Le Niggûn Merôn
The Musical Tradition of Hasidim
Shir Bamromim
This film was produced by the Jewish Music Research Centre along with the National Sound Archives at the Jewish National and University Library and the script was written by Pamela Kidron, Yaakov Mazor, and Edwin Seroussi.
Material Type:
Films
Shabbat Hamalcah
Directed by Ilan Eldad
Material Type:
Films
Year:
1970
On the lawn of Kibbutz Ma’abarot
Directed by Eliyahu HaCohen
53 min.
Material Type:
Films
Year:
1976
LeChadesh Orhot KeKedem
Avraham Zigman is a songwriter and composer who composed many well known Israeli songs such as Elad Yarad El HaYarden and MeDarom Tiftach HaTeshuva. This film from the 1970's interviews him and his acquaintances in regards to his becoming a Baal Teshuva. During the course of the film he performs a few different songs, both his compositions and religious melodies.
Material Type:
Films
HaNazir HaYerushalmi
Hanazir Ayerushalmi is a film about Rabbi David Yehuda Arieh Leib Cohen (1887-1972), otherwise known as Hanazir Hayerushalmi (The Jerusalem Nazirite). Rabbi Cohen dedicated his life to the ways of the Nazirite, he did not cut his hair, drink wine, or eat meat. Besides his extensive knowledge in Jewish writings, he also held a PhD in Western philosophy, and his writings would refer to both of these traditions.
Material Type:
Films
A letter to mother - A Brivele der Mamen
Directed by Joseph Green
Classic Yiddish film from 1939 with music by Abe Ellstein. In this film music is integral to the development of the plot and in addition to the film's central melody that acts as a leitmotif throughout the film, a Passover seder is also featured and a few non-religious Yiddish songs are sung during the course of the film.
Material Type:
Films
Year:
1939
Anthology of Hassidic Music
- A Polka Mazurka
- Niggun of the Meggid of Mezerich From the album, "The Hasidic Niggun as Sung by the Hasidim." This dance niggun is the seventh and last in a series of niggunim sung by Bratslav Hasidim as they dance after the Shabbat evening service on Friday night. Some have attributed the niggun to R. Dov Ber, the meggid of Mezerich.
- Kol B'ru'ei (Padua, Italy) From the album, "Italian Jewish Musical Traditions from the Leo Levi Collection (1954-1961)." The poem depicts "all creatures" singing and praising the unity of God, and was recited in the Italian rite during the daily morning prayer. This melody was sung only on Rosh Hashanah (New Year) in the Italian tradition of Padua.
- Yigdal From the album, "Judeo-Carribean Currents, Music of the Mikve Israel-Emanuel Synagogue in Curaçao," performed by Gideon Zelermyer. The Yigdal is part of the ceremonial section of the liturgical order of Shabbat and the Holy Days in the Curaçao synagogue. It is one of the ending hymns of the service.
- Eres Chiquita y Bonita From the album, "Judeo-Spanish Moroccan Songs for the Life Cycle," sung by Alicia Bendayan from Tetuan. This is a song about courtship, related to the Jewish rituals that mark the events of the life cycle.
- Sweet Shalt Be My Chant From the album, "Kulmus Hanefesh," performed by Yair Harel on voice and tar, and Matti Kovler on voice and piano. A sacred hymn attributed to Rabbi Yehuda ha-Chasid, this is a Chabad tune with a near-Eastern arrangement.
- Lyr II From the album, "The Music of the Mountain Jews." Lyr is a genre found among all Turkish peoples, consisting of long, complex compositions usually comprised of three parts.
- Gilu ha-Galilim (Rejoice Galileans) From the album, "Nights in Canaan, Early Songs of the Land of Israel (1882-1946)." This is a Second Aliyah (1904-1914) song which became an integral part of the historical repertoire of Hebrew song. Both native-born and newly arrived pioneers sang this song in all circumstances.
- Saperi Tama From the album, "With Songs They Respond: The Diwan of the Jews from Central Yemen." This is a girdle poem by Se'adia ben Amram. Saperi Tama is sung to many melodies and is one of Yemenite Jewry's most common poems.