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By Recorded Sound Archives, April 16, 2024 3:54 pm

Delve into the enduring melodies of Passover traditions. As Passover approaches, there’s a palpable sense of anticipation in the air. It’s a time for reflection, celebration, and the joyous sharing of traditions with loved ones. At the Recorded Sound Archives at FAU Libraries, we invite you to embark on a journey through the rich tapestry of Passover melodies. Moreover, explore our extensive melodies of Passover collection of vintage recordings.

Our archives hold hauntingly beautiful tunes of yesteryear. They also feature lively renditions of classic Passover songs. Whether you seek the soul-stirring sounds of a cantor’s prayer or the cheerful melodies of a family Seder, we have something for you.

Step back in time and immerse yourself in the melodies of Passover with recordings dating back decades. Experience the warmth and nostalgia of bygone eras. Listen to the voices of generations past. Each note carries echoes of tradition and history.

Moreover, among our collection, you’ll find a diverse array of recordings showcasing the breadth and depth of Passover music. From traditional Hebrew hymns to folk songs from around the world, each recording offers a unique perspective on this beloved holiday.

Discover the soulful ballads of renowned cantors, the spirited songs of community gatherings, and the heartwarming melodies of family celebrations. Moreover, with just a click, you can transport yourself to a different time and place. You’ll be surrounded by the music that has united generations of Passover celebrants.

Delve into Timeless Melodies of Passover

1. Kiddush for Passover by Jan Peerce
2. La Juive-o Dieu, Dieu De Nos Peres (Passover Music) by Giovanni Martinelli
3. Passover – Ehad mi yodea / Had gadya – Part 4 by Emanuel Rosenberg
4. Eliyahu Hanavi by Benjamin Maissner
5. Kil-Oy – (Passover Medley) by Samuel Malavsky

Whether you’re preparing for your own Seder or simply looking to enrich your understanding of this sacred holiday, our vintage recordings are a valuable resource. Therefore, why not take a moment to explore the melodies of Passover with us? Let the music guide you on a journey of discovery, inspiration, and connection to the timeless traditions of the Jewish people.

Join us as we celebrate the beauty and significance of Passover through the power of music. Start listening today and embark on a musical odyssey through the melodies of Passover like never before.

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By Recorded Sound Archives, March 29, 2018 1:25 pm

Looking for music to enjoy with family and friends this Passover? Here at the Recorded Sound Archives at FAU Libraries, we would like to highlight the voices of Cantor Michael Kyrr, Cantor David Unterman and Joan Mey a few artists out of several available in the Passover Collection off the album, Songs for Passover.

This album was produced by the Jewish Education Committee of New York, in 1965 and was compiled by Harry Coopersmith to help engage youngsters in the customs and traditions of the Jewish religion. These recordings reflect a time in American history when Conservative Jewish educators sought to spirtually bind Jews together through song.

To listen to this album, click here.

To view other recordings by the Jewish Education Committee of New York, click here.

Discover over 40 other recordings for you to enjoy with family and friends in the Passover Collection.

Enjoy!

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By Recorded Sound Archives, December 7, 2017 1:49 pm

Have you recently typed “Chanukah” into Google? No….please go and try now and discover the beautiful animated image Google’s put together to celebrate Chanukah.

Here at the Recorded Sound Archives we celebrate with music, sharing over 50 Chanukah albums for you to enjoy with family and friends. The Songs of Chanukah Collection consists of what is considered traditional, children’s songs that teach about the holiday and a few old favorites with a new twist.

There is a little bit of something for everyone in this collection, so please share it with friends and family. In years prior we’ve highlighted the voice of Gladys Gewirtz and Kenny Ellis.

This year on the Recorded Sound Archives website we are highlighting the voice of Margie Rosenthal and Ilene Safyan, who were brought together by a mutual love of Jewish music in 1979 and are both featured performers on the Recorded Sound Archives website. The music on their album Just In Time for Chanukah is a blend of old and new melodies and words, and we think you’ll enjoy them this holiday season.

