01/05/2017
Gerro, Henri (approx. 1919-1980)
Henri Gerro (Roizman) was born on August 31, 1919 in Rovno (Volhynia Province), nowadays in Ukraine. He began performing on the Polish stage at the age of 12. After the …
26/04/2017
Villers, Alphonse de (vers 1845-après 1896)
We know almost nothing about Alphonse de Villers’s life. His name comes up a few times in the archives of the Israeli Consistory of Paris. It seems that he was …
26/04/2017
Franck, Jules (1858-1941)
Jules Franck was born in the French town of Nancy in 1858. A few years later, his family settled in Paris (1). In January 1873, Jules Franck sang with his …
21/02/2017
Offenbach, Jacques (1819-1880)
Emblematic composer of the second half of the 19th century, Jacques Offenbach was the son of Isaac Eberst, musician and cantor in the synagogue of Cologne. …
21/02/2017
Waldteufel, Emile (1837-1915)
Born into a Jewish family of Strasbourg, Emile Waldteufel was the favorite composer of empress Eugénie. He wrote hundreds of waltzes, including the famous Valse des patineurs (The Skater’s Waltz) that all …
11/01/2017
Baroque Jewish Music
Unlike various popular beliefs, Jews from Italy, Provence or even Amsterdam had a perfect knowledge concerning Art Music in the Christian world. Young Italian Jews in the 15th century went …
16/11/2016
Cheikh Raymond (1912-1961)
A master of Arab-Andalusian music, Cheikh Raymond is a symbol of Judeo-Arab brotherhood which expressed itself through music between the years 1930 and 1950. His assassination by the National Liberation …
05/10/2016
Samoun, Marlène
Born in Tlemcen in Algeria, Marlène Samoun is a French singer specializing in traditional music from the Mediterranean, especially Judeo-Spanish music. Her repertoire also comprises songs in Arab, Yiddish and Romani. …
01/10/2016
Klezmer music: from the past to the present
Klezmer is an instrumental music for celebrations which was once performed in the Jewish communities of Eastern Europe at weddings or joyous religious celebrations, such as Purim, Simhat Torah, or …
