Hazzanim and Early-Modern Yiddish Song Culture: Text and Context

It is an often overlooked fact that the Ashkenazic religious and social elites – Rabbis, cantors, scribes, parnassim – were actively involved in creating the Old Yiddish song repertoire. Various songs that have come down to us were explicitly written by a khazn (cantor) or a khazns zindl (cantor’s son). For the latter, these might have been poetic and musical exercises, `apprentice pieces,` so to say.

However, cantors were not only involved in the creation of a repertoire, but also subjects of these songs. Their actions, lives and reputations were the topic of various Early-Modern Yiddish songs, too.

Thus, this lecture will explore and present those songs written by Early-Modern cantors or their sons and those (re)presenting khazonim in various religious and social functions and varying degrees of respectability.