Click here to view this collection.

Click here to learn more about Margie Rosenthal and Ilene Safyan and their music.

Please note, due to copyright some of these recordings may only play for 45 second snippet to give the user a taste of what this music sounded like back in the day, if you are interested in full access considering applying for Research Station Access. Access to Research Station is limited to educators, students and serious researchers.

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By Recorded Sound Archives, September 19, 2017 1:57 pm

Looking for music to celebrate the High Holy Days this year? Look no further, the Recorded Sound Archives has a collection of over 40 recordings for you to choose from and share and enjoy with your family.

Here are a few favorite albums, which can be listened to in full on the Recorded Sound Archives website.

Selichot Service by Cantor Joseph Schwartzman

Selichot Service by Cantor Joseph Gross

Complete Selichot Service by Cantor Zvee Aroni

High Holiday Chants by Cantor Salomon Pinkasovitch

High Holiday Chants by Cantor Samuel Taube

High Holiday Moods by Cantor Leib Glantz

High Holiday Prayers (Volume 1) by Cantor Moshe Koussevitzky

High Holiday Selections by Malavsky Family

High Holy Day Prayers Live for the First Time by Cantor Leibele Waldman

High Holy Days in a Conservative Synagogue by Moishe Schwimmer

Rosh Hashana – Day 1 by Cantor Zvee Aroni

Rosh Hashana – Day 2 by Cantor Zvee Aroni

Rosh Hashanah by Cantor Benjamin Z. Maissner

Rosh Hashanah New Years Service Abraham Birnbaum – Rosh Hashanah New Year Service by Cantor Israel Goldstein

Rosh Hashanah by Cantor Yosef Rosenblatt

Yom Kippur Chants, Volume 3 by Cantor Zawel Kwartin

Yom Kippur  Day (Parts 1 & 2) by Cantor Zvee Aroni

Yom Kippur Day (Part 3 – Conclusion) by Cantor Zvee Aroni

Yom Kippur; Excerpts From the Traditional Liturgy by Cantor Moshe Ganchoff

Midnight Selichot Service by Cantor Leib Glantz

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By Alethea Perez, March 31, 2015 6:16 pm

Passover is all about retelling the story. And what better way to celebrate than to enjoy this modern day interpretation of an old story.

Our Passover gift to you! This Passover-themed parody of Uptown Funk by Six13. It is so catchy, it just might get stuck in your head all through Passover, which begins the evening of April 3 and ends the evening of April 11.

The Recorded Sound Archives has compiled a mix of Passover songs that the whole family can enjoy.  From Cantorial splendor to children’s play-songs, music expresses the heart of the Jewish people. Give Jewish music a special place in your home for the  holidays.

In the past we’ve highlighted each album, individually, this year we’ve created a special collection featuring all of our passover music: https://rsa.fau.edu/passover-collection All the songs  in this compilation can be heard all year long on the RSA website.

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By Recorded Sound Archives, November 5, 2014 6:17 pm

Cantor Todros Greenberg’s great-granddaughter wanted her son to hear his great-great- grandfather sing, but all she had was a tangle of tapes from dozens of reel-to-reel recordings. What could she do?

After locating a box full of tapes belonging to her great-grandfather, Cheryl Silver reached out to the JSA. With her son Noah’s Bar Mitzvah only a few months away she wanted to preserve the music on the tapes as part of Noah’s Mitzvah Project.

Although most of the tapes seemed to be in fairly good condition they were in total disarray. The home-made tapes were not clearly identified. We had no idea who was singing what on which tape.

A bit of good luck: As it happened, Cantor Joseph Gross, friend of the JSA, remembered Cantor Greenberg and could identify his voice. Hour after hour after hour, Cantor Gross sat with ear phones listening to tapes and making notes.  JSA sound technician, Ben Roth-Aroni meticulously digitized the tapes, created separate tracks and organized the songs on CDs for the family.

