Dear List(s): Today, National Public Radio's "All Things Considered"
begins a ten-part survey of Yiddish-language radio programming in New
York City in the 1930s and '40s. Of course, the focus will be on WEVD
(named for Eugene Victor Debs, the five-time Progressive Party
presidential candidate). For our membership, the particular interest
will be on the music broadcasts; for, as did all the radio stations,
WEVD maintained a full-time rotating roster of musicians, not only for
live music programs, but to play filler music for spoken programs that
ended too soon or which were delayed for some reason. These staffers
included some of the finest klezmer musicians in that city rich with
klezmorim. I anticipate some wonderful examples of cantorial singing,
as well. Today's program gave a thumbnail sketch of the history of
Yiddish, and ended with a tasty bit of klezmer clarinet. Although I
have not checked it specifically for this series, the "All Things
Considered" web site ought to have more information on this program, and
might even have a link for hearing it on the computer.
-- Vivian Ramalingam (reads the "Forvartz" backvartz and "Der Tog" beynacht)
<vivian@me.umn.edu>
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Mon Mar 18 2002 - 14:37:07 PST