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KLEZMER: AN EXPLORATION OF A GENRE THROUGH
ARRANGING AND PERFORMING
______
A Thesis Presented to the Honors Tutorial College, Ohio University
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In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for Graduation from the Honors Tutorial College with
the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Music
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by Nikhita Sheller
26 April 2019
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INTRODUCTION
Klezmer is the traditional music of Ashkenazi (Eastern European) Jews. The word
“klezmer” is a combination of two Hebrew words- kle, meaning “vessel,” and zemer , meaning
“song.”1 Originally, this word referred to an instrument, but gradually came to describe the
musician him/herself.2 By the sixteenth century, the word klezmer was being used by Eastern
European Jews to describe the socio-economic group of instrumentalists who performed music at
ritual festivities.3 The instrumentation of klezmer is unique; often, a violin or clarinet will be in
the leader of the band, with accordion, drums, and brass horns playing an accompaniment role.
Starting in the mid-sixteenth century, klezmer musicians and bands performed for Jewish
traditional holidays, weddings, and other communal events. Klezmer sings and cries, rejoices and
grieves, all in the same breath.
This thesis aims to provide a comprehensive guide to skillfully arranging and performing
klezmer. This guide was devised based on my own personal experience in arranging and
performing klezmer at my lecture recital at Casa Nueva in Athens on March 28th, 2019 at
6:30pm.
In order to understand the technique of arranging and performing klezmer, some
historical background is necessary.
HISTORY
A. Early history- Middle Ages to 20t h century
1 Hankus Netsky, “An Overview of Klezmer Music and Its Development in the U.S,” (1998), 5-12. 2 Yale Strom, S hpil: The Art of Playing Klezmer, (Lanham, Scarecrow Press, 2012), 3. 3Joel Rubin. T he Art of the Klezmer: Improvisation and Ornamentation in the Commercial Recordings of New York Clarinetists Naftule Brandwein and Dave Tarras, (Unpublished Doctoral Thesis, City University London, 2001), 20.
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Music has been present in Jewish culture since biblical times. Ancient Jews believed in
the spiritual and healing power that came from performing sacred music, an idea reinforced in
the Old Testament. The first Jewish musician described in the Old Testament is Jubal, an organist
and harpist, son of Lamech.4 Jews in ancient Israel practiced secular music in their daily lives,
whereas the Levites (ancient Israelites who descend from the Tribe of Levi) were specifically
trained to play sacred music in the Temple.
The destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE changed the lives of both the Jews and
the Levites. The Jews migrated around the world, and the Levites, relieved of their musical duty,
stayed to mourn their loss. The rabbis banned all instrumental music on the basis of mourning for
Zion until the Messiah would come to rebuild the temple. The rabbis grew to see secular music
as frivolous and decadent, like that of Greek culture. These attitudes carried forward in Jewish
culture into the seventeenth century and painted klezmer in a negative light.5
During the Christian Middle Ages, traveling musicians played secular music and songs in
courts and market squares all throughout Europe. The Jewish musicians among them were called
shpilmen (Yiddish for “glee men”). Eventually, these men adapted and picked up new forms of
entertainment, such as clowning. They were referred to as letsim, possenreiser, and narim
(plural), which were all various words used to describe fools or clowns. Being one of the letsim
eventually became comparable to that of the role of a batkhan, a wedding bard, or a marshalik, a
wedding marshal.6
The combination of the Jewish community’s disapproval of the above art form and the
lack of space to practice it led letsim and shpilmen to erect their own dance halls, called Juden
4 Strom, S hpil, 1. 5 S trom, 1. 6 Strom, 14.
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Spielhäuser (plural) . These dance halls sprung up throughout Jewish ghettos in Germany, France,
Holland and Switzerland. In 1190, Augsburg, Germany hosted one of the first Jewish dance
halls.7 Klezmer guilds would be hired to play in the halls or weekly dances. Eventually, this
popularity pushed the rabbis to remove some prohibitions on music in their religious community.
Women were now allowed (though the prohibition had earlier been ineffective) to dance with
men, play instrumental music, and sing in public.8
From the Middle Ages through the seventeenth century, letsim (in Germany, Bohemia,
Moravia and Silesia) played a wide variety of instruments. These instruments included the
cittern, lute, zither, shawm, harp, flageolet and harpsichord, dudelzak , Judenleier, positive,
Judenharfe, zink and the hackbr ett .9 Similar to a French bagpipe in size, the dudelzak (“tootle
sack”) was a melody pipe attached to a sheepskin or goatskin bag. The Judenleier was used
mainly by poorer Jewish musicians and resembled a hurdy-gurdy. The positive was a fixed
organ. Also known as a Jew’s Harp, the Judenharfe was played mainly to accompany voice. The
zink was a leather-wrapped goat’s horn with six holes and a trumpet’s mouthpiece. The hackbrett
10 was most closely-related with a hammer dulcimer.
B. 17th Century through 19th century
Following the defeat of the Ottoman Turks in 1699, klezmer musicians from southern
Poland, Bohemia and Moravia integrated musically with the Roma community or started solo
careers in Hungary. Since Constantinople had several major trade routes, klezmer musicians
went traveling to pick up tunes (especially from Roma musicians on the road) and spread their
7 Strom, S hpil, 10. 8 Strom, 2. 9 Strom, 2. 10 Strom, 2-3.
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own music. The emancipation of the Jews by the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1867 caused
klezmer musicians of the western part of the empire to seek out better-paying jobs, while others
chose to assimilate with the rest of the empire. In Ottoman Moldavia and Czarist Bessarabia,
klezmer musicians chose not to assimilate and instead chose a life that was still under the
influence of local rabbis or r ebes. Work for the klezmer and Roma musicians was abundant.11
C. Twentieth century and forward
The largest migration of Jewish people since the Spanish Inquisition happened between
1880 and 1924. Nearly one-third of all Eastern-European Jews fled to the United States. to
escape poverty, pogroms, and anti-Semitism. Yiddish culture began to fade as Jews were thrown
into industrial American life. Whereas weddings in their home countries had been a week-long
celebration, immigrant Jews celebrated smaller weddings in a single day.12
D. Revival
In America, klezmer grew out of obscurity to a resurgence in the 1970’s. American
Jewish musicians began to draw repertoire from recordings, Yiddish film musicals, published
klezmer melody collections, and material transmitted from Eastern European elders. The
repertory of klezmer expanded from the traditional, Yiddish-speaking Jewish world to fusion
with modern genres and original compositions onto the concert stage.13
E. Timeline of the genre
Klezmer is a folk dance-band genre. Sokolow speculates that this music was
non-harmonic in its beginnings, and became more dance-band focused later on. He also suggests
