballads) and wedding song lyrics, preserved by communities formed by the Jews expelled from the Iberian Peninsula at the end of the 15th century. The term Sephardic refers to those Jews who left Spain and Portugal before or at the time of the Inquisition or even afterwards, living as converted New Christians or resuming their Jewish identities where it was safer to do so. Sephardic music varies considerably since most of the Spanish Jews set up house in Mediterranean countries, primarily in Greece, Morocco, Turkey and later in Argentina and Israel. Because so many centuries have passed since the exodus, a lot of the original music has adopted the melodies and rhythms of the various countries where the Sephardim settled in. As a result of this, Sephardic music can be heard with different tunes, languages and different performance styles. Currently, there are many musicians in Israel, Spain and North America who are performing and researching Sephardic songs and even developing new music with elements of Hebrew, Turkish, Arabic, even mixing it with Andalusian flamenco. This class is intended for musicians as well as those with no musical background. With live performances, using audio and visual material, and concentrating on specific examples, this course will give the students the opportunity to learn and enjoy, as well as listen and analyze some of the historical trends that have shaped the richness and variety of the Sephardic tradition. .

Copy Link

Recommended publications

Volume XV Fall 2008 Issue 4
The JournalHALAPID of the Society for Crypto-Judaic Studies Volume XV Fall 2008 Issue 4 Table of Contents From the Editor’s Desk 3 Meetings and Events Sephardic Voices 4 Phoenix Meetings 6 Members Reports Roger Martinez 14 Yvonne Garcia 20 Invited Artist Isabelle Medina Sandoval 22 A Tribute to Cary Herz Mona Hernandez 26 Articles ü Abraham Ben Samuel Zacuto 31 Harry A. Ezratty ü Rodrigo Cota 37 Elaine Wertheimer Book Review 47 2 Winter, 2008, Issue 4 HaLapid: The Journal of the Society for Crypto Judaic Studies ISSN: 1945-4996 Editor: Ron Duncan-Hart Co-Editor: Editorial/Technology: Arthur Benveniste Co-Editor: Scholarly Articles: Abraham D. Lavender Co-Editors: Personal Stories: Kathleen J. Alcalá and Sonya A. Loya Editorial Policy of HaLapid Halapid contributors come from all over the world. The editors respect different national writing styles and, where possible, have left each item in the author’s style. We edit for grammar, spelling and typo- graphical error. Many contributions are memoirs or retelling or family stories and legends. They may or may not be historically accurate although they are indeed valid, sacred memories that have been passed along through time. We do not attempt to change individual perceptions as long as they are reported as such, but we do change obvious misstatements or historical error. We reserve the right to edit material. Opinions expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily of the Society for Crypto Judaic Stud- ies or HaLapid. Articles from HaLapid may not be reprinted without permission. Submission of Articles HaLapid invites the submission of articles related to the mission of the Society for Crypto Judaic Studies.
[Show full text]
Singing the Memory of Sepharad: Traditional Sephardic Song and Its Interpretation
Singing the Memory of Sepharad: Traditional Sephardic Song and its Interpretation Katerina Garcia Abstract The transmission and interpretation of Sephardic songs is inextricably linked to Sephardic culture, and to this day represents a powerful marker of identity. It is the aim of this article to first contextualise traditional Sephardic song by outlining a brief introduction into the cultural background of the Sephardic Diaspora. Subsequently, I will introduce the various secular forms and genres of Sephardic traditional song, focusing on the modes of their interpretation by both contemporary Sephardic and non-Sephardic musicians. In doing so, I will propose a typology of performance approaches, with regards to the role that the re-imagining of Sepharad as a mythical land of the past plays in this process. Keywords: Sephardic music, Judeo-Spanish song, interpretation Introduction The Sephardic Jews, or Sephardim1, represent the second largest ethnic division within Judaism, the first one being the Ashkenazim, or German and Eastern-European Jews. In the narrowest sense of the term, Sephardim are the descendants of the Jews expelled from the Iberian Peninsula at the end of the 15th century (Spain, 1492; Portugal, 1496), and those who assimilated culturally to them in the main areas of Sephardic settlement post-1492 The areas of the Sephardic diaspora are indicated in Figure 1: Figure 1 – The Sephardic Diaspora (Sephiha and Weinstock 1997) Ethnomusicology Ireland 5 (2017) Garcia 172 For the present discussion of traditional Sephardic music, only the areas of the Eastern Mediterranean (incl. the present-day state of Israel), the Balkan Peninsula and North Africa (the former Ottoman Empire) are relevant, as it is here that a specific Sephardic language and culture develop.
