music of the sephardic jews
TRANSCRIPT
Music of the Sephardic Jews
Music of the Sephardic JewsBy Elise Armstrong and Amy Huie
Victoria BenozilioBorn in Athens in 1942Sings in a Jewish chorusWas the director at an elders home
Sephardi: a Jew of Spanish or Portuguese descent. They retain their own distinctive customs and rituals, preserving Babylonian Jewish traditions rather than the Palestinian ones of the Ashkenazim.
The Diaspora1492: Edict declaring all Jews must convert to Christianity250,000+ Jews abandoned Spain and PortugalSultan Bayazid allowed all Jews to enter into the Ottoman Empire safely
Result of the DiasporaAll the armies of the Lord left, the refugees of Jerusalem that lived in Spain, this cursed land, in the fifth month of the year 5252, that is 1492. From there they dispersed to the Four Corners of the earth They went where the winds guided them: to the lands of Africa, Asia, Greece and Turkey. And they live there until today.~Yosepf ha Kohen, Italian Jewish writer
Jews in ThessalonikiThessaloniki you are the city and mother of Israelmother of the people of Israel, like the people of Jerusalem in the days of her glory.~Samuel Usque, Jewish poet
Thessaloniki very accepting to Jews and marranosGrew in popularity by mid 16th centuryMarranos considered inferiorThessaloniki was a singing city
LadinoPredominantly Spanish with foreign influencesIn Thessaloniki the lower class Ladino was well-preserved whereas upper class Ladino was dilutedWas not spoken in the synagogueDying language but there are still people who communicate with itVictorias mother in-law only spoke Ladino, necessary for her to learn
Music A mosaic of sacred and profane, Jewish and non-Jewish, old and new.~Amnon Shiloah, Jewish Musical Traditions
Both secular and religiousAbout 200 songs preserved from 15th century
Characteristics of Sephardic MusicReligious music was performed a capellaSecular music included instruments:Instruments:Oud DarbukaMandolinViolinLuteVerdis Adio QueridaThemes of romance, everyday life
Adio Querida
When the Music Stopped
German OccupationVictoria was born during the German Occupation
AftermathJewish Population today is about 1200After WWII the survivors were afraid to speak Ladino and sing their songsJewish singer in elders home sang to Victoria authentic Sephardic songs
Jewish Community TodayJewish Community Center in ThessalonikiStrives to preserve the Ladino language and Sephardic cultureProvides classes on LadinoThere is an elementary school for Jewish kidsOnly taught Hebrew, Spanish and FrenchLadino is not part of their curriculumVictoria helped organize a Sephardic music festivalBands from all over the world participated
Ocho Kandelikas
Music TodayLarge Sephardic music revival todayPasharos SepharadiThe commercialization and experimentation of Sephardic music has allowed this this tradition to continueModern influences electric guitar, CDs, etc.Music has become more universal because many people are able to recognize their own language in the songs
Savina YannatouVictoria said Savina is considered an artistic performer of Sephardic musicBorn in Athens in 1959Classically trainedCombines her classically trained background with traditional music and improvised music
Savina Yannatou
Works CitedNew Oxford American Dictionary 3rd edition 2010, 2012 by Oxford University PressPrimavera en Salonico