Well-known among Cantors for his talents as an educator and composer,  Cantor Greenberg’s 40 year collaboration with  Cantor Sholom Kalib resulted in the critically acclaimed book, Heichal Han’gina V’hatfila. Vol.1, published in 1961 by the Cantor’s Assembly.

His compositions have been included in the Milken Archive’s CD: The First S’lihot by Benzion Miller and  in The Milken Archive’s 50 CD boxed set.  They were also featured as part of the 8-program WFMT (Chicago) radio series, The Art of the Cantor, hosted by Cantor Alberto Mizrahi. But, recordings of this great Cantor’s voice have been rare …..until now.

The Judaica Sound Archives is proud of its role in preserving the recorded music legacy of Cantor Todros Greenberg.The digitized music in this collection was lovingly and painstakingly created from Cantor Greenberg’s personal reel-to-reel tapes which were donated to the Judaica Sound Archives by Cantor Greenberg’s family in honor of the Bar Mitzvah of his great-great-grandson, Noah Johnson.

 Click here to read more about Cantor Greenberg and to hear his recordings.

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By Recorded Sound Archives, October 1, 2012 2:33 pm

Bob Berkman’s pianola brings a rich new sound to vintage early 20th century Jewish music

The first time I heard Bob Berkman’s CD, Klezmerola, I just couldn’t stop playing it. I loved the old time sound that Bob was able to achieve with his pianola. I loved the way the sound of the pianola (player piano) augmented the  impact of the music that had once defined a generation of Jews and now was fading from memory.

I am delighted that the Judaica Sound Archives at Florida Atlantic University can now boast a collection of 47 Jewish songs by America’s premier pianolist, Bob Berkman.

I wrote the following review in September 2008 for the Association of Jewish Libraries. After listening to the CD many times since then, I still feel the same way.

“Take an almost vanished technology (player pianos), add vintage Jewish music and stir with just a hint of ragtime and what do you get? Klezmerola! An absolutely delightful CD album that is fun, fresh and freylekh. In this album of “Jewish music from rare piano rolls” Bob Berkman does an incredible job of bringing the music to life with a vitality achieved by actually foot-pumping an old upright player piano. The accompanying 16 page booklet provides information about each song and about the rediscovery of Jewish piano rolls. Such old familiar Yiddish songs as “Odesser Bulgar,” “Yosel,” and “Die Griene Cosina” seem especially well-suited for Bob Berkman’s pianola interpretations. I would be hard pressed to choose a favorite track.  I loved them all!”

In the liner notes for his two volume CD, Klezmerola at the Yiddish Theater, Bob Berkman tells us that ” Piano roll manufacturers…were eager to record and sell current hits, and for attracting immigrant Jewish customers there was no greater source than Yiddish Theater…The market was never a large one…and surviving examples are rare.” The music on these three CDs took over 35 years to assemble.

The piano rolls only contain notes (like sheet music). Bringing them to life with dynamics, accents, phrasing, and emotion is the work of the pianolist, the person operating the player piano. Bob Berkman’s unique talent revitalizes this vintage music, providing a generous portion of nostalgia. . . . with a twist!

Bob Berkman’s love affair with the pianola began in 1975 when he was hired by QRS in Buffalo, NY, the world’s last remaining piano roll manufacturer. His talents brought him the opportunity to work on such films as Ragtime, The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas, and Reds ( in cooperation with  Stephen Sondheim). He has appeared on NPR, BBC, and CBS Sunday Morning.

Using a 1912 “push-up” portable pianola, Berkman effectively turns any piano into a player piano allowing him to perform  in venues all across America. In great demand as a speaker and performer, his unique and deeply personal work with Jewish rolls has been especially gratifying to him.  His important discovery of George Gershwin’s only Jewish piano roll and the haunting A Gitte Nacht by the obscure Samuel Perlstein are among his most treasured accomplishments.

For information about how to buy recordings by Bob Berkman, please click here.

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By Recorded Sound Archives, January 18, 2012 3:03 pm

The multi-talented Laura Wetzler is a singer, songwriter, guitarist, lecturer, and recording artist. Her professional singing career began when she was only 15 years old.  Influenced  by her love of Jewish music and the famous folk singers of the 1960s, she became a popular performer at NYC clubs, synagogues and college campuses.

