Talk:Secular Jewish music

"Not Jewish in Form"

I wonder about this heading. Most styles of "jewish" music were just adopted from the societies Jews happened to live in. In that sense Jewish pop music is no different than a klezmer Hora (Romanian) or a sephardic ballad (Spanish). I'm not trying to say that these are or aren't "Jewish"..but I don't see why one is more Jewish than the other. Dan Carkner 15:44, 21 April 2007 (UTC)

Jewish rock?

Is there such a thing as Jewish rock? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 134.193.112.62 (talk) 18:18, 30 April 2011 (UTC) Well yes there is. I mean it's just like Christian rock? I mean is there really such a thing? Artists like Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails) Marilyn Manson, Morrissey and Robert Smith (The Cure) are/were Christian but don't consider themselves Christian. (120.149.115.110 (talk) 08:24, 11 July 2013 (UTC)) I mean that's not Christian in form.(120.149.115.110 (talk) 08:26, 11 July 2013 (UTC))

All Three Beastie Boys?

All three Beastie Boys are/were (R.I.P. Adam Yauch) Jewish? Well whilst Adam Horovitz (Ad-Rock) did have a Jewish Father his Mother was Irish Catholic so by Halacha law Adam Horovitz (Ad-Rock)is NOT Jewish... And what's more it appears to be that he wasn't even raised Jewish. (120.149.115.110 (talk) 08:41, 11 July 2013 (UTC))

1911 remarks by Landon Ronald, possibly of interest

While researching a different topic, I came across the following (an interview of Landon Ronald on the Jews in music, conducted by The Jewish Chronicle and quoted in part in The New York Times "Music Here and There" 5 February 1911, p. X7), possibly of relevance here; I've optically scanned the Times, then cleaned it up. I've confined myself to one editorial remark.

"Wagner's attack on the Jews was beneath contempt. Any man who harbors prejudice against a race on account of Its religion must be very narrow minded. This, of course, quite apart from Wagner's supreme genius a a musician."

Mr. Ronald spoke very emphatically of the Jewish passion for music. "The Jews," he said, "are great patrons of the opera house and concert halls, although I think that the average Jewish public are not such great concert goers as they are opera goers."

"How do you account for the Jewish love of music?"

"I suppose it. must, be their Eastern blood."

"Has not the cultivation of melody in the synagogue had something to do with the highly developed musical sense of the Jewish people?" "Probably it has. Rut my feeling is that music is in the blood of a Jew. It is part and parcel of the Jew's nature."

"Do you think that there is such a thing as Jewish music?"

"No, I think not. The Jew writes according to the school of the country In which he is born and lives. Mendelssohn, for example, wrote according to the German school. Still, we must bear in mind those wonderful Hebrew melodies sung In the synagogue—some of the. most beautiful, in my belief, that have ever been penned. Max Bruch, you will remember, adapted some of them—in particular the 'Kol Nidrei.' I think the synagogue melodies are, indeed, beautiful."

"It has sometimes been said that Jews are not as thorough in their art as other musicians."

"Well, surely, that is a matter of individuality. It depends on the man himself whether he Is thorough or not. You cannot lay down a general law about a whole race."

"Some people are fond of saying that Jews are greater as Interpreters than as creators of music."

"There may. perhaps, be some foundation for that. The great advantage which the Jew has as an interpreter," continued Mr. Ronald enthusiastically," is that he has always so much soul and sympathy, which communicates itself to the audience. I do firmly believe that if many of the prominent English singers and instrumentalists before the public at the present moment had a dash of Jewish blood in their veins they would be greater artists than they are."

"It is sometimes said that the late Sir Arthur Sullivan had this drop of Jewish blood. Have you ever heard whether that really was so?"

"No, I have not. though I have occasionally heard the report which you mention. It was said that Sullivan's real name was Salomon. I should imagine that the story of Jewish extraction has very little foundation. Sullivan, you will remember, was of Irish birth—which does not make the report more plausible."

"Are Jews taking an increasing part in musical affairs?"

"The Jews are the greatest musical nation in the world and occupy an enormous place in almost every branch of the musical art, whether as composers, pianists, violinists or singers. Among Jewish violinists may be mentioned Zlmbalist, Kreisler. Mischa Elman and Max Mossel; among pianists, Irene Scharrer and Myra Hess; among singers, Mme. Donalda and Mme. Olitzka, and among composers. Dr. Cowen[.]"

"What about Jewish musical I conductors?"

"Besides myself, I can only recall Dr. Cowen. Nor can I recall any Jewish conductor of front rank abroad. [Um, Mahler? - JM] Meyerbeer and Mendelssohn are, in my opinion, the great Jewish composers of the past, Mendelssohn being far ahead of the other in merit.["]

I'm not sure if there is anything worth extracting there for the classical music section of this article or not, but it provides an interesting perspective: how this was perceived a century ago by a Jewish conductor. - Jmabel | Talk 18:24, 26 November 2015 (UTC)

Alex Lifeson NOT Jewish

Alex Lifeson is NOT Jewish at all in any way, shape or form. He is Serbian. Not Jewish so if you don't mind I would like to erase his name from your list. Thank-you. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 1.136.111.99 (talk) 14:23, 13 June 2019 (UTC)