THREE SUITES: A CELEBRATION OF KLEZMER by Alison Weiner A Thesis Submitted to the ...

126 Pages·2010·5.16 MB·English

THREE SUITES: A CELEBRATION OF KLEZMER
by
Alison Weiner

A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of
The Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters
in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of
Master of Arts

Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, Florida
May 2010
Copyright by Alison Weiner 2010
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I am profoundly grateful to my father, mother, sister, friends, professors, and fellow
musicians. They all had the kindness not to raise their eyebrows at my change of
livelihood and instead bestowed their support and encouragement. Thankful
acknowledgement is also offered to Paul Green for embracing this work and performing
it for others with his virtuosic talent, Dr. Stuart Glazer for walking alongside me as I
discovered my compositional voice, scholarship donors who enabled me to complete my
degrees debt-free, and Janice Cunningham, who keeps all FAU musicians glued together
with her effervescent smile.
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ABSTRACT
Author: Alison Weiner
Title: Three Suites: A Celebration of Klezmer
Institution: Florida Atlantic University
Thesis advisor: Dr. Stuart Glazer
Degree: Master of Arts
Year: 2010
Three original suites, composed during 2008-2009, are presented and discussed
with respect to form, style, and compositional techniques. The subjects are Suite No. 1
(clarinet and piano), Suite No. 2: For Paul, A Master of Music (clarinet, piano, double
bass and drums), and Suite No. 3: L’Chaim (two clarinets, flugelhorn, French horn,
bandoneon, piano, violin, and cello). Common to all three pieces is the inspiration of
klezmer, a Jewish music genre that, during its reemergence over the past thirty-five years,
has welcomed the influence of other musical styles. In keeping with the eclectic nature
of klezmer, each suite builds upon the previous one with regard to instrumentation, style
and technique, and embraces additional genres (jazz and tango). Brief reviews regarding
the history and musical characteristics (including modes, ornamentation and
improvisation, song types and instrumentation) for all the included genres are also
presented for the benefit of compositional context.

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THREE SUITES: A CELEBRATION OF KLEZMER

LIST OF FIGURES .......................................................................................................... vii

INTRODUCTION ...............................................................................................................1

I. SUITE NO. 1 (2008) ....................................................................................................... 3

Klezmer Style: Definition, History, Characteristics ................................................3

Compositional Analysis .........................................................................................12

II. SUITE NO. 2: FOR PAUL, A MASTER OF MUSIC (2009) ........................................30

Jazz Style: Definition, History, Characteristics .....................................................30

Compositional Analysis .........................................................................................33

III. SUITE NO. 3: L’CHAIM (2009) .................................................................................49

Tango Style: Definition, History, Characteristics ..................................................49

Compositional Analysis .........................................................................................51

CONCLUSION: ADVANCING MUSICAL CONVERSATION ....................................67

APPENDIX: SCORES.......................................................................................................69

Suite No. 1 ..............................................................................................................70

Suite No. 2: For Paul, A Master Of Music ............................................................82

Suite No. 3: L’Chaim .............................................................................................97

REFERENCES ................................................................................................................114

