Béla Kovács

Sholem-alekhem, rov Feidman!

            This delightful work is nothing less than an inspired concert tribute to the amazing tradition of klezmer clarinet.  Klezmer is the traditional music of the Ashkenazi Jews of Eastern Europe.  From its centuries old antecedents in the little string bands of the shtetls of the extensive Russian Empire, it has grown to worldwide popularity.  In this country it was brought by Yiddish-speaking immigrants during the great migrations of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.  Once here, the encounter between klezmer musicians and American jazz resulted in mutual exchanges of musical influences.  From George Gershwin and Benny Goodman to the Los Angeles studio musicians who played for the familiar early film cartoons, there were nuanced examples of the interchange.   In