11 Strom, S hpil, 9. 12 Strom, 18. 13 A bigail Wood, T he Multiple Voices of American Klezmer, 369.
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that originally, the musicians all played melody at the same time over drones.14 The
mid-nineteenth century introduced new counterpoint and harmony to the genre, and during the
forties, klezmer even “swung.” In recent decades, klezmer music has taken after disco and rock,
featuring disco beats, electric guitar, horn licks, and bigger drumsets.15
The majority of traditional klezmer music today is in Polish-Ukrainian style, originating
from Jewish musicians in Belarus, Lithuania, Poland, Ukraine and Russia. In the eastern parts of
the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Ottoman empire, klezmer music had a more near Eastern
sound than other parts of Eastern Europe. The second-most dominant klezmer style,
Romanian-Turkish, stemmed from (what is today) Eastern Hungary, the Carpathian region and
Romania (including the former provinces of Bukovina and Bessarabia). Klezmer musicians in
the Czarist army performed Romanian repertoire that included waltzes and marches.
Constantinople’s population of Ashkenazi Jews included many Ukrainian and Polish ancestors
who sought refuge during the Chmielnicki pogroms (1648-1649) and Great Deluge.16 The two
capitals of these differing styles was Berdiciv, Ukraine, and Iasi, Romania. In Berdiciv during the
nineteenth century, some fifty klezmer musicians and virtuosi led bands that grew in popularity
throughout the southwest part of Ukraine and Galicia. In Iasi, during the mid-nineteenth century
through the beginning World War II, klezmer musicians and bands gained popularity in Moldavia
and Bessarabia.17
By the end of the nineteenth century, the majority of klezmer musicians dwelled in the
Pale of Settlement in Czarist Russia. This territory comprised about twenty percent of European
14 Pete Sokolow, K lezmer Guide: Piano and Keyboard, Arranging and Orchestration, Transcriptions. Cedarhurst, 2013. 15 Sokolow, 54. 16 Strom, S hpil, 8-9. 17 Strom, 10.
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Russia, and was economically depressed. The majority of Polish and Russian Jews were crowded
into the area between 1835 and 191518
F. Lifestyle of a klezmer musician
Towards the end of the nineteenth century, the staple of klezmer employment was Jewish
weddings. On top of being poorly paid for gigs, the klezmorim were seen as unsavory characters
in the Jewish community. A stereotype for the klezmer musician was to be some sort of drunk,
prostitute, gambler, thief or smuggler, rather than a close follower of the Talmud. The Jewish
community was further apprehensive of them because klezmorim had their own jargon that they
used to speak in secret to talk in front of others. This jargon included sexual innuendo, disdain,
humor and sarcasm.19
UNDERSTANDING KLEZMER
In order to discuss klezmer arranging and performing, we must first examine its forms,
harmonic structure, orchestration, and techniques.
A. Dance forms
1. Bulgar/Frailach
The frailach is one of the most common klezmer forms. The name comes from the
Yiddish word frey, meaning “happy.” The time signature of this style is 2/4 or sometimes 4/4.20
Bass and chordal instrument accompaniment plays an “oompah” 2-beat. The meter of the
bulgar form is 3/4 or 4/4 time. The tempo of these songs is moderate to fast.21 The name
“Bulgar” comes from the fact that the form uses a basic Bulgarian drum beat in 8/8 (3+3+2).22
18 Strom, S phil, 11. 19 Str om, 11. 20 Strom, 8. 21 Sokolow, K lezmer Guide, 54. 22 S okolow, 54.
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2 . Sher
The name sher comes from the Yiddish word for “scissors” and is another common
Jewish dance. This style is a slower version of the bulgar and features more sixteenth-note
melodies.23 Jewish enthnomusicologist Moishe Beregovski theorizes that the dance came from a
1562 German song melody, “Der Sherer oder Schartanz.” 24
3. Hora/Zhok
Horas, also known as zhoks , only emphasize beats 1 and 3. Horas are typically written in
triple meter, such as 3/8. The emphasis of the beats is on 1 and 3, omitting beat 2.
Its slow tempo makes it a suitable piece for ornamentation.25
4. Doina
The doina is a showcase for improvisation. Soloists mimic cantorial phrasing and
vocalizations while accompanists play drones and tremolando for the most part. Doinas are often
part of a three-part suite that consist of a doina, zhok, and bulgar. 26
5. Dobranotsh
This is Russian for “good night.” This song was played at the end of the weddings as the
band accompanied the newlyweds and their parents to their respective homes. This song is
generally played in 4/4 time.27
23 Sokolow, K lezmer Guide, 55. 24 Strom, S hpil, 7. 25 Sokolow, 19. 26 Sokolow, 55. 27 Strom, 6.
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6. Fantazi
This dance style, Yiddish for “fantasy,” is a wedding song with no strict form and is
played at the table where the newlyweds and their parents dined.28
7. Khusidl
The Khusidl is a slow Khasidic dance in 2/4 time that could either be performed as a
circle or line dance.29
8. Koyletch tants
Yiddish for “dance of the challah bread,” this wedding dance happened at the end of the
ceremony and involved a special twisted bread that a matriarch would hold before the
newlyweds as they danced through the town to a wedding feast. The guests would sing to the
groom: “V os vilstu: di khale oder di khale? ,” which was Yiddish for “What do you want: the
bread or the bride?.” 30
9. Mazltov tants
The name mazltov tants means “congratulations” or “good luck dance” in Hebrew. These
dances are performed several times during the wedding ceremony and feast. First, they are
performed before the ceremony while the bride dances with all of her friends; second, when the
groom veils the bride; third, when the batkhn (a wedding bard who served a sort of comical host
position) calls forth the women to dance in turn with the bride and wish her good luck; finally,
when the bathkn calls the guests forward during the meal to congratulate the newlyweds, and
