,..,71.44,1161111r,
91;
History of Detroit's -Folk Chorus
Recorded in Yardeini's Symposium
The background of Yiddish folk
music is given in an interesting bi-
lingual volume, "50 Years of Yid-
dish Song in America," compiled
and edited by Mordecai S. Yar-
deini.
Attention was called to this vol-
ume last week during the visit in
Detroit, by the author, for a series
of lectures at the Jewish Music
Center. Yardeini spoke before the
People's Chorus and other local
groups.
Of special interest to Detroiters
in this volume is an essay by the
conductor of the Jewish Folk
Chorus, Harvey Schreibman, whose
brief essay is, in a sense, an evalu-
ation of the accomplishments of
the Jewish Folk Chorus in Detroit
under the direction of Henri Gold-
berg, Nathan Samaroff and others
who preceded Schreibman in the
direction of the local choir.
Yardeini's is an historical
essay. It recalls the pioneer Jew-
ish musicians and his article is
epecially moving in its descrip-
tion of the force effect Jewish
music had on the immigrant
masses who always sang, as a
means of getting comfort in their
cultural yearning, whether it
was in joy or in sorrow. He de-
clares: "No matter how hard and
bleak life was during the early
years for the Jewish immigrant
in the Golden Land, especially
for the East European Jewish
immigrant, he cherished his song
and never stopped singing."
The essays in this volume are
both in English and in Yiddish.
There is an illuminating essay on
"Jewish-American Musical Life"
by Sidney Finklestein, who shows
how English songs geared for Jew-
ish audiences can supplement Yid-
dish.
Another explanatory essay on
the role of labor is The Yiddish
Worker Sings" by Mayrice Rauch.
This article advocates extention of
efforts to attract the interest of
youth in progressive Jewish
efforts.
Zari Gottfried writes about "Yid-
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dish Folk Choruses in America."
Experiences in many cities are re-
corded here.
&her essays and essayists in
this volume are:
"To the Future With Confi-
dence," and 'The Patterson Jew-
ish Folk Chorus," by Joseph Wal-
kowitz; "The Mandolin and the
Orchestra," by Max Gralnick
- New Horizons," by Morris Brow-
da; "Our Mandolin Orchestras," by
Leon Malamutr, "The American-
Jewish Choral Society of Los
Angeles," by Thelma Brener; "The
New York Mandolin Symphony
Orchestra," by Jacob Gabbin; "The
American Mandolin Orchestra," by
M. Malkes.
Thus, this volume is a virtual
history of the development of the
folk choruses and orchestras in
this country, with Detroit playing
an important role. The personnel
of the Detroit chorus is listed and
Detroiters are to be found in the
large collection of photographs in
this volume.
Hebrew Medical Journal Serializes Haffkine
Epic; Expert Explains 'Demonology and Eye'
The current issue of the semi-
annual Hebrew Medical Journal,
edited by Dr. Moses Einhorn,
marks the conclusion of the 37th
year of continuous publication.
Written in Hebrew and English,
the journal plays an important
part in fostering medical litera-
ture and terminology in the lan-
guage of the Bible.
A series of articles dedicated
to the life struggle of Mordecai
Wolff Haffkine (Chavkin), famous
Jewish bacteriologist, is presented
in the current issue by Dr. Moses .
Einhorn.
Since the 100th anniversary of
Haffkine's birth, two books have
been published which deal with
this outstanding scientist — one in
the Soviet Union and the other in
the United States.
Haffkine regarded the Jewish re-
ligion as a form of discipline.
Throughout the years of hard labor
which he spent in India, he never
forgot the sufferings of his fellow-
Jews in Russia to which he had
been an eye-witness. Haffkine was
convinced that it was religion
which preserved the Jews, and that
their fortune depended entirely on
the preservation of traditional
Judaism. He believed that the ideal
Jew should be a man conversant
Tin Pan Alley, even in its pass- with general knowledge and
ing stages, retains a glamor that steeped in the faith of his people
retains its memories among the and the experience of his race.
In his will Haffkine be-
most thrilling occurrences in
queathed his entire fortune for
American history.
the promotion of Jewish relig-
When the alley is described by
ious education. The Haffkine
as authoritative a person as David
Foundation, established in Laus-
Ewen, perhaps the best informed
anne after his death, has had
man on the subject, it emerges in
as its main objective support of
even greater glory.
yeshivot in Eastern and Central
"The Life and Death of Tin Pan
Europe (Romania, Poland and
Alley" by Ewen, published by Funk
Austria). Following the destruc-
and Wagnalls (360 Lexington, N.Y.
tion
of most of the Jewish com-
17), is a revealing work. It is his-
munities In these countries, the
tory mingled with so many per-
sonality sketches that the book Haffkine Foundation has been
supporting yeshivot in Israel,
must attain an imperishable role
Switzerland and Morocco.
in the story of American music.