[Show full text]
Association of Jewish Libraries N E W S L E T T E R February/March 2008 Volume XXVII, No
Association of Jewish Libraries N E W S L E T T E R February/March 2008 Volume XXVII, No. 3 JNUL Officially Becomes The National Library of Israel ELHANAN ADL E R On November 26, 2007, The Knesset enacted the “National Li- assistance of the Yad Hanadiv foundation, which previously brary Law,” transforming the Jewish National and University contributed the buildings of two other state bodies: the Knesset, Library (JNUL) at The Hebrew University’s Givat Ram campus and the Supreme Court. The new building will include expanded into the National Library of Israel. reading rooms and state-of-the-art storage facilities, as well as The JNUL was founded in 1892 by the Jerusalem Lodge of a planned Museum of the Book. B’nai B’rith. After the first World War, the library’s ownership The new formal status and the organizational change will was transferred to the World Zionist Organization. With the enable the National Library to expand and to serve as a leader opening of the Hebrew University on the Mount Scopus campus in its scope of activities in Israel, to broaden its links with simi- in 1925, the library was reorganized into the Jewish National and lar bodies in the world, and to increase its resources via the University Library and has been an administrative unit of the government and through contributions from Israel and abroad. Hebrew University ever since. With the founding of the State The law emphasizes the role of the Library in using technology of Israel the JNUL became the de facto national library of Israel.
[Show full text]
MINYANIM: BULGARIA Sephardic and Ashkenazic Jews
MI NY ANIM: BULGARIA Sephardic and Ashkenazic Jews By: Elisheva Kupferman; Conceptual Creator: Esti Moskovitz-Kalman 1. Introduction: Jewish culture developed throughout history and around the world. While Jewish people from all over the world share commonalities that unify them, each world Jewish community also incubated its own art, music, liturgy, and customs that is unique to them. And though each distinct community or locale boasts their own traditions, the broadest divide in customs is between the “Sephardic” and “Ashkenazic” communities. The term “Sephardim” refers to the Jewish communities that descended from Jews who lived in Spain and Portugal Before the Spanish Inquisition. More commonly, however, the term “Sephardim” is used in a wider sense to include most Jews of Asian and African origin, who use a Sephardic style of liturgy. Sephardim traditionally pray using Minhag Sefarad , which is quite similar to Nusach Edot haMizrach (liturgy of the Eastern Congregations). The term “Ashkenazim” refers to Jews descended from the medieval Jewish communities along the Rhine in Germany from Alsace in the south to the Rhineland in the north. Though Ashkenazim are literally "German Jews," the term now refers to all Jews from who identify with these traditions, though they span Western, Central, and Eastern European descent. Most Jews from Europe identify as Ashkenazi, with the noted exception of communities near the Mediterranean. The Jewish community of Bulgaria dates back to antiquity, and is made up of both Sephardic Jews (who traditionally spoke Ladino), as well as Ashkenazic Jews. As such, it is fitting that as a local Bulgarian group of Jewish leaders, you would choose to take a deeper look into the ways in which both communities differ, and where they might connect.
[Show full text]
Issue 7, 4 Part 1A.Qxd
THE JEWS IN SPAIN With thanks to the many contributors to this feature in Spain, the UK, the USA and Canada and particular thanks to Michael Alpert and Dominique Tomasov Blinder for the advice they provided. 11 JEWS IN SPAIN TIMELINE MICHAEL ALPERT CHRISTIAN SPAIN JEWS RETURN TO SPAIN 13th century There is rapid Christian 1834-5 Lionel de Rothschild is invited to conquest of Islamic Spain and attempts to Madrid to organise Spanish finances. limit the administrative role of Jews. 1859-60 Spain reconnects with its exiled 1263 Rabbi Moshe ben Nahman Jews in Morocco. A Jewish community (Nahmanides or the Ramban) defends established in Seville. Judaism at Disputation of Barcelona. 1865 Statutes of ‘Purity of Blood’ 1348 The Black Death unleashes attacks abolished. on Jews who are thought to be responsible 1924 Spain allows Sephardim to acquire for the epidemic. Spanish nationality. June 1391 Violent attacks on Jewish 1931 The Constitution of the Second communities. Many Jews accept Republic allows public practice of Christianity. Judaism. 1413-1414 Disputation of Tortosa between 1936-75 The Franco regime impedes the Jewish leaders and converts leads to practice of Judaism but slowly comes to general weakening of Jewish solidarity and tolerate it. mass conversion. However, many converts From late1940s There is a wave of (New Christians) continue to practise immigration of Moroccan Jews. Judaism secretly. 1967 Law of Religious Liberty allows the 1449 Statute of Toledo marks the open practice of Judaism in Spain. beginning of ‘Purity of Blood’ 1970s/ 80s Jewish immigrants arrive from discrimination against Jewish converts to South America, mostly from Argentina, Christianity, reflecting suspicions that the fleeing the oppressive regime and, later, latter still live as Jews.