then the guests dance to the melody in 3/4 or 3/8 time.31
28 Strom, S hpil, 6-7. 29 Strom, 7. 30 S trom, 7. 31 Strom, 7, 14.
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10. Tish-nign
Yiddish for “good-night.” Despite being wordless, this Khasidic melody held great
spirituality. The r ebe (a spiritual leader belonging to a certain Khasdic sect) and his followers
would sing this kind of song as a welcome for Sabbath on Friday nights. A solo instrument,
usually violin, provided accompaniment in a rubato manner.32
11. Zogekhts
Yiddish for “to say.” This form is in the style of a synagogue prayer. The vocalist of the
band would utilize cantorial techniques such as trills, runs, and scales when performing. The
melody is a rubato improvisation on a prayer motif. Sometimes, it is a segue into a khusidl . 33
12. Terkish
Terkishes are in duple meter and use a Habanera-like rhythm. This style was a staple for
klezmer clarinetist Naftule Brandwein.34
B. Harmonic Structure
Harmonically speaking, klezmer has a fairly simple language. Chords do not get more
than three voices unless they are dominant sevenths or diminished sevenths. There are no major
7ths, minor 7ths, minor 9ths, nor augmented chords in traditional klezmer.35
The genre uses major,36 melodic/harmonic minor scales, in addition to Fraigish (found in
Ahava Raba), Misheberach (an altered version of Dorian), and Molokh (a Mixolydian mode).
The Fraigish mode has half steps between scale degrees 1 and 2, 3 and 4, 5 and 6, and 7 and 8. It
has one-and-a-half steps between scale degrees 2 and 3, and 6 and 7. The Molokh mode is an
32 Strom, S hpil, 8. 33 Strom, 8. 34 Sokolow, K lezmer Guide, 19. 35 Sokolow, 53. 36 Sokolow, 15.
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altered major mode with a whole step between scale degrees 7 and 1, which changes to a half
step when leading into a harmonic-melodic cadence. The Misheberach mode has half steps
between scale degrees 2 and 3, 4 and 5, and 6 and 7. It has one-and-a-half steps between scale
degrees 3 and 4.37
C. Orchestration
Klezmer has three instrument families. The first is melody, which includes violin,
clarinet, trumpet, flute and piccolo, mandolin, and soprano sax. The second is harmony and
counterpoint, which is usually played by trombones, saxophones (excluding soprano), viola, and
cello. The last family is a mixture of rhythm and chords, including piano, accordion, keyboard,
guitar, banjo, bass, and tuba.
The combination of instruments is determined by the tone of the instrument, which
includes their how they are used and what their pitch range is.38 The usage of these instruments
depends on their context within the piece and the ensemble.
1. Melody instruments
When instruments traditionally used for melody in klezmer do have the melody, they
must follow voicing rules for balancing. When referring to range, I will use it in description of
the instrument’s individual range, which varies between instruments. Violin uses low to medium
range, flute uses high range, clarinet uses low to medium range when solo. When clarinet and
flute are paired, they both use medium to high ranges.
These rules change when “melody instruments” are used for harmony, and are based on
the instrumentation and the intervals between them. In the case of violin and flute as part of the
37 Sokolow, K lezmer Guide, 15. 38 Sokolow, 42.
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harmony in thirds, if the flute is playing in a high range, the violin must go into a lower range to
blend; otherwise, violin on top is the best balance when playing in thirds. When flute and clarinet
are in thirds, the best balance is the flute on top. In the case of violin and clarinet playing
harmony together, the violin should be on top, and the clarinet should be on the bottom. These
rules are somewhat different when the interval between two instruments is a sixth. When flute is
on top, violin is below. When either flute or violin is with clarinet, the clarinet is below. In the
event that trumpet is employed, it lays below clarinet, flute, and/or violin.39
The balance of the klezmer ensemble is best when there is a larger front line of melody
instrument, such as a combination of trumpet, clarinet, and violin. When these instruments are
playing in unison, trumpet and violin are best in the same octave while clarinet is an octave up.
In the event that these instruments play in harmony, clarinet should be a third above the
trumpet and the violin should be an octave above the trumpet. As a general rule, when there are
multiple “melody” instruments at once, each one should be paired as either a lead or a third
below that lead.
Less traditional instruments, such as mandolin, cello, saxophone, and keyboard, have
been introduced to the klezmer repertoire in the past century. Mandolin is a unique case because
of its techniques; it can play tremolando (a rapid oscillation of the strings). When in trumpet
range, an octave up for a solo, or play in trumpet-range counterpoint harmony. When blending in
the ensemble is necessary, saxophones and lower string instruments can be used. Clarinet and
flute and alto sax create, as Sokolow notes, a “beautiful blend” in unison or harmony. If violin,
viola, and cello are employed in the melody, they should play in octaves.40
39 S okolow, K lezmer Guide, 43. 40 Sokolow, 43.
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When trumpet, trombone and alto/tenor saxophone are utilized, they give a “brass
section” feeling. Trumpet and alto saxophone should harmonize with the trombone when the
trombone plays counterpoint. Trumpet and trombone, or trumpet and alto saxophone, are
especially strong when playing in sixths. Tenor and baritone saxophone can substitute for
trombone in playing counterpoint, and baritone sax can be used as a substitute for tuba. Soprano
saxophone can be a substitute for trumpet, but clarinet is a better choice as soprano saxophone
has intonation issues.41
Piccolo is also a unique case. It can play the melody an octave above flute or clarinet, and
it can use counter melody (like the one found in the “Stars and Stripes Forever” by John Philip
Sousa). Eb clarinet can also be a substitute for this instrument, but has intonation issues.
2. Harmony and counterpoint instruments
Harmony and counterpoint instruments include trombone, saxophones, viola, and cello.
In modern klezmer, the trombone specializes in counterpoint. Tenor trombone is the most
standard of the trombones. This instrument does not excel at legato, playing smoothly and
connected. Fast melodic passages are not idiomatic to this instrument as musicians have to
extend their arm in rapid succession in a short amount of time. Saxophones (excluding soprano
saxophone), viola, and cello have a particularly mellower tone than most instruments, making
them ideal for blending. Saxophones can be used as a substitute for counterpoint trombone.42
3. Rhythm and chordal instruments
Rhythm instruments in modern klezmer include piano, accordion, banjo, and drums.
Piano is one of the strongest rhythm instruments when playing in lower to mid-range octaves.
