ONE PEOPLE, MANY VOICES: JEWISH MUSIC IN AMERICA:
PART TWO: DOWNTOWN/UPTOWN, PT. 3 (RADIO)
Summary
One in this series of radio broadcasts from National Public Radio, hosted by Theodore Bikel, which trace the history and the heritage of the American Jewish people and their music. "Downtown/Uptown" concentrates on the roots and development of Jewish music in America from the turn of the century through the 1950s. This segment focuses on the rise in popularity of cantors in the United States, changes in American synagogue music, and the emergence of jazz. Highlights include the following: Raymond Smolover, director of The American Conference of Cantors, asserts the importance of music in Jewish life; a look at the plight of famed cantor Yoselle Rosenblatt, who was forced to sing secular music because of persistent penury; how integrationist Reformed Judaism changed synagogue music in America; the new Jewish liturgical music created by trained European composers during the mid-1800s; the music of Swiss-born composer Ernest Bloch, performed by the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and the New York Philharmonic featuring Robert Merrill; a recording of Yiddish art song composer Lazar Weiner's "Somewhere in a Distant Land"; a recording by versatile tenor Jan Peerce, who performed music that was sacred, popular, and full of artistry; a recording of George Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" performed by the Paul Whiteman Orchestra; a version of "Bei Mir Bist Du Schon" by popular jazz clarinetist Benny Goodman; and how "And the Angels Sing" was developed from an old Jewish wedding tune into a popular song by trumpet player Ziggy Elliman and lyricist Johnny Mercer.
Details
- NETWORK: NPR National Public Radio
- DATE: November 30, 1984
- RUNNING TIME: 0:29:11
- COLOR/B&W: N/A
- CATALOG ID: R89:0136
- GENRE: Radio - Music; Radio - Public affairs/Documentaries
- SUBJECT HEADING: Music, Jewish
- SERIES RUN: NPR National Public Radio - Radio series, 1985-1986
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Richard Siegel … Executive Producer
- Steve Rathe … Senior Producer, Murray Street Enterprise
- Perez Luna, Elisabeth … Producer
- Jonathan J. Goldberg … Associate Producer, Writer
- Diane Dorf … Associate Producer
- Henry Sepoznik … Production (Misc.), Program concept and research direction by
- Ernest Bloch … Composer
- George Gershwin … Composer
- Johnny Mercer … Composer
- Lazar Weiner … Composer
- Leonard Bernstein … Conductor
- New York Philharmonic, The … Symphony Orchestra
- Boston Symphony Orchestra, The … Symphony Orchestra
- Harry Kandel's Klezmer Orchestra … Music Group
- Paul Whiteman Orchestra, The … Music Group
- Al Jolson … Singer
- Yossele Rosenblatt … Singer
- Robert Merrill … Singer
- Jan Peerce … Singer
- Ziggy Ellman … Instrumentalist, Trumpet player
- Benny Goodman … Instrumentalist, Clarinet player
- Raymond Smolover … Guest