HASSIDIC
SINGING
The
Phonoarchive of Jewish Folklore at the Vernadsky National Library of Ukraine:
As the route of expeditions ran along the greatest concentration of Hassidism,
the collectors' archive resulted in an enormous compilation of Hasidic melodies.
The melodies are frequently accompanied by specific notes written down or recorded,
and include entries by Bratslav Hasids, Ruzhin Hasids, Trisker, Volyn Hassids,
from Abraham Itzhak Berdichevsky, from Joseph from Talne, from Chernobyl rabby
etc. Thus it is possible to consider, that in aggregate these tunes are of interest
as the present encyclopedia of Hassidic singing. In addition, a characteristic
attribute of this part of the collection is a large volume of materials, which
represents not domestic, but Jewish synagogical singing. Many religious tunes
- fragments of the synagogue liturgy and paraliturgical chants, performed on
special occasions outside synagogue (for example, on Saturday, during the holidays
of Pesakh, Sukkot, Rosh Ha-Shana (New Year), Yom-Kipur (Day of Expiation), 9-Aba-Day,
the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, etc.) - quite often have the form
of completed musical compositions. They were recorded by the researchers directly
from the voices of the khasans6 - Jewish cantors (Itskhok Berman from Olika,
Simkha Kobrenik from Zaslav etc.).
Abraham Itshak Berdichevsky is a descendant of Levi Itzhak (1740-1810) is a
Hassidic tsadik and rabbi, one of the most outstanding representatives of Hassidism
of the end of the 18th, beginning of the 19th centuries. The leader of the Volyn
Hassids, up to the end of life held a post of rabbi in Berdichev.