HUNGARIAN AND KLEZMER MUSIC: FINDING FOLK ELEMENTS WITHIN THE CONTEMPORARY VIOLIN REPERTOIRE

Abstract

Classical composers often utilize stylistic elements from folk music to create unique soundscapes in their music and/or affirm their cultural identity as artists within the realm of Western music. Some composers integrate folk melodies into their pieces while others write with particular elements of folk song and dance in mind, depending on their familiarity with the musical tradition. However, classical performers with Westernized conservatory training often lack the research background to determine how to identify these unique elements in classical music and how they relate to the original music traditions. Without the proper consultation of primary sources and field recordings, we may overlook and/or over-exoticize elements that serve an entirely different function in the music’s original context. And while most folk music was not originally intended to be shared in a concert hall, it is important to acknowledge the sociocultural and emotional context in which these pieces were written, especially when we find them in modern repertoire like that of Bartók and Bloch. For this dissertation project, I will prepare and present a series of three violin recitals featuring repertoire from Hungarian and klezmer or Jewish folk traditions. I chose these two musical idioms to examine potential geographical and cultural overlap, as these traditions have spread across central and Eastern Europe through Hungarian, Romani, and Jewish diasporas. In the first few chapters, I will provide general background on these folk musics in terms of style, general structure, and cultural function. In the later chapters, I will provide comprehensive overviews for each recital in terms of the following: 1) repertoire selection, 2) a historical, analytical, and interpretive overview of each piece, and 3) research and performance challenges.