Abe Schwartz
Encyclopedia
Abe Schwartz was a well-known klezmer
musician of the 1920s.
Abe was born outside of Bucharest
, Romania
, and moved to the United States
in 1899. He soon distinguished himself as a talented arranger and composer
of music, as well as a violin
ist, pianist
, and bandleader
.
The famous klezmer
clarinetist Naftule Brandwein
played for a time in Schwartz's ensemble
, notably on popular songs like Brandwein's own "Firn Di Mekhutonim Aheym" (Leading the In-Laws Home). They also performed Schwartz's famous number "Di Grine Kuzine" (The Greenhorn Cousin), still played today by klezmer
revivalists.
Klezmer
Klezmer is a musical tradition of the Ashkenazic Jews of Eastern Europe. Played by professional musicians called klezmorim, the genre originally consisted largely of dance tunes and instrumental display pieces for weddings and other celebrations...
musician of the 1920s.
Abe was born outside of Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, and moved to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1899. He soon distinguished himself as a talented arranger and composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
of music, as well as a violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
ist, pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
, and bandleader
Bandleader
A bandleader is the leader of a band of musicians. The term is most commonly, though not exclusively, used with a group that plays popular music as a small combo or a big band, such as one which plays jazz, blues, rhythm and blues or rock and roll music....
.
The famous klezmer
Klezmer
Klezmer is a musical tradition of the Ashkenazic Jews of Eastern Europe. Played by professional musicians called klezmorim, the genre originally consisted largely of dance tunes and instrumental display pieces for weddings and other celebrations...
clarinetist Naftule Brandwein
Naftule Brandwein
Naftule Brandwein, or Naftuli Brandwine, was a Jewish clarinetist and influential klezmer musician.- Early life :Brandwein was born in Przemyslany, Poland-Galicia , into a family of klezmer musicians, part of the Stretiner Hasidic dynasty founded by Rabbi Yehuda Hirsch Brandwein of Stratin...
played for a time in Schwartz's ensemble
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
, notably on popular songs like Brandwein's own "Firn Di Mekhutonim Aheym" (Leading the In-Laws Home). They also performed Schwartz's famous number "Di Grine Kuzine" (The Greenhorn Cousin), still played today by klezmer
Klezmer
Klezmer is a musical tradition of the Ashkenazic Jews of Eastern Europe. Played by professional musicians called klezmorim, the genre originally consisted largely of dance tunes and instrumental display pieces for weddings and other celebrations...
revivalists.