After her graduation from Hofstra she became a protégé of the legendary Joe Elias, master of the Ladino folk song genre. Her first CD was released to critical acclaim in 1999 and was re-issued in 2011.

A sought after concert performer, Wetzler’s popular music/lecture programs (Jewish Women in Jewish Song, Songs of the Lost Communities, Adventures in African and Asian Jewish Music and Jewels of the Diaspora, and Kabbalah Music: Songs of the Jewish Mystics ) highlight not only her talent but also her extensive knowledge of and interest in music history.

Wetzler is not only passionate about her music, she is also a passionate humanitarian. Working with Kalanu.org, she has been helping economically challenged African Jewish farmers to find health, education and basic services since 2002.

In her own words: “Music is my way of exploring the world, celebrating my heritage, and sharing with others.”

The Judaica Sound Archives is pleased to welcome her as one of our featured performers.

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By Alethea Perez, October 14, 2011 12:04 pm

Blanche Serota embraces a copy of the specially-created record label that honors her son, Barry Serota. Photo Credit: Alethea Perez

 BOCA RATON, FL (October 4, 2011) –Florida Atlantic University recently received a gift in memory of the late Barry Serota, an attorney, record producer and executive director of the Chicago-based Institute for Jewish Sound Recording. Serota was widely known for his deep knowledge of Jewish music and produced more than 100 recordings of Jewish sacred and secular music. His productions at the Institute for Jewish Sound Recording included choral,   instrumental, folk and art music.

Serota’s mother, Blanche, donated 1,500 LPs, more than 700 78-rpm discs, 100 digital audio tapes and 1,443 audio reel-to-reel tapes to the Judaica Sound Archives (JSA) at FAU Libraries in honor of her son. The collection includes rare record masters and pre-production one-of-a-kind recordings.

“Barry Serota devoted his life to collecting great Jewish music and producing high-quality recordings,” said Maxine Schackman, Ph.D., director of the Recorded Sound Archives at FAU Libraries. “Although we knew this was a wonderful donation to the JSA, we really couldn’t be sure what treasures we would find. Many of these recordings are legendary in the world of the cantorial arts.”

Blanche Serota became acquainted with the FAU Libraries when Ben Roth-Aroni, JSA’s sound technician, called to offer his condolences following Barry’s death. During his youth, Roth-Aroni worked for Serota as a tape editor and greatly admired his expertise in the field of Jewish music. Roth-Aroni encouraged Blanche to visit FAU Libraries, and during her February 2011 visit, she arranged to donate her son’s treasured collection to the JSA.

“She wanted to honor his memory,” said Schackman. “It comforted her to know that what he loved so much would find a warm welcome and a permanent home at the JSA.”

The JSA has digitized and compiled a collection of 56 albums produced by Barry Serota. The recordings can be heard on the JSA website at Musique Internationale.

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By Recorded Sound Archives, January 4, 2011 5:13 pm

Harry Kandel was one of the pioneers of modern Klezmer music. His orchestra consisted of a variety of instruments including the clarinet, trombone, tuba, xylophone, cornet, violin, flute, viola and piano.  Kandel studied at the Odessa Conservatory of music before moving NYC in 1905. In New York he performed in vaudeville as clarinetist with the Great Lafayette Band and also appeared in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show.

After moving to Philadelphia in 1913 he played with John Philip Sousa’s Band and started his own orchestra in 1916. The 34 songs in this collection were digitized from the original 78 rpm recordings produced by Victor Records from 1917 through 1921, at the height of the Kandel Orchestra’s popularity. Volume one contains their original rendition of Der Stiller Bulgarish which was later recorded by Benny Goodman as And the Angels Sing.

Although most of Kandel’s recordings were with Victor Records he also produced recordings for the Brunswick and Okeh labels. He retired in 1924 spending the rest of his life running a music store, making only occasional live and radio appearances.