Yiddish songs are often sad, as are Yiddish folk songs. But this Yiddish song is a happy one. The Yiddish tune featured in this new recording is a new arrangement for a klezmer ensemble of vocalist, violin, clarinet and cello. The new arrangement, in turn, is based on a piano-vocal arrangement published in 1923 by Janot S. Roskin (1886-1946). Marc Berman sings.
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Ruth Rubin, in her book "Voices of a People: The Story of Yiddish Folksong," called "A Geneyve" a "nonsense song." On the other hand, the song also may be viewed as reflecting serious undercurrents that run beneath its frothy facade. For, as Rabbi Ishmael stated in the Talmud, "The daughters of Israel are beautiful, only poverty disfigures them" (Mishna Nedarim 9:10, בנות ישראל נאות הן אלא שהעניות מנוולתן). The latter interpretation is evident in this recording.
Janot Roskin was born in Rjesitza, near Vitebsk, in Russia (present day Belarus). He worked as a choir singer and prayer leader in his youth. In 1903, he moved to Berlin. In 1911, he founded a conservatory, which he led until 1918. In 1916, he founded a publishing house that was eventually named "Hatikva." The company published much Jewish music, including a collection of Jewish folk songs that included "A Geneyve."
Roskin also headed the choir of the Jewish Reform Congregation of the synagogue in Levetzowstrasse, Berlin-Moabit. In addition to being an arranger, he also composed his own music.
After the rise of the Nazis, Roskin left Germany for the United States. He founded Hatikvah Music Publishing Company in Boston around 1941. The company published about 170 works. It appears that Roskin and his publishing house eventually relocated to Indianapolis, where Roskin was buried after his death in 1946.
Source for Roskin biographical information: Universität Hamburg, Institut für Historische Musikwissenschaft, Lexikon verfolgter Musiker und Musikerinnen der NS-Zeit.
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