Part 1: Klezmer music at the Middle East and Central Asia Forum April 2009

[PaulTkachenko]

The origins of klezmer are very much from Central Asia and the Middle East. Particularly some of the stuff that we perform here ... don't trust me though - read any book on klezmer!

[classicklezmer]

@PaulTkachenko Sorry dude--i've read every book on klezmer, and the carpathians and the pale of settlement from which klezmer originates is quite decidedly in europe, not either of those other places. Some people confuse it with the middle east because it's Jewish music, but certainly not central asia (Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, or what?). It's 100% european music with some influence from old Ottoman music.

[PaulTkachenko]

@classicklezmer Hi - just sent a message with a bit of food for thought on Middle Eastern and Central Asian influences on klezmer.

[makkreol]

@PaulTkachenko it's mixed origins. I'm from Croatia, and northern Cro folk music is very similar to Klezmer, and almost identical to Gypsy music of the area with strong similarities to Serbian gypsy music. some scholars there thought klezmer was a slightly europeanised form of Turkish music probably with elements leftover from previous migrations of Jews who did in fact come from Central Asia and not directly from mid east. Cheers.

[classicklezmer]

Haha, klezmer music, which is of course not from the Middle East or Central Asia. oh well, well played!

[PaulTkachenko]

@classicklezmer The origins of klezmer are very much from Central Asia and the Middle East. Particularly some of the stuff that we perform here ... don't trust me though - read any book on klezmer!

[lsdvine]

love it susi