The first five articles of the Haff-
Tin Pan Alley was the name kine story are presented in the
given to 28th Street between current issue of the Hebrew Medi-
Fifth Avenue and Broadway, in cal Journal; the remainder will be
New York. It was due to the serialized in future issues.
large number of music publish-
This issue contains also an eye-
ers who were located there. But witness report on the pogroms in
the name is linked more with Odessa by Haffkine's classmate,
the great actors, with the per- noted Russian-Jewish writer, M.
formers who made possible the Ben-Ami.
publishing of the popular tunes
Among the other articles con-
then emanating from the Alley.
tained in the current issue is a
Ewen's book is a veritable en- scholarly treatise entitled "Medi-
cyclopedic who's who of all the cal, Hygienic and Psychological
greats in music. It is inconceivable Aspects of the Dead Sea Scroll
that a single name of merit in the Literature" by Dr. Menachem M.
world of music should be missing Brayer of Yeshiva University.
from this chronicle. Lovers of
The section "Historical Medi-
music will have to turn to it to re- cine" presents the third and final
capture the scenes of old when part of an original study on Freud
the Alley was the predominant fac- and Spinoza by William Aron,
tor in the creation of popular noted Spinoza scholar. The author
songs.
undertakes to establish that
Now it is the disc jockey. The Freud's contributions to psycho-
era of sheet music is no longer
predominate. But Ewen, nostalgic, Why Go to College?
having been rooted in the days of
BY DAVID SCHWARTZ
the Alley, has a new hope which
(Copyright, 1965, JTA, Inc-)
"
he expresses as follows:
At the annual banquet of the
"Perhaps what is needed most Jewish Welfare Board in London,
today is not just another name for the Duke of Edinburgh, husband of
Tin Pan Alley. Perhaps the vital the Queen, making the presenta-
need is for another Tin Pan Alley tion of scholarships, said that he
—with Tin Pan Alley's overall was sure that Sir Isaac Wolfson
Weltanschauung, methods, tradi- didn't enjoy educational advan-
tions; with Tin Pan Alley's high re- tages in his day.
"His Royal Highness is right,"
gard for the song and the writer of
the song. Today the cart is pulling said Sir Isaac with a twinkle in
the horse. It is the means of distri- the eyes. "I got my college degrees
bution and the performance that is in a different way. I went to work
of prime significance, not the com- at 15, and became wealthy and, as
poser or lyricist. (In fact, when a a result, I am a Fellow of the Roy-
popular song is played by a disc al Society, a Doctor of Laws of
jockey he remembers to identify London and Glasgow University
everybody and everything connec- and an Honorary Doctor of Civil
ted with the recording—except the Law of Oxford."
composer and the lyricist!) In Tin
So, without going to college, he
Pan Alley, for all its emphakis on can write his name, Sir Isaac Wolf-
song-plugging, it was the -other son, LL.D. D.C.L., F.R.S. -
way around. And that is why, for
Prof. Norman Bentwich is pro-
all its seemingly haphazard, un- bably one of the best educated
schooled ways and its crass com- men in England, but not so long
mercialism, Tin Pan Alley made ago Dr. Nahum Goldmann, while
musical history, why the 50 years in Switzerland, received a letter
of its existence is the golden age from Prof. Bentwich. After vainly
of American popular music."
trying to decipher it, Goldmann
wired Bentwich: "Your letter re-
The way of a fool is right in his ceived. Please telegraph contents."
analysis were largely influenced by cians. Diseases such as the bu-
Spinoza.
bonic plague, Asiatic cholera,
"Demonology and the rye" is
and smallpox were ascribed to
the topic discussed, by Dr. Benja-
evil spirits and to the work of
min L. Gordon. The author
the devil; and trachoma, the
points out that demonology
scourge of the east, was imputed
which in the first five centuries
to a supernatural being, _ the
of the Christian era dominated
author points out. .
all creeds and races, assumed in
The section "Israel and Health"
the Middle Ages proportions ap-
presents Part II of a scholarly and
proaching insanity, which con-
original. treatise entitled "Physi-
tinued fairly well into modern
cians in the Land of. Israel." The
times. Demonic beliefs had a
author A. R. Malachi gives a vivid
retrogressive effect on medicine,
account of the remarkable role
and for centuries confined medi-
played by Jewish physicians in the
cal science to the monasteries
Holy Land during the course of
and obscure chambers of magi-
the 16th and 17th centuries.
Naturally good!
Tastiest snack with any dish—
grand for canapes, dips, and munchingi
•
Tin Pan Alley's
Passing Stages
Related by Ewen
own eyes; But a wise man listens
to advice. —Proverbs
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Friday, February 5, 1965-15
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