Concert: Songs of the Jewish Underworld from Pre-World War Two Poland

Session Submission Type: Ancillary Event

Brief Description

Jewish criminals: thieves, swindlers, murderers, pickpockets and pimps but also beggars and prostitutes are authors and protagonists of many of the songs collected in Poland at the beginning of 20th century which will be performed at this concert. Through these songs we can learn about this little-known underworld community: about criminals’ childhood, their first stealing or first murder. Other melodies bring out voices of young Jewish girls forced into prostitution in brothels of Buenos Aires. In their stories there is no place for raisins with almonds, good-hearted fiddler on the roof, or other sweet nostalgia. Instead we meet Jews not necessarily good, but definitely real, willing to kill for love, take revenge, steal or cry their hearts out.

This concert brings back the memory of a little known community. This is not sexy, danceable klezmer but a musically varied repertoire including street songs, stories sang as waltzes and tangos and other tunes which give a possibility to meet and experience people and their lives. They describe the everyday desires, dreams and hopes for better existence.

Some of the songs presented in this concert have been collected at the beginning of the 20th century on the streets and back-alleys of Warsaw, others were recorded from those who survived the Holocaust. They were gathered by Izabella in her quest through archives and informants in Poland, Israel and the United States. Some are known among Yiddish aficionados while others have not been performed since they were first collected in early 1900s.

Sub Unit

• Ancillary Events

Featuring

• Izabella Goldstein, Independent Artist