41 S okolow, K lezmer Guide, 43. 42 S okolow, 43.
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Accordion is versatile in melody, harmony, and counterpoint, with a tone that varies from mellow
to bright. Banjo has an almost percussive tone that is edgier than acoustic guitar. Drums in
klezmer are mainly snare drum and cymbals.43
D. Techniques
1. Bowed strings
Stringed instruments have a wide arsenal of techniques that use the bow. Some of the
most common bowing techniques used in klezmer are tremolando, doublestops, spiccato, and
harmonics. When using tr emolando, the bow is rapidly moved up and down on the string,
typically in the top half of the bow. Similar to instruments from the harmony family of klezmer,
bowed string instruments can play doublestops, which is a technique upwards of four notes
played simultaneously. By fingering a note on every string and bowing across all of the strings at
once (or rolling across the strings), string players can outline chords and harmonies. When
chords are played rhythmically in the offbeats, this technique is called “backup.”44 Harmonics are
ethereal pitches found along certain points of the string and are played using a light, airy tip of
the bow and lightly touching the finger pad to the string (but not pressing the string into the
fingerboard). Spiccato involves the bow bouncing off of the string. Bowed strings can also utilize
mutes, small pieces of plastic that attach to the instrument’s bridge, muting some of the
reverberation of the string to create a softer, thinner sound than without the mute.
2. Non-bowed strings
A glissando is movement between two notes without removing the finger pad from the
fingerboard. This creates a sliding sound.
43 S okolow, K lezmer Guide, 53. 44 Sokolow, 43.
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3. Woodwinds
Woodwinds that have been used in modern klezmer performances include flute, clarinet,
piccolo, and saxophone, which all have a unique sound. Flutes can create a thin, eerie tone when
overblowing at the octave. The richest register of clarinet is its lowest, and its upper register is
the most brilliant. Clarinets have a wide range of effects. They can chirp (achieved by tightening
and abruptly loosening the embouchure), trill (achieved by going back and forth between
adjacent notes rapidly), and a glissando (achieved by a combination of finger motion and
loosening of the embouchure). The clarinet can do note bends and squeals using the embouchure.
The different types of saxophones are best used in different contexts. In terms of tone and
range, alto saxophone sits between trumpet and trombone. The tone of tenor saxophone is
suitable for creating blend in an ensemble, and can replace trombone. Baritone saxophone has a
rich, deep tone that can substitute for bass, trombone, or tubas. As for unusual woodwinds
woodwinds, bass clarinet and doublereeds have limited use but can be used as a double for
clarinet, flute, or sax for slow pieces or as background for vocals.
4. Brasses
Klezmer can use a variety of brass instruments in the modern stage. Trumpet is the one of
the strongest brass instruments to use in klezmer because of its strength in sound in all ranges.
Sokolow notes that this is good for “stating the melody.” Starting off phrases in a high register is
difficult to achieve, but the low to middle range is much more stable and approachable. All
brasses can utilize double- and triple-tonguing, and half-valve glissandos (holding a valve down
partially bridge the gap between notes). Brasses utilize mutes in order to change the tone of their
instruments. These mutes include straight (sharp, edgy sound), cup (mellow), solotone (“wa-wa”
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effect), and plunger (a dirtier “wa-wa” effect) mutes. Tubas are used as a combination of bass
and rhythm. They can also be effective as the foundation for a brass choir in slower pieces
5. Rhythm and chordal instruments
Upright bass, in klezmer, is often written with duple emphasis (“oom-pah,” sol-do
motion). Techniques of this instrument include arco, pizzicato, and slap-pizzicato. Accordion can
take on the role of a chordal rhythm instrument or a soloist (effects include bellows attacks and
bellows shakes). Piano is ultimately better to be substituted by an accordion in a klezmer
ensemble. It is best used for rhythmic chords, but not ideal for solos. Electronic keyboard can be
overpowering in an ensemble but can be a substitute for piano. Woodwind and string patches
work when playing background for vocals. Guitar and banjo is used for rhythmic chords. Banjo
is a substitute for drums in pieces like frailachs (see below). Acoustic guitar needs to be
microphoned in order to cut through the sound of the ensemble. Electric guitar is inappropriate
for this genre because it cannot be used discretely within the ensemble. Mandolin is a melody
instrument that relies heavily on near-constant tremolando because it is not very resonant.
Otherwise, this instrument is bright and piercing and good for doubling.
Drums in klezmer include snare drums and cymbals. They are typically used in a
press-roll style (define), and sound similar to military and early-dance band genres. Tom-toms
are sometimes used for background tremolando in doinas. Other percussive instruments in
klezmer include the woodblock (used for novelty effect in frailachs ) and tambourine (solo and
also sometimes on the high-hat). The least common, but are still instruments that have been used
by klezmer ensembles, include sleighbells, slappers, and ratchets.
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6. Harmony and counterpoint instruments
A trombone can glissando better than any other instrument. The standard for counterpoint
is tenor trombone. It can act as substitute for bass when quasi-basslines.
H. Additional klezmer techniques
1. Improvisation
Improvisation in klezmer started with the lead melody instrumentalist after playing the
tune three or four times. While the accompanying instruments played the tonic chord
rhythmically beneath them, the soloist would improvise in the mode of the piece. Following his
improvisation, they would signal either to the other musicians to go back to the top of the tune,
or signal another musician to continue to improvise.
2. Ornamentation
Klezmer is a genre in which alterations and creativity are essential. No performance
should be the same. Klezmer musicians are able to alter and embellish their tunes with
dreydlekhs, the ornamentation of klezmer:
a. Kr ekht
“Kr ekht” is Yiddish for “groans/moans.” Kr ekhtsn (plural) are one of the most distinctive
sounds in klezmer. The sound is meant to imitate the sound of a choked sob, and is usually
utilized by clarinet or violin. This hiccup of sound is inspired from the Ashkenazic singing style
practiced by cantors before the Holocaust.45
b. Mordent
45 Strom, S hpil, 100.
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The mordent consists of two or more grace notes, higher or lower in pitch, followed by
the principal note. These are used to add significance to a particular pitch or musical phrase.
c. Glitshn
A “glitshn” is a portamento. It is the movement between two notes that is too rapid to be
able to discern the intermediate notes. In terms of classical repertoire, the klezmer glitshn could
be called appoggiaturas or glissandos.
d. Kneytshn
“Kneytshn” is Yiddish for “fold/wrinkle/crease/crumple.” On the violin, the musician
slides downward from a note and releases it suddenly. This sound is similar in achiness to the
krekht. The violinist can also pluck the string as he releases it.46 While this technique is best used
on string instruments, woodwinds can mimic this sound if they are familiar enough with their
technique and fingerings in order to make a smooth sound.
e. T shok
“Tshok” is Yiddish for “lavishness, swagger, buff, splendor.”. Tshosks are slightly out of
tune, bent notes, that have a laughable sound. Dave Tarras utilized this technique frequently on
his clarinet.47
f. Turn
Turns are sometimes used to terminate a trill, a turn connects two principal notes together
with a group of rapid notes.
