Yiddish and Hebrew Song in the Weimar Republic

Concert Co-sponsored by the Leo Baeck Institute. This event is part of Carnegie Hall’s Fall of the Weimar Republic: Dancing on the Precipice festival. In Person: Admission: $15 YIVO members & students: $10 Register Zoom Livestream: Admission: Free Registration is required. Register

The Weimar Republic era contained a hotbed of Jewish musical activity. Following World War I, there was a spike of curiosity about Eastern European Jewry and Yiddish, which inspired many German-Jewish composers—from Cantor Leon Kornitzer to avant garde composer Stefan Wolpe—to explore Yiddish folksong in their music. At the same time, Berlin and Vienna acted as important publishing centers for the Jibneh Edition. In addition to featuring music of some German-Jewish composers such as Aron M. Rothmüller and Israel Brandmann, Jibneh Edition disseminated music of composers born in the Russian Empire associated with the Society for Jewish Folk Music such as Joel Engel, Joseph Achron, Michael Gnessin, and Alexander Krein, as well as the great Yiddish song composer Lazar Weiner writing in America. This rich musical activity bridged communities active in the East and West and reflected the linguistically and ideologically diverse aspirations of Jewish composers of its time. Join YIVO for a concert exploring Yiddish and Hebrew songs of the Weimar Republic.

This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council.