[Show full text]
Sepharad Spain
ELITE RECOMMENDS ANCIENT SYNAGOGUE / CÓRDOBA SEPHARAD SPAIN A JOURNEY THROUGH SPAIN’S JEWISH HERITAGE The Jewish community in Spain has a long and rich history that stretches back some 2,000 years to Roman times when Jews left Jerusalem and dispersed throughout the world. One of the largest contingents of Jews settled in the land of Sepharad (or Sefarad) as Spain was called in Hebrew language. For centuries, this Sephardic community thrived through times of peace and prosperity. It also endured periods of oppression and prosecution. Today, the vibrant Jewish heritage of the Iberian Peninsula has been rediscovered. Throughout Spain, a revival is underway of Sephardic neighborhoods, medieval synagogues and Jewish cultural events. The confluence of Jewish, Muslim and Christian cultures in this region provides a fascinating journey into the past. This guide will introduce you to the Spanish Jewish sites of prominent cities like Barcelona, Girona, Seville, Jaen, Córdoba, Toledo, Segovia, Cáceres, Ávila, León, Oviedo and Palma. Even beyond the existing cities notable for their Jewish heritage, discoveries of Jewish importance in Spain are still being made to this day, such as in Lorca, where a well-preserved synagogue—visible at the Lorca Parador hotel—is being excavated, and pieces of more than 50 rare glass synagogue oil lamps have been unearthed. Now more than ever, these cities of Sephardic Spain are welcoming guests to explore their vibrant architecture, art, grand hotels and festivals, as well as some of most distinctive fine food and wine in the world. For more information about the country’s rich Jewish heritage, visit www.spain.info.
[Show full text]
Jewish Music
Jewish Music A Concise Study by Mehmet Okonşar [the appendices, containing copyrighted material are removed in this copy] Released by the author under the terms of the GNU General Public Licence Contents Introduction: What Is Jewish Music? 1 How Many Jewish Musics? 4 The Three Main Streams . 4 Ashkenazi and the Klezmer . 4 Sephardi.............................. 5 Mizrahi . 6 Sephardi or Mizrahi? . 6 Genres of Liturgical Music 8 Music in Jewish Liturgy . 8 Genres, Instruments and Performers . 9 Generalities . 9 Bible Cantillation . 9 The Cantor . 12 Prayer-Chant . 12 Piyyutim .............................. 13 Zemirot .............................. 13 Nigunim .............................. 13 Biblical Instrumentarium . 15 Usage of Musical Terms in Hebrew . 19 The Biblical soggetto cavato ...................... 20 Summary of the Archaeological Aspects of Jewish Music . 21 Some Jewish Composers 22 Salomone Rossi (1570-1630) . 22 Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) . 25 Fromental Halévy (1799-1862) . 29 Giacomo Meyerbeer (1791-1864) . 32 Ernest Bloch (1880-1959) . 35 Georges Gershwin (1898-1937) . 38 ii Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951) . 39 Conclusion on Jewish Composers . 43 Jewish Music by non-Jewish Composers 45 Max Bruch and Kol Nidrei ....................... 45 Kol Nidrei . 45 Maurice Ravel (1875-1937) and Kaddish-Deux Mélodies Hébra¨ıques 50 Sergei Prokofieff and Overture sur des ThèmesJuifs . 54 Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975) and Babi Yar . 55 In The Twenty-first Century 60 Diversification . 60 Appendices 62 Radical Jewish Culture by John Zorn . 62 Russian Society for Jewish Music . 64 Jewish Music Research Centre . 66 Wagner and the “Jewness” in Music . 67 The original article of 1850 . 67 Reception of the 1850 article . 69 1850-1869 . 69 The 1869 version and after .
