Comments on: Journeys from Judaism and Persecution in Mendelssohn and Mahler http://classical-scene.com/2010/07/22/journeys-from-judaism/ a virtual journal and blog of the classical music scene in Boston Wed, 23 May 2012 19:45:51 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Lee Eiseman http://classical-scene.com/2010/07/22/journeys-from-judaism/comment-page-1/#comment-3554 Lee Eiseman Tue, 09 Nov 2010 23:59:57 +0000 http://classical-scene.com/?p=4274#comment-3554 Thanks for keeping this interesting thread alive. It seems axiomatic that Mendelssohn was ambivalent about his Jewishness. It's a real Doppelgaenger dilemma- the Jewish Mendelssohn and the Christian one. Thanks for keeping this interesting thread alive. It seems axiomatic that Mendelssohn was ambivalent about his Jewishness. It’s a real Doppelgaenger dilemma- the Jewish Mendelssohn and the Christian one.

]]> By: P. Cohen http://classical-scene.com/2010/07/22/journeys-from-judaism/comment-page-1/#comment-3553 P. Cohen Tue, 09 Nov 2010 23:21:52 +0000 http://classical-scene.com/?p=4274#comment-3553 On this topic, see: http://www.thejewishweek.com/arts/music/mendelssohns_elijah_both_sides_now On this topic, see:

http://www.thejewishweek.com/arts/music/mendelssohns_elijah_both_sides_now

]]> By: e.r.staunt http://classical-scene.com/2010/07/22/journeys-from-judaism/comment-page-1/#comment-3047 e.r.staunt Thu, 02 Sep 2010 14:38:57 +0000 http://classical-scene.com/?p=4274#comment-3047 Newberger’s article, while raising some interesting questions, reveals a lack of familiarity with the extensive scholarship in the field. Unfortunately, this leads to or reinforces a number of misconceptions, as can be seen by some of the comments about Mendelssohn’s sacred works (e.g. “Paulus). For a thorough (and thoroughly researched!) book on the subject, I strongly recommend "The Price of Assimilation" by Jeffrey Sposato (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2006). Newberger’s article, while raising some interesting questions, reveals a lack of familiarity with the extensive scholarship in the field. Unfortunately, this leads to or reinforces a number of misconceptions, as can be seen by some of the comments about Mendelssohn’s sacred works (e.g. “Paulus). For a thorough (and thoroughly researched!) book on the subject, I strongly recommend “The Price of Assimilation” by Jeffrey Sposato (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2006).

]]> By: Judith Newman http://classical-scene.com/2010/07/22/journeys-from-judaism/comment-page-1/#comment-3042 Judith Newman Thu, 02 Sep 2010 08:35:33 +0000 http://classical-scene.com/?p=4274#comment-3042 I just thought everyone should know that Mendelssohn was anti-Semitic enough himself that I had to quit a chorus I belonged to that was performing his Paulus because I couldn't stand to be part of a Jewish mob singing "Stone him to death! He blasphemes God, and those who blaspheme God must die!" about Paul at every opportunity. It even indicated at the end that the Jews would ultimately stone Paul to death, which according to Wikipedia did not happen. I just thought everyone should know that Mendelssohn was anti-Semitic enough himself that I had to quit a chorus I belonged to that was performing his Paulus because I couldn’t stand to be part of a Jewish mob singing “Stone him to death! He blasphemes God, and those who blaspheme God must die!” about Paul at every opportunity. It even indicated at the end that the Jews would ultimately stone Paul to death, which according to Wikipedia did not happen.

]]> By: Helen Epstein http://classical-scene.com/2010/07/22/journeys-from-judaism/comment-page-1/#comment-3013 Helen Epstein Tue, 24 Aug 2010 13:43:59 +0000 http://classical-scene.com/?p=4274#comment-3013 A small correction that Eli encouraged me to leave, since I've researched the Jews of the Czech-Moravian Highlands. Mahler was actually born in the Czech village of KALISTE. The house in which he was born has been rebuilt, spurred on by Jiri Rychetsky's local Mahlerites. My husband and I slept there a few years ago hoping to encounter ghosts and thought the village was pretty much the same size it had been then: tiny and totally rural, with a church and a pub as in former times. The family moved to IGLAU (I saw that house but did not go in) which was a German-speaking enclave in the Czech countryside, and a city not a village. It was there that the Habsburgs maintained a military garrison. Kaliste probably had a three-piece pub band at best. Mahler had a special place in the hearts of Czech Jews. Several had his adagietto from Fifth Symp played at their funerals as did my mother. A small correction that Eli encouraged me to leave, since I’ve researched the Jews of the Czech-Moravian Highlands. Mahler was actually born in the Czech village of KALISTE. The house in which he was born has been rebuilt, spurred on by Jiri Rychetsky’s local Mahlerites. My husband and I slept there a few years ago hoping to encounter ghosts and thought the village was pretty much the same size it had been then: tiny and totally rural, with a church and a pub as in former times. The family moved to IGLAU (I saw that house but did not go in) which was a German-speaking enclave in the Czech countryside, and a city not a village. It was there that the Habsburgs maintained a military garrison. Kaliste probably had a three-piece pub band at best. Mahler had a special place in the hearts of Czech Jews. Several had his adagietto from Fifth Symp played at their funerals as did my mother.

