Ashkenazi Music Return to JMI  homepage
JMI HomepageAbout JMILatest News and UpdatesWhat is Jewish Music?LibraryJMI NewsletterContact JMISearch the JMI websiteSitemap
   

Ashkenazi Music

'Ashkenazi' (Hebrew for Germany) refers to the Jews who settled in the Rhineland of South West Germany and Northern France from about the third century CE. They developed a distinct culture and spread out eastwards through Central Europe into Slavic lands. Ashkenazi cantorial song reached a very high level of sophistication and ornamentation. The vernacular language was Yiddish, based on medieval German with Slavic and Hebrew words and written in Hebrew script. Yiddish language influenced their popular music. Yiddish language and music travelled with Ashkenazi Jews as they moved to the new world. A musician was called a 'klezmer' and 'klezmer music' and Yiddish song are popular genres taught by JMI today.

Klezmer classes @ SOAS 2007/2008

Song school evening classes 2007/2008

2008 KlezFest Music Song and Dance PLUS Ot Azoy

To find out about Klezmer, Yiddish song and Yiddish classes in your area, email JMI - info@jmi.org.uk

Future dates:

2008

2009

  • Ot Azoy: 09 - 14 August
  • KlezFest: 16 - 21 August

2010

  • Ot Azoy: 08 - 13 August
  • KlezFest: 15 - 20 August


last modified: 11 October 2006

 

Ashkenazi Links

Klezmer and Yiddish Events

What is Klezmer?

Klezmer Classes

What is Yiddish?

Learn Yiddish

The International Forum for Yiddish Culture (IFYC)

Publications

Other JMI Links

Jewish Music Performances

Jewish Music Courses

 

 

JMI HomepageAbout JMILatest News and UpdatesWhat is Jewish Music?LibraryNewsletterContact JMISearch the JMI websiteSitemap
Performances. Jewish Music Live JMI Library Jewish Music Courses
The Jewish Music Institute is an independent Arts organisation based at SOAS, University of London. It is an international focus bringing the ancient yet contemporary musical culture of the Jews to the mainstream British cultural, academic and social life. Its programmes of education, performance and information highlight many aspects of Jewish music throughout the ages and across the globe for people of all ages, backgrounds and cultures.