[Show full text]
Livorno: a Crossroads in the History of Sephardic Religious Music Prof
Page 1 of 12 Livorno: A Crossroads in the History of Sephardic Religious Music Prof. Edwin Seroussi This article appeared in the Spring 2003 issue of Notes from Zamir. From "The Mediterranean and the Jews: Society, Culture and Economy in Early Modern Times", edited by Elliott Horowitz and Moises Orfali I. INTRODUCTION The geographical location of Italy at the focal point of the Mediterranean cultures is reflected in the music traditions of its Jewish communities. Throughout the centuries, several musical traditions developed among Italian Jews: the "Italiano" rite (centered in Rome), the "Tedesco" (German, i.e. Ashkenazic) tradition in the North and, from the early 16th century, several Sephardic traditions of different geographical origin (Greece, Turkey, North Africa and, later on, Western Europe) *1 The vitality of these distinctive traditions declined steadily from the late 19th century, and even more sharply after World War II. The influence of Italian art music, particularly noticeable from the 19th century on, was also a significant factor in the shaping of their present state. Surviving synagogue music from Italy thus shows traces of the interaction between different traditions. *2 Detailed studies of selected traditions should, therefore, precede any comprehensive study of ltalian synagogue music. *3 I shall focus here on the synagogue music from Livorno (Leghorn) from the 18th century onwards. I would like to stress in particular the role played by this community as a cultural crossroads, that is, as a location where the carriers of different Sephardic traditions from the Eastern and Western Mediterranean encountered and enriched each other. In the 18th century the community of Livorno inherited the leadership of the Sephardic Jews in Italy from the community of Venice, as Bonfil (1992) has already stressed.
[Show full text]
Intergenerational Memory, Language and Jewish Identification of the Sarajevo Sephardim
INTERGENERATIONAL MEMORY, LANGUAGE AND JEWISH IDENTIFICATION OF THE SARAJEVO SEPHARDIM REFLECTIONS ON BELONGING IN BOSNIA- HERZEGOVINA/YUGOSLAVIA, ISRAEL AND SPAIN Jonna Rock Dissertation zur Erlangung des akademischen Grades Doctor philosophiae (Dr. phil.) Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin Sprach- und literaturwissenschaftliche Fakultät Institut für Slawistik und Hungarologie Gutachter: 1. Prof. Dr. Christian Voß 2. Prof. Dr. David L. Graizbord Datum der Verteidigung: 20.02.2019 Funding This work was supported by ERNST LUDWIG EHRLICH STUDIENWERK Acknowledgements Above all, I would like to thank my interviewees in Sarajevo – Matilda Finci, Erna Kaveson Debevec, Laura Papo Ostojić, Yehuda Kolonomos, Igor Kožemjakin, Tina Tauber, Vladimir Andrle, A.A. and Tea Abinun – for sharing their reflections with me. I moreover express gratitude for the consultation I have had with Jakob Finci, the president of the Sarajevo Jewish Community, Dr Eliezer Papo, its non-residential rabbi, Elma Softić Kaunitz, its secretary general, and Dr Eli Tauber, who is responsible for the Community’s cultural activities. Further, I am most grateful to my first PhD supervisor, Professor Christian Voß, for his patience with the working process and extremely helpful and encouraging feedback and inspiring suggestions. Professor Voß did not only offer constructive comments on my work but also provided a creative and stimulating academic environment within his Lehrstuhl. He introduced me to a number of experts in my field of study (Professor Ivana Vučina Simović, Professor Kateřina Králová, Professor Jolanta Sujecka, among others), and he gave me an opportunity to participate in and/or organize international conferences, workshops and research seminars. Without Professor Voß’ expertise and guidance throughout my doctoral research (2014-2018), this endeavour would not have been possible.