46 Strom, S hpil, 100. 47 Strom, 100.
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g. Harmonic
Harmonics are a technique exclusive to string instruments. Typically the third or fourth
finger, the musician presses the pad of the finger onto the string in various places to create an
ethereal high note. When using harmonics in the middle of a faster-paced melody, it creates a
whistling sound.
h. Trill
Trills involve rapid movement from one note to another, either a whole or half step higher
or lower, while using vibrato to alter the pitch somewhat.
i. Ponticello
String players can utilize the ponticello technique by playing the bow very close to the
bridge. This creates a thin, squeaky, ethereal sound.
ARRANGING KLEZMER
Arrangement refers to the recreation of previously composed musical piece(s). Whether
the arrangement is a close replica or a total reimagination of the piece is up to the discretion of
the arranger. Arrangers often (but not always) use structural traits of a piece, such as chord
changes or modes, to base their arrangements.
The ensemble for my lecture recital consisted of five instruments: violin, Bb clarinet,
accordion, double bass, and a drumset. The drumset comprised of a cajon with a kick pedal,
snare drum, a high-hat, and a ride cymbal. We played eight pieces: “Sidney’s Tsveyte Bulgar”,
“Nokh A Glezl Vayn ,” “Rumanian Doina,” “Kiever Bulgar,” “Der Yid in Yerusholayim,” “Hava
Nagila,” and “No. 9 Frailach,” from Kammen International Dance Folio No. 1.
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The program I used to create my arrangements was Musescore 3. While it is not the most
advanced program for composition and arrangement, I was able to complete arrangements with it
efficiently and free of cost.
A. Recordings
Recordings are typically a useful resource for the transcription and arrangement of
traditional melodies. While Jewish music was being recorded as early as 1895, there were no
instances of klezmer being recorded until 1908.48 Unfortunately, the commercialization of
klezmer recordings meant recording companies were producing for a mass audience. As a result,
klezmer, being an improvisatory style of music, lost some of its spontaneity with the emergence
of these recordings. Klezmer’s unrecorded timeline may be inaccessible to modern ears, but in
this guide, we seek to create an informed, modern arrangement and performance of the style.
B. Forms
1. Bulgars and frailachs : “Sidney’s Tsveyte Bulgar,” “Kiever Bulgar”, and “No. 9 Frailach”
The bass line of a basic bulgar or frailach uses arpeggiated, simple rhythms that outline
the chord of measure(s).49 The typical drum accompaniment in a bulgar emphasizes beats 1, the
and of 2, 3, and the and of 3.50
A transcription of "Sidney's Tsveyte Bulgar" by Sid Beckerman is found in The Klezmer
Plus! Folio , transcribed by Pete Sokolow. This transcription also includes the chords of the
piece. I gave this melody to the Bb clarinet and formed an arrangement around this using the
chords provided by Sokolow. This piece has 3 unique sections in an ABCB form.
48 J oel Rubin, T he Art of the Klezmer: Improvisation and Ornamentation in the Commercial Recordings of New York Clarinetists Naftule Brandwein and Dave Tarras, 1922-1929, 140. 49 Strom, 48. 50 Strom, 80.
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A challenge posed by this arrangement was balancing the clarinet melody with a violin
countermelody that wasn't overpowering. The clarinet's range extends lower than the violin, but
the melody of this piece was in the mid-range of the clarinet, causing conflict. The violin can't
play lower than the clarinet, but playing in a higher range in this piece would shift the focus
away from the clarinet melody. If I went back and re-wrote this piece, I would probably give the
melody to the violin and put it in a higher register since the clarinet can play so much lower
underneath it without overpowering the melody.
For the accompaniment in this piece, the accordion plays on offbeats to make the piece
seem lighthearted and playful, since it is a bulgar. The bass outlines the chords actively, as I
wrote in mostly eighth-note rhythms to make the piece busy and lively (as opposed to just doing
an "oompah" scale degree 5 to scale degree 1 rhythm).
“Kiever Bulgar” the first arrangement I tackled, a piece originally by Harry Kandel's
Orchestra. The melody of this song is found in the songbook The Compleat Klezmer by Henry
Sapoznik and transcribed by Pete Sokolow. The form of this piece is a simple ABA'. The violin
plays the melody and the the Bb clarinet plays a countermelody. The accordion plays offbeat
chords in the right hand (and maintains this throughout the piece) and outlines the chords in the
left hand using eighth notes. In the A section, the bass plays outlines the chord with quarter
notes. In the B section, the bass outlines chords with eighth notes, which is occasionally filled in
with scalar motion.
“No. 9 Frailach” is a duet found in Kammen International Dance Folio No. 1, arranged
and compiled by Jack Kammen and Joss Cammen. I took this duet transcription and used it for
two parts in the ensemble, and the rest of the ensemble filled out the sound of the piece. Because
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the transcription is written for two Bb instruments, I gave the parts to the clarinet and violin, the
two closest to each other in range and function.
The accompaniment of this frailach has the bass on the beat and the accordion off the
beat. While it would have been more authentic to give the bass an “oompah” beat outlining the
chord with scale degrees 1 and 5, I decided to make it slightly more interesting since my bass
player would be playing many “oompahs” throughout the set. Hence, I opted for eighth notes
that would outline the chord over the course of two measures instead of one. For the accordion, I
used an offbeat accompaniment pattern found on p. 38 of Peter Stan’s section on accordion in
Shpil: The Art of Playing Klezmer .
2. Horas: “Nokh A Glezl Vayn” and “Hava Nagila”
I included a diverse repertoire of klezmer dances so that the audience would better
understand the sound of the genre. “Nokh A Glezl Vayn” is a hora found in The Compleat
Klezmer, written by Henry Sapoznik with transcriptions by Peter Sokolow.
