A Brief Introduction to the History and
Background of Klezmer Music

© Sue Cooper 2003

See Also...

Introduction
History of klezmer (in some detail)
Musicology - types of dance
Musicology - musical scales
Musicology - percussion rhythms
Bibliography - written resources
Bibliography - audio resources

History of Klezmer - chapters

1. Why bother about History? - Early Times - First Millenium - Middle Ages
2. Early Instruments
3. 18th Century and 19th Century
4. Explosion of Yiddish culture c1900 to WW2 - Yiddish Theatre - Vaudeville
5. Some musicians from the early 20th century
6. 1920's theatre music - 1930's - Show Songs - Foxtrots and tangos - Yiddish Film
7. Twilight and new dawn - the post war period
8. 1950's -1960's - 1970's
9. 1980's - 1990's
10. References

Part 10

Klezmer Booklist

• Idelsohn, A.Z. - Jewish Music in its historical Development.

• Rogovy, Seth - The Essential Klezmer

• Sapoznik, Henry - Klezmer! Jewish Music from Old World to Our World

• Shiloah, Amnon - Jewish Music Traditions

• Slobin, Mark - Fiddler on the Move, Exploring the Klezmer World

• Slobin, Mark, ed - American Klezmer, Its Roots and Offshoots

• Slobin, Mark, ed & trans - Old Jewish Folk Music: The Collections and Writings
  of Moshe Beregovski

• Slobin, Mark, Robert Rothstein & Michael Alpert, ed & trans - Jewish Instrumental Folk Music: The Collections and Writings of Moshe Beregovski

• Strom, Yale - The Book of Klezmer

• See also the introduction to The Compleat Klezmer by Henry Sapoznik, sleeve notes etc.

Seth Rogovy's Essential Klezmer Library

• A Jumpin Night in the Garden of Eden - Klezmer Conservatory Band

• Blood Oranges - Brave Old World

• Fidl: Klezmer Violin - Alicia Svingals

• Gimel (Three) - Masada/John Zorn

• Jews with Horns - The Klezmatics

• King of the Klezmer Clarinet -Naftule Brandwein

• Klezmer Pioneers: European and American Recordings 1905-52 - Various
  Artists

• Mother Tongue - Budowitz

• Metropolis - The Klezmorim

• Yiddish-American Klezmer Music 1925-56 - Dave Tarras

Our Klezmer Links Page