]]> By: Helen Epstein http://classical-scene.com/2010/07/22/journeys-from-judaism/comment-page-1/#comment-2999 Helen Epstein Mon, 23 Aug 2010 16:09:54 +0000 http://classical-scene.com/?p=4274#comment-2999 Great Piece Eli. I particularly liked the quote from Mendelssohn's father about names as clothing. My family came from the same background and the Czech-Moravian Highlands. My grandfather Emil Rabinek converted a few years after Mahler did in Vienna but like Mahler and Mendelssohn, retained his name -- which in his case meant "litte Rabbi" in Czech, i.e. Rabinek. One of the many people who helped me research my family history (published as Where She Came From: A Daughter's Search for her Mother's History) was Jiri Rychetsky, who did most of the Czech-area research for Henry Louis de la Grange. Great Piece Eli. I particularly liked the quote from Mendelssohn’s father about names as clothing. My family came from the same background and the Czech-Moravian Highlands. My grandfather Emil Rabinek converted a few years after Mahler did in Vienna but like Mahler and Mendelssohn, retained his name — which in his case meant “litte Rabbi” in Czech, i.e. Rabinek. One of the many people who helped me research my family history (published as Where She Came From: A Daughter’s Search for her Mother’s History) was Jiri Rychetsky, who did most of the Czech-area research for Henry Louis de la Grange.

]]> By: Joel Cohen http://classical-scene.com/2010/07/22/journeys-from-judaism/comment-page-1/#comment-2842 Joel Cohen Sun, 01 Aug 2010 08:58:57 +0000 http://classical-scene.com/?p=4274#comment-2842 A useful, short book with excerpts from works by Felix' grandfather Moses is "Moses Mendelssohn: Selections from his writings (The Jewish heritage classics)" A useful, short book with excerpts from works by Felix’ grandfather Moses is “Moses Mendelssohn: Selections from his writings (The Jewish heritage classics)”

]]> By: Louis Raymond http://classical-scene.com/2010/07/22/journeys-from-judaism/comment-page-1/#comment-2820 Louis Raymond Wed, 28 Jul 2010 18:06:49 +0000 http://classical-scene.com/?p=4274#comment-2820 Hello Eli: What a pleasure to be able to learn more about Mahler's & Mendelssohn's Jewish heritage and how it inevitably affects, somehow, their lives and work. As then as now, there are plenty of people, let alone countries, who take pride in keeping good people safe from barbarian influences. Let alone barbarians. And yet, there are parallel currents of progress, e.g., the NY Times piece on the popularity of gay marriage in ---who knew?--- South Africa. Perhaps the best we can hope for is that, over the broadest timeline, the record is ten steps forward and eight or nine back. Shorter-term, it's hard not to feel like the sum is backward, though. Thanks again for keeping me in the loop. More please! Hello Eli: What a pleasure to be able to learn more about Mahler’s & Mendelssohn’s Jewish heritage and how it inevitably affects, somehow, their lives and work. As then as now, there are plenty of people, let alone countries, who take pride in keeping good people safe from barbarian influences. Let alone barbarians. And yet, there are parallel currents of progress, e.g., the NY Times piece on the popularity of gay marriage in —who knew?— South Africa. Perhaps the best we can hope for is that, over the broadest timeline, the record is ten steps forward and eight or nine back. Shorter-term, it’s hard not to feel like the sum is backward, though. Thanks again for keeping me in the loop. More please!

]]> By: Robert Manning http://classical-scene.com/2010/07/22/journeys-from-judaism/comment-page-1/#comment-2815 Robert Manning Tue, 27 Jul 2010 20:51:22 +0000 http://classical-scene.com/?p=4274#comment-2815 Please forgive the the typos in my originank you for calling my attention to the review. Please forgive the the typos in my originank you for calling my attention to the review.

]]> By: Robert Manning http://classical-scene.com/2010/07/22/journeys-from-judaism/comment-page-1/#comment-2814 Robert Manning Tue, 27 Jul 2010 20:44:06 +0000 http://classical-scene.com/?p=4274#comment-2814 I found this review fascinating and, more importanrly, enlightening. Elt, I abk you for calling it to my attemtion. I found this review fascinating and, more importanrly, enlightening. Elt, I abk you for calling it to my attemtion.

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