When listening to recordings of this piece by various ensembles, I found that many
recordings (such as the klezmer ensemble Ahava Raba) started out with one or two instruments
playing through the melody before the rest of the ensemble joined. Since the majority of my
klezmer pieces have the entire ensemble playing at the same time, I followed this trend and had
the violin play the melody one time through before the rest of the ensemble joined. Both the
violin and the Bb clarinet occupied a similar range for this piece, oftentimes around a third apart
from each other, with the violin playing the melody on top of the Bb clarinet’s countermelody.
This was later changed in rehearsal to solve balance issues between the two instruments.
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In my personal experience, “Hava Nagila” is the most common klezmer song that I have
heard used in various media, such as movies or television series. When talking about my project
to people who had never heard the word "klezmer" about this thesis project, I would sing them
the opening of this song, they would recognize it, and it would provide a good basis for
describing what the rest of the genre was like. Because this is such a recognizable song, I
included it in my project repertoire so the audience would have a song they could connect to if
they weren't familiar with the rest.
There is no shortage of wonderful recordings of this joyful piece. For transcribing the
basic melody and harmony, I listened to a handful of recordings, but really only needed one. I
transcribed the melody and chords, and from there I embellished these two elements to suit the
instruments that would be playing them. In the melody line, played by the violin and Bb clarinet,
I added dr eydlekhs (see page 17) in the form of turns on shorter notes and trills on longer notes.
My arrangement of “Hava Nagila” is in ABA form with a brief improvisation-style
opening. The opening used the same mode as the rest of the piece, a D Misheberach . For this
opening, the accordion and violin parts were given melodies that were notated, but in order to
give this section an improvisatory feeling, I used duple- and triple-meter rhythms in conjunction
with starting the melodies on offbeats and non-emphasized beats. Between the B section and the
final section, I put in a repeated 8-measure phrase that was based off the opening of The Barry
Sisters' "Hava Nagila." Starting at 0:08 in the song, the two sisters sing an harmonically
unaccompanied duet for roughly 12 seconds in the mode of “Hava Nagila.” I transcribed this
duet for the violin and Bb clarinet, and accompanied it with the accordion and bass.
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3. Doinas: “Rumanian Doina”
Doinas are difficult to replicate from a transcription or recording alone. Because of their
improvisatory nature, it would be counterintuitive to transcribe and copy a recorded solo note for
note. While it is possible to transcribe these solos and true that they can tell us about the
ornamentation technique of the musician, it would be not be authentic to the nature of klezmer.
My first attempt at a doina started with using a transcription of the improvisation of
Naftule Brandwein’s “Rumanian Doina,” found in Henry Sapoznik and Peter Sokolow’s The
Compleat Klezmer . Peter Sokolow’s transcription of the piece includes chords in a lead-sheet
style. Using these two items alone, I pieced together an accompaniment for the solo using a
mixture of my five instruments. In the beginning of this process, I thought this to be the most
efficient way to create an original accompaniment, for listening to the song proved to be difficult.
Recordings of the Naftule Brandwein Orchestra date back to the 1920’s, and audio files true to
the source material where few and far between because of the age of these songs. A written
transcription appealed to me because it had measure numbers (something that would be
necessary when rehearsing with an ensemble) and chords. My next approach was to simplify the
arrangement. In doinas, the harmony instruments freely play dronelike pitches while the soloist
improvises out of a set time. With this information in mind, I thought it might be best to just give
my ensemble the chords, and have one soloist cue in each chord. Since it is not possible to
determine a time signature or measures numbers from the recording, I sectioned off each chord
by the duration of time it held in the recording. When presenting this arrangement to my
ensemble, I realized that this was not enough information to emulate a doina in this ensemble.
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Revision was necessary, so I sought to meet in the middle with my two methods. First, I
listened to the original recording of “Rumanian Doina” and wrote down the duration for each
chord. Something that wasn’t present in the transcription of the improvisation solo was the
implication of the continuation of the song; in the recording, the first half of the piece is an
accompanied improvisation solo that, halfway through, becomes more structured. Eventually, the
instruments come together for a major-mode tune to end the whole piece.
I converted each chord duration (in seconds) to a number of measures so that the sections
would be proportional to the original recording. For the beginning section, the improvisation, I
notated each chord for each instrument and notated chord names every time the harmony
changed. I wrote a improvisatory-style solo for the soloist (whom I chose to be the clarinetist,
Steven Stamer). This solo was a mixture of metered and un-metered style, but within the
constraints of measure number, so that the rest of the ensemble would be able to follow along
without relying too heavily on the soloist.
4. Terkish: “Der Yid in Yerusholayim”
Terkishes are slow to moderate songs in duple meter. "Der Yid in Yerusholayim" is a
Naftule Brandwein piece, found transcribed in Henry Sapoznik and Peter Sokolow’s The
Compleat Klezmer. It has three unique sections. While the majority of the piece is in D
Misheberakh, a C Ahava Raba (a minor key) makes an appearance in the last section before
returning to D Misheberakh.
The violin has the melody in this piece, with clarinet playing countermelody. The bass
outlines the chord with quarter notes while the left hand of the accordion outlines the chord in
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eighth notes on the beat. I rarely gave accordion countermelody in these pieces, but did so for the
right hand of “ Der Yid in Yerusholayim ” to add a some diversity.
In hindsight, I might have chosen a different piece to occupy this space in my repertoire
because of how little research there is on terkishes. It would be better suited to my project to
have chosen a dance form or piece that I could replicate authentically.
PERFORMING KLEZMER
A. Sheet music
Transitioning from sheet music to live performance presents new issues. In the
arrangement stage of the musical process, I listened to my arrangements by means of MIDI
through Musescore 3. Listening to MIDI before listening to the ensemble gives a general sense
of how the harmonies and melodies sound together. Unfortunately, no MIDI can provide an
accurate representation of how the real, unique instruments sound playing their parts together. In
order to hone my pieces for a better performance, rehearsal was necessary. In rehearsals, myself
and the other members of the ensemble were able to discuss concerns, which ranged from
misprinted notes to balance issues.
B. Rehearsal
Four members of the ensemble (all members except the accordion) rehearsed an hour a
week for approximately three months, with the last five rehearsals being the full ensemble.
To keep the audience engaged, I varied the performance order in terms of style and
tempo. The order of my performance was “Sidney’s Tsveyte Bulgar,” “Nokh A Glezl Vayn ,” “No.