[Show full text]
Jewish Music Elementary
PREMIUMPREMIUM TORAHTORAH COLLEGECOLLEGE PROGRAMSPROGRAMSTaTa l l Jewish Music Elementary February 2019 Elementary Jewish Music - Study Guide - The Jewish Music exam focuses on Jewish music, from Biblical times until the contemporary era. Students are expected to display knowledge of the history of Jewish music, understand the traditional relationship between music and religion, and identify different types of music, such as klezmer,chazzanus , Chassidic niggunim, Ladino folksong, Yiddush folksong, Israeli folk music, yeshivish music, and many more. The exam is based on the material found in the text, Jewish Music: An Orthodox Perspective, from Biblical Times to the Modern Era, which is accompanied by a CD of selected Jewish music. The exam includes three sections: I. Multiple Choice 30 multiple choice questions [33.3% of the grade] II. Short Answers 10 short-answer questions (from a choice of 13) [33.3% of the grade] III. Listening Questions 10 multiple choice questions [33.3% of the final grade] NOTE: Students are expected to provide answers that are based on the readings from the assigned text, even in cases where there may be an additional correct answer. This Study Guide is the property of TAL and MUST be returned after you take the exam. Failure to do so is an aveirah of gezel. JewishMusicElemSP v01 © 2019 by Torah Accreditation Liaison. All Rights Reserved. Elementary Jewish Music In this Study Guide you will find: • The syllabus with study questions on each section of the reader (page 4). • A sample exam (page 30). Please use the sample exam to familiarize yourself with the type of questions that will be asked.
[Show full text]
UNIVERSITY of CALIFORNIA Los Angeles Jews, Music-Making, And
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA Los Angeles Jews, Music-Making, and the Twentieth Century Maghrib A dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy in History by Christopher Benno Silver 2017 © Copyright by Christopher Benno Silver 2017 ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION Jews, Music-Making, and the Twentieth Century Maghrib by Christopher Benno Silver Doctor of Philosophy in History University of California, Los Angeles, 2017 Professor Sarah Abrevaya Stein, Chair From the early twentieth century and through at least mid-century, indigenous North African Jews came to play an outsized role as music-makers and music-purveyors across the Maghrib. In Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia, all under French rule until the middle of the twentieth century, Jewish vocalists and instrumentalists, record label artistic directors and concessionaires, commercial agents, and sonic impresarios utilized the phonograph and recording technology to safeguard and promote traditional music –– described alternately as “Arab,” “Muslim,” and “Andalusian” –– and to pioneer popular musical forms mixed in style and language (often blending Arabic with French). Those forms produced an emerging realm of popular culture between World War I and World War II. ii Jewish prominence in music was challenged during the interwar period. That challenge emanated from a set of French officials and Muslim elites, who were uneasy with minority overrepresentation in a heritage increasingly considered in national terms and increasingly understood as the exclusive domain of the majority. With the fall of the French Third Republic and the rise of the Vichy Regime during the Second World War, Maghribi Jewish musicians in North Africa and those in metropolitan France were further sidelined and silenced –– although never completely.
[Show full text]
Sephardic News in Dedication to a Heritage Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary Sephardic Council of Overseers
YESHIVA UNIVERSITY SEPHARDIC NEWS IN DEDICATION TO A HERITAGE RABBI ISAAC ELCHANAN THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY SEPHARDIC COUNCIL OF OVERSEERS VOLUME XXXVIII I NO. 1 I FALL 2018 – SPRING 2019 / 5778 – 5779 New YU President Rabbi Ari Berman Meets Sephardic Leaders The SCO is a lay leadership council under the aegis of YU’s Sephardic Community Programs and includes representatives from the Syrian, Persian, Iraqi, Moroccan, Judeo-Spanish, Spanish-Portuguese, Bukharain, Yemenite, and other Middle Eastern communities who 5 are active in their respective com- munities in leadership roles in the gathered group of leaders. Rabbi Yeshiva to serving the Sephardic various synagogues and Jewish day Berman talked warmly and world at large, and the Sephardic 1 schools throughout the Sephardic engagingly about the Sephardic campus community, which is enclaves of NY and NJ. students on campus. He also fielded literally a parallel microcosm of the Rabbi Dr. Herbert C. Dobrinsky, During the spring 2018 semester, questions and comments from the Sephardic population throughout Vice President for University YU President Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman group regarding his vision for YU the world. Affairs and co-founder of Yeshiva’s met Sephardic lay leaders at an as he takes the helm of Yeshiva’s Dr. Dobrinsky as well as Rabbi ,ucuyu ,unhgb ,ucr ohbak ufz, Sephardic Programs in 1964, evening event hosted by the leadership into the next exciting Berman and Rabbi Tessone all May you merit many years in good health and happiness. introduced Rabbi Berman before Sephardic Council of Overseers era in YU’s growth. expressed their excitement at the his keynote presentation to the (SCO) at YU’s Beren Campus.
[Show full text]