By David Amos
SAN DIEGO–As part of being Jewish, living with a non-Jewish majority, we are subjected to the many excesses of the Christmas season. I need not elaborate to you that the original intent of this Christian holiday has been distorted and mostly converted into a commercial bonanza. Jew and Gentile alike, involved in the world of business, manufacturing, distribution, entertainment, and sales of consumer products and gifts, are part of the action, with its rewards and risks.
But, what about the music of the season? I do not refer to someone like Irving Berlin, a Jew, who composed White Christmas. He is the salient example, but there are many, many more in the world of music who are very involved in every aspect of Christmas music-making. During my high school teaching days, I busily prepared the choral ensembles and choirs in the presentation of what in those times were the obligatory Christmas Concerts.
I am referring to the yearly ritual of being bombarded by the “Christmas spirit”, decorations, obligatory gift giving, parties, traffic, television and radio programming, and of course, the music.
But, it may surprise you to know, that I, for one, enjoy the season. In our home there is no such celebration or decoration of any kind, but, somehow, the ambiance of the season is gentler, people smile more and are kinder to each other, the desire to aid the less privileged is everywhere, the decorations make for a colorful surroundings as we visit shopping malls, stores, and even offices, and of course, the music is everywhere. Most of it is actually very beautiful, but, let’s not fool ourselves, its hidden intent is to motivate us to spend more money.
When I first arrived in this country as an 11 year old boy, I was quickly recruited to play the piano to accompany the singing groups at the public school’s Christmas program. It was my first introduction to all the carols and pop songs of the season. It surely did not affect my personal beliefs, but I enjoyed thoroughly all those simple, but catchy and pretty tunes.
I learned the traditional carols, even finding out that one, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing was written by Mendelssohn. I also discovered that Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker was Christmas-specific, even though it has music that is enjoyable year-round. Later in life, when I taught in the schools, I did not feel compelled to have a Hannukah song or two in the high school’s Christmas concerts, although I did include a few ditties and my own arrangement in Hebrew of MaozTzur.
I never felt the compelling need to force a song or two from Hannukah in a Christmas show, but if it worked out, I was glad to do it.
And, I am well aware on how we are all bending backwards to be politically correct, with the word Christmas being replaced everywhere by the word Holidays. I personally do not believe that we have to compete with Christmas in order to protect our identity. Instead, we should emphasize the wonders and beauty of our own holidays, educate and entertain. This is what we did with our two daughters during their formative years.
We are in the midst of what could be a nice time of the year, but in no way we should accept that Hannukah be labeled “The Jewish Christmas”. This is something to be avoided, in order to protect the tradition and meaning of our own holiday.
The concept of Jewish people performing and/or enjoying Christian music is a bit controversial to a few of us, but maybe it should not be. I have a cousin in Tel Aviv, who sings with the Israel Philharmonic Choir. Years ago, I innocently asked him if that chorale ever performed Christian music. To my surprise, he said, “I can’t recall ever performing any other music but of the Christian kind!” Let’s remember that a Bach Mass, a Verdi Requiem, or Handel’s Messiah is Christian religious music. They certainly do not feel that their Jewish identity is being challenged or diminished. Good music is simply good music.
Another quote from my early years, from a fellow music teacher: She said to me in the spirit of ecumenism: “If you sing Puff the Magic Dragon, it does not imply that you believe in dragons!”
This brings me to one of my life’s campaigns, namely, the commissioning of living composers to write new musical works based on Jewish liturgy, history, Israel, recent historical events, such as the Holocaust, The Torah, wisdom from the Talmud, Jewish people in history, and such topics. I have approached potential sponsors on the subject, but, unfortunately, the image of Jewish music in their minds could not go beyond hearing I have a Little Dreidl, S’vivon SovSovSov, Chad Gad’ya, Chag Purim, and similar ditties.
Au contraire, Jewish music, in the hands of great, inspired composers, can draw on thousands of years of history, wisdom, concepts and traditions, and can be the catalyst to create a treasury of new and inspiring music based on our heritage. A few masters have already created such glorious music such as Ernest Bloch’s Sacred Service, but they are too few and seldom performed, getting lost in the masses, requiems, glorias, cantatas, passions, and other major works by the composers we already all know and love.
Serious Jewish music should be given a chance to be created, performed, recorded, be part of modern history, and enjoyed by everyone. If you agree with some of these concepts, let me know.
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Amos is conductor of the Tifereth Israel Community Orchestra and guest conductor of professional orchestras around the world. He may be contacted at dalia118@cox.net.