Joachim Stutschewsky
Composer
1891-1982
Menashe Ravina
Composer and writer
Born in Pereyaslavl, Ukraine. Studied music in Germany, immigrated to Palestine in 1924 where he became very active in the local music scene. Ravina published books and articles on different aspects of Jewish music and composed Hebrew folk songs, children's songs, and several piano pieces.
Sources: Concise Encyclopedia of Jewish Music, Encyclopedia Judaica
1899-1968
Israel Najara
Poet and composer
1550?-1625
Israel Rabinovitch
Editor and writer
Born in Byten, Russia, acquired his first musical knowledge from home and from playing in a Klezmer band. Immigrated to Canada in 1911 where he continued studying and playing. While living in Montreal Rabinovitch published various writings on Jewish music and edited the Canadian Jewish Eagle.
Sources: Concise Encyclopedia of Jewish Music, Jewish Public Library Website.
1894-1963
Isaac Eliyahu Navon
Israeli-Turkish Poet, writer and composer
Isaac Eliyahu Navon was born in Adrianpole (today Edirne) on May 17, 1859. His father, Rabbi Eliyahu Navon, was one of the Jewish intellectuals and public figures in Adrianpole, a city which had, from the seventeenth century until WWI, one of the most prosperous communities of Sephardic Jews in the Ottoman Empire.
1859-1952
Solomon Lipschitz
Cantor and writer
Born in
1675-1758
- 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.