Brass Bands from Podolia, Klezmer and other Jewish Music

Vienna, Austria – The new CD series of the Phonogrammarchiv presents the results from field projects conducted in cooperation with the archive. Vol. 1 is dedicated to recent fieldwork by Isaak Loberan, the Vienna-based Klezmer musician and researcher. The CD is titled Frelik, Sher un Khusidl …Brass Bands from Podolia, Klezmer and other Jewish Music.

Authentic recordings of brass bands in Podolia (Ukraine) and parts of Moldova, made between 1991 and 2002, document the influence of Jewish folk music on the musical tradition of neighboring ethnic groups. The Ukrainian and Moldavian bands perform an important part of their current wedding repertoire – Jewish dances, like frelik, sher or bulgar, which the musicians themselves or their fathers formerly played together with Jewish klezmorim.

In addition, songs and violin music by elderly performers recall the once flourishing Yiddish musical culture; also featured are examples of the cultural revival encountered among the local Jewish communities.

The CD with 28 page booklet includes comments in English, summaries in German and Russian.

Performers and Tracks: Band of the motor vehicle firm from Mogilev-Podolsk (Ukraine, Podolia): 1. October March 2. Ershter vals – Ida Gelfer from Kiev (Ukraine): 3. Grine felder (soldier song) – Brass band from Studena (Podolia): 4. Frelik 5. Frelik – Aaron Polishuk (vocals) & Igor Polishuk (accordion, tr. 7-8) from Mogilev-Podolsk: 6. A koptsn’s lid 7. Fleshele (satirical drinking song) 8. Yiddishes tango – Brass band from Pisarevka (Podolia, Yampol district): 9. Sher 10. Frelik 11. Sher – Abraham Libman (violin) from Ivano-Frankivsk (western Ukraine): 12. Khusidl 13. Sher 14. Israels gevayn – Brass band from Kodima (Podolia): 15. Sher 16. Old Sher 17. Sherele 18. Frelik Chaim – Alexandra Weksler (vocals) & Felix Kushnir (piano) from Bila Tserkva (Ukraine): 19. Abi gezunt – Brass band from Pescanka (Podolia): 20. Heyser Bulgar 21. Frelik 22. Ukrainian Polka – Efim Chorny (vocals) & Susanna Ghergus (piano) from Chisinau (Moldova): 23. S’iz finster in gas – Taraf from Edinet (northern Moldova) 24. Sher 25. Belz (foxtrot)

The CD is available from Extraplatte.

Links:

• Phonogrammarchiv