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FIGURES

Figure 1.1: G harmonic minor scale ....................................................................................6
Figure 1.2: D Ahava Rabboh mode......................................................................................6
Figure 1.3: C Mi Sheberach mode .......................................................................................6
Figure 1.4: D Adonoy Moloch mode ....................................................................................7
Figure 1.5: An example of krekhtsn .....................................................................................8
Figure 1.6: Freylekh 7:50 by Paul Babici ............................................................................8
Figure 1.7: C mi sheberach: scale - diatonic triads – diatonic sevenths ............................12
Figure 1.8: Suite No. 1, mm. 1-10 ......................................................................................12
Figure 1.9: Suite No. 1, mm. 11-18 ....................................................................................13
Figure 1.10: Suite No. 1, mm. 19-28 ..................................................................................14
Figure 1.11: Suite No. 1, mm. 29-37 ..................................................................................15
Figure 1.12: Suite No. 1, mm. 38-47 ..................................................................................16
Figure 1.13: Suite No. 1, mm. 48-53 ..................................................................................17
Figure 1.14: Suite No. 1, mm. 54-61 ..................................................................................19
Figure 1.15: Suite No. 1, mm. 62-71 ..................................................................................20
Figure 1.16: Suite No. 1, mm. 72-79 ..................................................................................20
Figure 1.17: Suite No. 1, mm. 80-87 ..................................................................................21
Figure 1.18: Suite No. 1, mm. 88-98 ..................................................................................22
Figure 1.19: Suite No. 1, mm. 99-109 ................................................................................23
Figure 1.20: Suite No. 1, mm. 110-117 ..............................................................................24
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Figure 1.21: Suite No. 1, mm. 118-125 ..............................................................................25
Figure 1.22: Suite No. 1, mm. 126-136 ..............................................................................26
Figure 1.23: Suite No. 1, mm. 137-144 ..............................................................................27
Figure 1.24: Suite No. 1, mm. 145-156 ..............................................................................28
Figure 2.1: Suite No. 2, mm. 1-8 ........................................................................................33
Figure 2.2: Suite No. 2, mm. 9-16 ......................................................................................34
Figure 2.3: Suite No. 2, mm. 17-24 ....................................................................................35
Figure 2.4: Suite No. 2, mm. 25-32 ....................................................................................36
Figure 2.5: Suite No. 2, mm. 33-41 ....................................................................................37
Figure 2.6: Suite No. 2, mm. 42-49 ....................................................................................38
Figure 2.7: Suite No. 2, mm. 71-75 ....................................................................................40
Figure 2.8: Suite No. 2, mm. 76-83 ....................................................................................41
Figure 2.9: Suite No. 2, mm. 84-91 ....................................................................................41
Figure 2.10: Suite No. 2, mm. 92-99 ..................................................................................42
Figure 2.11: Suite No. 2, mm. 116-121 ..............................................................................43
Figure 2.12: Suite No. 2, mm. 132-139 ..............................................................................45
Figure 2.13: Suite No. 2, mm. 140-143 ..............................................................................46
Figure 2.14: Suite No. 2, mm. 144-151 ..............................................................................46
Figure 2.15: Suite No. 2, mm. 180-190 ..............................................................................47
Figure 3.1: Tango accompaniment patterns .......................................................................49
Figure 3.2: Suite No. 3, mm. 1-7 ........................................................................................52
Figure 3.3: Suite No. 3, mm. 8-13 ......................................................................................53
Figure 3.4: Suite No. 3, mm. 14-21 ....................................................................................53
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Figure 3.5: Suite No. 3, mm. 22-31 ....................................................................................54
Figure 3.6: Suite No. 3, mm. 32-42 ....................................................................................54
Figure 3.7: Suite No. 3, mm. 43-51 ....................................................................................55
Figure 3.8: Suite No. 3, mm. 52-55 ....................................................................................56
Figure 3.9: Suite No. 3, mm. 56-59 ....................................................................................57
Figure 3.10: Suite No. 3, mm. 60-66 ..................................................................................58
Figure 3.11: Suite No. 3, mm. 67-81 ..................................................................................59
Figure 3.12: Suite No. 3, mm. 82-89 ..................................................................................60
Figure 3.13: Suite No. 3, mm. 90-97 ..................................................................................61
Figure 3.14: Suite No. 3, mm. 146-153 ..............................................................................62
Figure 3.15: Suite No. 3, mm. 154-16 ................................................................................62
Figure 3.16: Suite No. 3, mm. 162-180 ..............................................................................63
Figure 3.17: Suite No. 3, mm. 181-194 ..............................................................................64
Figure 3.18: Suite No. 3, mm. 195-201 ..............................................................................65
Figure 3.19: Suite No. 3, mm. 202-207 ..............................................................................65

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INTRODUCTION

Three original suites, composed during 2008-2009, are presented and discussed
with respect to form, style, and compositional techniques. The subjects are Suite No. 1
(clarinet and piano), Suite No. 2: For Paul, A Master of Music (clarinet, piano, double
bass and drums), and Suite No. 3: L’Chaim (two clarinets, flugelhorn, French horn,
bandoneon, piano, violin, and cello).
Common to all three pieces is the inspiration of klezmer, a Jewish music genre
that has easily welcomed the influence of other musical styles throughout its history. In
keeping with the eclectic nature of klezmer, each suite builds upon the previous one with
regard to instrumentation, style and compositional technique by embracing additional
genres (jazz and tango). The three movements of Suite No. 1 revolve around one
klezmer mode. Suite No. 2 combines a continuation of klezmer exploration with
harmonic and improvisational characteristics of jazz. The inclusion of both composed
and improvisational conversation within klezmer and tango styles is the primary feature
of Suite No. 3. In addition, the compositional intention for these works is accessibility for
both listener and performer. Drawing from three different genres, a unique perspective is
offered on the mysteries, struggles and joys of life in a manner that is hopefully
melodically, harmonically and rhythmically engaging.
Brief reviews regarding the history and musical characteristics (including modes,
ornamentation and improvisation, song types and instrumentation) for all the included
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