This is the Forward’s coverage of Jewish music, including klezmer and other traditions.
Music
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Culture How Authentic Is ‘Porgy and Bess’?
George Gershwin was insecure. He never showed it at high-society parties, where he could always be found perched at the nearest piano like a king on his throne. (He played incessantly. Once, when Gershwin wondered aloud if his music would be performed in 100 years, his friend Oscar Levant quipped, “It will be if you’re…
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The Schmooze Sephardic Music Festival Diary
This was the first time I went to the Sephardic Music Festival. Now in its seventh year, the festival held shows in New York from December 20 to 27, everywhere from 700-person capacity clubs to synagogue basements. I went to five concerts — mostly in the Village — and took notes. December 20: The Mast,…
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The Schmooze Singer Yaffa Yarkoni Dies at 86
Crossposted from Haaretz Yaffa Yarkoni, one of Israel’s greatest and best-loved singers, passed away January 1 in Tel Aviv at the age of 86, following a battle with Alzheimer’s disease. Lyricist Avi Koren, a close friend of the singer’s for 45 years, recalled yesterday that Yarkoni, an Israel Prize laureate, once said to him: “Look…
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The Schmooze Best Classical Performances of 2011
“Kommilitonen!” By Peter Maxwell Davies Juilliard Vocal Arts Photo by Nan Melville Topping my list of the best classical performances of 2011 was that rarest of things: a brilliant operatic rendering of real historic events that engaged the audience emotionally, morally and intellectually. Juilliard presented the American premiere of “Kommilitonen!” (“Fellow Students!”) composed by Peter…
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Culture Adrienne Cooper Embodied Progressive Spirit
It is hard to imagine the world without Adrienne Cooper, a friend said to me on learning that she was near death. As she did for so many others, she enriched my life for decades with thrilling song, wise words, and trenchant humor. She is perhaps best known as a concert and recording artist, one…
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The Schmooze ‘Musica Ethnit’ Returns to Jerusalem
After a six-year hiatus, the Mediterranean Musical Meeting festival returned to Jerusalem’s picturesque Mishkenot Sha’ananim neighborhood last week, filling the cobblestone streets with the sounds of young Israelis learning Middle Eastern music, or as it is known in Hebrew, musica ethnit. The term has evolved to mean acoustic, traditional Middle Eastern music, or new compositions…
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The Schmooze Beethoven in Bethlehem
Crossposted from Haaretz “Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the Israeli Ministry of Tourism” says the sign that currently greets visitors to Bethlehem. It is a bit ironic, given its location next to checkpoints manned by armed soldiers wearing bulletproof vests. How does one deal with such a siege? With a sense of humor:…
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The Schmooze Convicted Singer Returns to Stage
Crossposted from Haaretz For the first time since she was convicted of extortion and threats, singer Margalit Tzan’ani returned to the stage over the weekend. At about 2 A.M. on Friday morning, her performance at the Comfort 13 club in Tel Aviv began. The show, which was discussed extensively in the local media, was part…
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