9 Frailach,” “Rumanian Doina,” “Kiever Bulgar,” “Der Yid in Yerusholayim,” and “Hava
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Nagila.” It is important to convey the different styles of the piece to the audience. While klezmer
has its own distinct style, we must still differentiate how we play each piece.
The bulgars and frailachs (“Sidney’s Tsveyte Bulgar, “Kiever Bulgar,” and “No. 9
Frailach”) are upbeat, happy pieces. This upbeat feeling can be achieved by a moderately brisk
tempo and shorter note lengths. Using longer note lengths would make the piece much flatter in
texture. Shorter notes are most effective in this context because they make it feel lighter and they
do not slow down the tempo of the ensemble.
Since “Nokh A Glezl Vayn,” is a hora, beats 1 and 3 need to be emphasized. Musicians
can emphasize beats using time or using sound. When using time, beats 1 and 3 can be slightly
longer and out of time so that they are more noticeable to the audience. The musician can also
change the sound of a note to emphasize. In this case, we accented and vibrated on beats 1 and 3
to bring them out. Though “ Nokh A Glezl Vayn ” and “Hava Nagila” are both horas, “Hava
Nagila” has a higher tempo. Because of this higher tempo, the notes needs to be much shorter in
this hora than “Nokh A Glezl Vayn .” Shorter notes add energy and ensure that the piece doesn’t
slow down in performance.
Both “Rumanian Doina” and “Hava Nagila” have tempo changes within the piece. In
order for tempo changes to be effective, they must feel like a continuation of the song and not the
start of a new song. We can ensure this in rehearsal by counting on one person to cue in tempo
changes. Relying on one member ensures that the rest of the ensemble will come in at the same
time and tempo.
“Rumanian Doina” was difficult to rehearse because of its structure. Ensemble members
needed to rely on the Bb clarinet soloist to cue in chord changes since the solo was not very
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agogic (emphasizing downbeats). When tackling it in its earlier stages with my ensemble, I
found that my original method (wherein I had written specific parts for each person in
conjunction with the original transcribed solo) would be impossible to effectively implement
unless all members of the ensemble were looking at the score at the same time to follow each
others’ parts. After notating the chords for each measure for each ensemble member, I gave the
rest of the ensemble a copy of the clarinet solo along with the chord changes written above, in
case they preferred reading and improvising harmony in that way.
My drummer, Morgan Sieg, wrote her own music for each piece. She used traditional
drum rhythms for each dance form, found in Sphil: The Art of Playing Klezmer, and elaborated
drum accompaniments.
C. Balance
The biggest balance issues occurred between the violin and Bb clarinet. For example, for
“No. 9 Frailach,” I gave the transcribed duet to the violin and the Bb clarinet in the ensemble.
While rehearsing this piece, I had to be conscious of any balance issues between the violin and
the clarinet. Since the original duet was written for two identical instruments, playing the music
as written would not produce a blended sound, so we compensated by changing dynamics as
needed. While the whole ensemble must always be in tune with each other, the violinist and
clarinetist needed to be conscious to play in tune with each other (due to their similar range).
D. Ornamentation
Traditional klezmer musicians have played traditional pieces many times, and thus, use
dreydelkhs (see page 17-18) to diversify the performance. The violin and Bb clarinet used a
handful of dreydlekhs- glitshn , mordents, trills, turns, and kr ekhts . The clarinet also utilized
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tshoks and growling. Growling is a technique used by woodwind instruments wherein the
musician vocalizes into the instrument while playing, create a jagged, vibrating sound. This
technique has been used by modern clarinetists like David Krakauer and Giora Feidman.51 Our
relatively limited amount of time to rehearse meant we could not use dr eydlekhs as creatively as
an experienced klezmer musician, but it was effective when utilized.
E. Equipment
Due to their physical limitations, certain instrument combinations call for the
amplification of some. In the ensemble, the accordion, drumset, and Bb clarinet overpowered the
violin and the doublebass. The simple solution for this was microphones. The violin and the
doublebass both used a pickup microphone and an amp, which, at the venue, was then miked and
output through speakers. The rest of the ensemble was individually miked by the staff at Casa
Nueva and output through speakers.
F. Setting
I opted for a bar performance over a concert hall setting because of the context of
traditional klezmer. Klezmer is played for celebrations and big events with lots of people. This
means there are people eating, drinking, dancing, and talking, which are all things that will not
be found in a quiet recital hall. The performers can interact with the audience and vice versa.
Playing in a bar presents the risk of competing with the audience’s volume. To play with
an ensemble, all members have to be listening and paying attention to the other instruments. In
Casa Nueva, we focused on each others’ sound above the audience while also keeping the
ensemble balance intact.
51 Dylan Lloyd, A Classical Clarinetists Guide to Klezmer Music, 42.
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Interaction with the audience went well. I prepared notes for speaking in between each
piece, explaining musical and historical context. I called out to audience members and got
responses. During “Hava Nagila,” the audience clapped along.
G. Conclusion
As a musician studying in a school of music, I have the opportunity to perform a variety
of genres. When rehearsing compositions, understanding the context of the piece is important.
The better you understand why and what you are playing, the more informed and authentic your
performance of it.
I did not have much exposure to klezmer (save for a few performances of pieces) before
starting this project. Throughout this process, I was concerned with accidental cultural
appropriation. While I may be an outsider to this culture around klezmer music, I aimed to
understand it and produce music worthy to be considered klezmer.
As well as being able to perform this music, I want to be an informed listener. I conveyed
this feeling to my audience by providing them context and history for klezmer. My hope is that
they would feel a similar desire to comprehend more while also understanding enough to be able
to feel at one with the musical experience.
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Bibliography
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Kammen, Jack. Kammen International Dance Folio No. 1: Big Collection of Carefully Selected
International Songs and Dances, Good for All Occasions. New York: J. & J. Kammen
Music, 1924.
Lloyd, Dylan. “A Classical Clarinetists Guide to Klezmer Music.” (D.M.A. document, Ohio
State University), 2017
Netsky, Hankus. “An Overview of Klezmer Music and Its Development in the U.S.” Collected
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Rubin, Joel. The Art of the Klezmer: Improvisation and Ornamentation in the Commercial
Recordings of New York Clarinetists Naftule Brandwein and Dave Tarras, 1922-1929.
(Unpublished doctoral thesis, City University London), 2001.
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1987.
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Publications, 1991.
