For some inner peace this week, we interviewed Tzvi Gluckin, who writes The Ingathering, a series of interviews and essays about Jewish music. What’s your Substack about in one sentence? The Ingathering is a comprehensive look at Jewish music and spirituality, and includes interviews with musicians and artists, historical pieces, roundups, and essays about the spiritual nature of music.
Dear Tzvi, If you have a few minutes, please consider my first to short story posts. These and more to come are focused on music, and music related anectdotes. Your writing reveals your detailed ear, and soulfull approach to sharing with other folks, your feelings and thoughts. Very well done. Kind regards Scott Rowland here and FB .
I think the article correctly noted that there is no one type or form or mood of Jewish music. However, there are two distinct features or moods in Jewish music , and I can tell you how I experienced them:
1) There is the crying, pleading, prayerful sound of the sorrow and laments: I am thinking of Saturday morning services and the wailing sounds "Kadosh, Kadosh, Kadosh (holy, holy, holy) ado shem tsi vos" etc.
The melancholic majesty of this strain of Jewish music is something I hear in the Beatles song, "I Me Mine."
2) There is the ribald, rough and raw sounds of dissent and ultimate triumph. I feel it in "Rumania, Rumania." The lyrics might be comical, but the sound of the music is something else: The loud thunderous voices are bellowing, "We ain't gonna take your shit anymore." I once was in a rock band of sorts (I played in CBGB's) and "Rumania Rumania" was the fuel that made this engine go
Love this! Thanks for sharing :)
Dear Tzvi, If you have a few minutes, please consider my first to short story posts. These and more to come are focused on music, and music related anectdotes. Your writing reveals your detailed ear, and soulfull approach to sharing with other folks, your feelings and thoughts. Very well done. Kind regards Scott Rowland here and FB .
I think the article correctly noted that there is no one type or form or mood of Jewish music. However, there are two distinct features or moods in Jewish music , and I can tell you how I experienced them:
1) There is the crying, pleading, prayerful sound of the sorrow and laments: I am thinking of Saturday morning services and the wailing sounds "Kadosh, Kadosh, Kadosh (holy, holy, holy) ado shem tsi vos" etc.
The melancholic majesty of this strain of Jewish music is something I hear in the Beatles song, "I Me Mine."
2) There is the ribald, rough and raw sounds of dissent and ultimate triumph. I feel it in "Rumania, Rumania." The lyrics might be comical, but the sound of the music is something else: The loud thunderous voices are bellowing, "We ain't gonna take your shit anymore." I once was in a rock band of sorts (I played in CBGB's) and "Rumania Rumania" was the fuel that made this engine go
I have been puzzled by Jewish music for many years now. Thanks for this article