The musical instrument perhaps most identified with Lag B’Omer is the clarinet. In Jewish music, the clarinet plays a central role. This instrument has the ability to express emotions such as sadness, yearning, and happiness. For many years, the clarinet has been perhaps the main instrument in klezmer music. A typical klezmer band includes accordion, violin, drums, and contrabass, and usually the clarinet is the soloist. In fact, until maybe 20-30 years ago, many wedding bands didn’t have a singer. Rather, they had a clarinet.
This Friday, May 16, is Lag B’Omer. So it’s an opportunity to review some of the leading clarinet players, as well as klezmer music. I love klezmer. As a kid and a teenager, I used to go in the summer to the Safed Klezmer Festival which happens every year in Tzfat (Safed) in Israel. It’s a magical experience. Walking between the narrow passageways and alleys of Safed. Hearing music from all over – klezmer bands, Jewish rock bands – in the special atmosphere of Safed. Not only during the Klezmer Festival but also all year long, a tour in Safed is always an uplifting and special experience. You can feel the holiness in the air. Walking in the old city of Safed, entering the small shops and galleries, listening to the stories – it’s an experience that I recommend you have on your next visit to Israel.
From Safed, a short, approximately 15-20 minute drive will take you to Meron to Kever Rashbi (the Tomb of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai). And Lag B’Omer is the “hilulah” (yahrzeit) of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. Every year on Lag B’Omer thousands of people come to Meron for the hilulah of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. The nigunim of Meron even have their own category in Jewish music: “Nigunei Meron.”
The beauty of klezmer music is that you don’t need to understand the language. Because there’s no language. It’s only music. It doesn’t matter what language you speak – everyone can understand the language of music. You only need to listen.
One of the most popular clarinet musicians when I was growing up was Moussa Berlin. In fact, Moussa Berlin is perhaps today the most senior clarinet player in Israel. Born on December 18, 1938 in Tel Aviv, Berlin is the foremost representative of the klezmer tradition in Israel. His father was a Modzitzer chasid. Berlin is not himself chasidic, but much of his work since the early 1970s has been for the various chasidic groups. He learned in Yeshivat Bnei Akiva in Kfar Haroeh, and was sent every year to Meron on Lag B’Omer where he learned the Nigunei Meron. After his army service, he started studying at Bar-Ilan University, where he formed a klezmer band with his friend Avraham Kuchinski who played accordion. For many years, Berlin played every year in Meron on Lag B’Omer. There, he and his friends would play the old Nigunei Meron in an effort to preserve them, and many young people would come to listen and record them.
At age 86, Moussa Berlin still plays and performs. And I hope he will continue to play and perform for many more years! I had the opportunity to listen to him in live shows when I was younger, and trust me, he’s amazing. He has released a few albums over the years which are available for purchase on his website, https://www.mussaberlin.com, or on other Jewish music websites. One of his most interesting albums is Moussa Berlin – Yachad/Carlebach, on which he plays Carlebach music.
One of my favorite albums on my music player is Best Of Klezmer by Hanan Bar-Sela. I mostly put it on when I’m driving late at night, after listening to all the podcasts/rock music/contemporary or old chasidic music, etc. and I need something to relax to and enjoy, without singing – just beautiful music. Hanan Bar-Sela has been playing music since he was 10 years old. After his army service, he started to learn music professionally, and since then he has been performing and producing and is very active in the klezmer music world.
Since 1996, Bar-Sela has been playing on a regular basis at the Safed Klezmer Festival and even served as artistic director of this international event for 12 years (2001-13). He has also served as artistic director of the Jerusalem International Klezmer Festival and the clarinet and klezmer international Master Classes in the Galilee and is the artistic director of the International Klezmer Festival in Revava (part of the Shomron Regional Council).
Bar-Sela has released a few albums, including The Best Of Chabad Melodies, Breslov Melodies, Songs of Reb Shlomo Carlebach, and The Best Of Klezmer, which I have on my music player. My favorites songs on his Best of Klezmer album are in “Fiddler On the Roof – A Medley,” in which Bar-Sela performs the famous melodies from the musical. It’s always fun to listen to again. I also like “Yedid Nefesh,” the song many sing every Friday night before Kabbalat Shabbat as well as during Seudah Shlishit. I also like the “Meron Melody,” which is a classical klezmer song, as well as “Happiness Melody,” “Medley of Meron Melodies,” and “The Four Babot Tune,” which is a very classical melody. Just to be sure, I like the whole album, but these are my favorites. Bar-Sela’s Carlebach and Breslov music is also worth listening to.
Another favorite album on my music player is the Benigunnei Rikudim Sochfim by Chilik Frank. Can you guess why song #22 is one of my favorites? We’ll get to that soon. Chilik Frank is one of the most popular clarinet players today. He performs with his band at many weddings and klezmer festivals, as well as at yeshivot in Israel and in concerts. Frank defines himself as a student of Moussa Berlin. I already mentioned Frank in my “The Purim Playlist (Part II)” column in The Jewish Press. So you should be familiar with him and his music.
“Nigun Karlin 1,” which is the first song on Benigunnei Rikudim Sochfim, is a song I like a lot. But the entire album is very upbeat and I recommend you to listen to it.
But it’s Lag B’Omer – so let’s review Chilik Frank’s Menagen Meron album. The album starts with a very powerful and stirring performance of the song “Bar Yochai.” The next song is “VeAmartem Ko Lechay” which is also a very popular Lag B’Omer song. “Amar Rabbi Akiva” is another popular and beautiful song. I also liked “Sh’ney Nigunim Atikim, Pt. 2,” and “Machrozet Lichvod Yalde Hachalake.” Chalake (upsherin) is a first haircut ceremony for a boy on his third birthday. Many in Israel do the chalake in Meron.
And now to the answer you were waiting for – why do I like song #22 on the Benigunnei Rikudim Sochfim album?
I not only like to listen to klezmer music – I also like to play klezmer music. For years I have played klezmer music on my keyboard. One of my favorite songs on that album is “Ashreinu,” which I recently recorded myself playing on my keyboard and uploaded to my YouTube channel. You can find it and listen to it and let me know if you liked it!