Slobin, Mark. “Klezmer Music: An American Ethnic Genre.” Y earbook for Traditional Music 16
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Strom, Yale, Peter Stan, Jeff Pekarek, Norbert Stachel, David Licht, and Elizabeth Schwartz.
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Wood, Abigail. “The Multiple Voices of American Klezmer.” Journal of the Society for
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3 3 B♭ Clarinet Violin Accordion Double Bass
6
B♭ Cl. Vln. Acc. Db. 11 3 B♭ Cl. 3 Vln. Acc. Db.
16 1. 2. B♭ Cl. Vln. Acc. Db.
2 22
B♭ Cl. Vln. Acc. Db.
28 3 3 1. B♭ Cl. 3 3 Vln. Acc. Db.
3 34 2. B♭ Cl. Vln. Acc. Db.
39 3 B♭ Cl. Vln. Acc. Db.
4 45 1. B♭ Cl. Vln. Acc. Db.
51 2. B♭ Cl. Vln. Acc. Db.
5 57
B♭ Cl. Vln. Acc. Db.
63 3 1. 2. B♭ Cl. 3 3 Vln. Acc. Db.
6 69
B♭ Cl. Vln.
Acc. Db.
7 Nokh A Glezl Vayn (Another Glass of Wine) arr. Nikhita Sheller Dave Tarras
Violin 3 3 B♭ Clarinet Accordion
Double Bass
9 Vln. 3 3 B♭ Cl.
Acc.
Db. 16 Vln. 3 3 B♭ Cl. 3 Acc. Db.
23
Vln. 3 B♭ Cl. 3 Acc. Db.
2 30 1. Vln. 3 3 3 B♭ Cl. 3 3 3
Acc. Db.
36 2. Vln. B♭ Cl. Acc. Db.
3 43
Vln. 3 3 B♭ Cl. Acc. Db.
50 1. 2. Vln. B♭ Cl.
Acc. Db.
4 56 Vln. s. glis B♭ Cl. Acc. Db.
64 1. 2. Vln. B♭ Cl. Acc. Db.
5 71 Vln. B♭ Cl.
Acc. Db.
6 No. 9 Frailach arr. Nikhita Sheller
Violin B♭ Clarinet Accordion Double Bass 10 6 1. 2. Vln. B♭ Cl. Acc. Db. 12 Vln. B♭ Cl. Acc.
Db.
17 1. Vln. B♭ Cl. Acc. Db.
2 22 2. Vln. B♭ Cl. Acc. Db.
27 1. Vln. B♭ Cl.
Acc. Db.
3 31 2. Vln. 3 3 3 3 B♭ Cl. 3 3 3 3 Acc. Db.
36 1. 2. Vln. 3 3 3 B♭ Cl. 3 Acc. Db.
4 Rumanian Doina arr. Nikhita Sheller Naftule Brandwein A
Violin 3 B♭ Clarinet Accordion
Double Bass
6
Vln. B♭ Cl. 5 5 5 5
Acc.
Db. 10
Vln. B♭ Cl. Acc. Db.
15
Vln. 3 B♭ Cl. 3 3 3 3 Acc.
Db.
2 21
Vln. B♭ Cl. 3 3 Acc.
Db.
26
Vln. B♭ Cl. 3 3 Acc. Db.
3 B 32 = 100 Vln. B♭ Cl.
Acc.
Db.
38
Vln. 3 B♭ Cl. Acc. Db.
4 C 42 = 130 Vln. B♭ Cl. 3 Acc.
Db.
50
Vln. B♭ Cl. 3
Acc. Db.
5 57
Vln. B♭ Cl.
Acc. Db.
65
Vln. B♭ Cl. 3 Acc.
Db.
6 73
Vln. B♭ Cl. 3 Acc.
Db.
81
Vln. B♭ Cl. 3
Acc. Db.
7 88
Vln. B♭ Cl. Acc. Db.
8 Kiever Bulgar arr. Nikhita Sheller Harry Kandel's Orchestra A Violin B♭ Clarinet Accordion Double Bass
8 Vln. 3 3 3 3 B♭ Cl. Acc. Db. B 15 1. 2. Vln. Fine B♭ Cl.
Acc. Db.
23 Vln. 3 3 3 3 3 3 B♭ Cl. 3 3 3 3 Acc. Db.
2 28 Vln. 3 3 3 3 B♭ Cl. Acc. Db.
33 1. 2. Vln. 3 3 B♭ Cl. Acc. Db.
3 C 40 Vln. B♭ Cl. Acc.
Db. 1. 2. 46 D.S. al Fine
Vln. B♭ Cl. Acc.
Db.
4 Der Yid in Yerusholayim (The Jew in Jerusalem) arr. Nikhita Sheller Naftule Brandwein
= 125 s. Violin glis B♭ Clarinet Accordion
Double Bass
3
s. Vln. glis B♭ Cl. Acc.
Db. 6
Vln. B♭ Cl. Acc. Db.
9 3 Vln. B♭ Cl. Acc. Db.
2 11 1. 2. Vln. B♭ Cl. Acc.
Db.
13 3 3 Vln. B♭ Cl.
Acc. Db.
3 16
Vln. B♭ Cl. Acc. Db.
19 3 Vln. B♭ Cl. 3 Acc. Db.
4 22
Vln. B♭ Cl. Acc. Db.
25 3 Vln. B♭ Cl. Acc. Db.
5 28 3 Vln. B♭ Cl. 3 3 Acc. Db.
6 Hava Nagila arr. Nikhita Sheller
3 Violin 3 B♭ Clarinet
3 3 Accordion Double Bass
5 3
. s s li Vln. g B♭ Cl. Acc. Db. 10
Vln. B♭ Cl. Acc. Db.
13
Vln. B♭ Cl. Acc. Db.
2 16
Vln. B♭ Cl. Acc. Db.
19
Vln. B♭ Cl. Acc. Db.
3 22
Vln. B♭ Cl. Acc. Db.
25
Vln. B♭ Cl. Acc. Db.
4 29 1. Vln. B♭ Cl. Acc.
Db.
33 2. 3 Vln. 3 B♭ Cl. Acc.
Db.
5 38
Vln. B♭ Cl. Acc.
Db.
42
Vln. B♭ Cl. Acc.
Db.
6 45 Vln. B♭ Cl. Acc. Db.
48 Vln. B♭ Cl. Acc. Db.
7 51 Vln. B♭ Cl. Acc.
Db.
54 Vln. B♭ Cl. Acc.
Db.
8