Exploration of Brooklyn: Historical Artifacts and Supernatural Encounters: Two Unique Items From the Music Society of Eleonore Biezunski
In the heart of New York's klezmer scene, Eleonore Biezunski stands as a beacon, merging her roles as a sound archivist at the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research and a performing artist. Her work is a testament to the power of music in bridging the gap between personal experiences, family history, and the pursuit of the numinous.
Biezunski's musical journey is deeply rooted in her heritage. Growing up, she was introduced to Yiddish ballads by her grandmother and mother. Her violin studies with Shifra Lipsky-Sluchin further nurtured her connection to Yiddish culture. Today, her performances resonate with spiritual and natural themes, reflecting her exploration of the numinous.
As a sound archivist, Biezunski is instrumental in preserving Jewish musical heritage. Her work links the past and present, reviving obscure or ephemeral elements of Yiddish culture that otherwise might have been lost. Through her archival delving, she produces a model of engagement with historical sources that is both scholarly and creative.
Family history is a recurring theme in Biezunski's work. A recently discovered cassette tape of her maternal grandfather, Moishe Rozenbaumas, singing cantorial music was found by her daughter. The tape, a gift in more ways than one, contains performances of Yehi Rotson, Tsur Yisroel, and Kol Nidre, showcasing Yitzkhak's competency and knowledge in the cantorial style.
The music on the tape is validating for Biezunski, serving as a concrete detail legitimizing her experience of voices from the past singing with her. Listening to the music is also a part of peace-making, as it helps heal the difficult relationship between her great-grandfather and her grandfather.
Biezunski's work is also deeply personal. Her song Tshemodan was inspired by her relationship with Yiddish poet and folk singer Beyle Schaechter-Gottesman. After being awakened in the middle of the night by words in Yiddish, she wrote a poem titled Tshemodan. The poem was completed the night before Schaechter-Gottesman's death, and Biezunski has since set the lyrics to music, incorporating them into her concerts.
The song, reminiscent of Romanian lautari music, features a lulling staggered triplet ostinato and long sustained notes in the vocal melody. It is a testament to the transformative power of music, serving as a bridge between cultural traditions and personal experiences.
In summary, Biezunski's work is a beautiful blend of family history, serendipity, and the pursuit of the numinous. Her performances evoke the spiritual and mysterious quality of the sacred and natural world, connecting audience, history, and environment in a unique and organic way. Whether through her archival work or her art, Biezunski's work is a testament to the power of music to heal, to connect, and to inspire.
[1] Untermyer Gardens Concerts: Tree of Life - Yiddish Songs About Nature [2] Biezunski, Eleonore. Personal website. www.eleonorebiezunski.com [3] YIVO Institute for Jewish Research: Sound Archive [4] Biezunski, Eleonore. Performance at the Yiddish Book Center. www.yiddishbookcenter.org [5] Biezunski, Eleonore. Performance at the National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene. www.nationalyiddish.org
- Eleonore Biezunski's performances at events like the Untermyer Gardens Concerts, such as the Tree of Life - Yiddish Songs About Nature, serve as a platform to share her unique blend of music, steeped in nature and her Jewish heritage.
- As she continues to delve into her family history, Biezunski incorporates her own compositions, like the powerful and evocative song Tshemodan, into her repertoire, showcasing the transformative power of music as a bridge between cultural traditions and personal experiences.
