Naftule Brandwein
Encyclopedia
Naftule Brandwein, or Naftuli Brandwine, (1884–1963) was a Jewish clarinetist and influential klezmer
musician.
-Galicia (now Ukraine
), into a family of klezmer musicians, part of the Stretiner Hasidic dynasty
founded by Rabbi Yehuda Hirsch Brandwein of Stratin. His father Peysekhe played violin
and was an improvising wedding poet (badkhn); of his thirteen sons, Moyshe played violin, French horn, and valve trombone, Mendel played piano
, Leyzer played drum
s, and Azriel played cornet
; Azriel became Naftule's first music teacher, and had a lasting impact on his playing.
where he quickly became a star of the 78 rpm record
era, proclaiming himself the "King of Jewish Music". Thus, he was considered to be among the first wave of American klezmer artists, those trained in the Old World
, as opposed to the second generation who learned their skills in America. Between 1922 and 1927, he cut twenty-four records, first as a member of Abe Schwartz
's orchestra
, and then as a solo artist after 1923.
, reading "Naftule Brandwein Orchestra", around his neck, and with his back facing the audience, to conceal his fingering
tricks. He also wore plugged-in Christmas lights as part of his costume on several occasions, which once shorted out when he perspired too much, almost electrocuting him. His wild style incorporated not only the influence of Jewish music
, but also flourishes of Greek
, Turkish
, and Gypsy music. His warm and lively playing style would constantly jump up and down the scale and express itself in trills, slides and other ornamentation; he is often contrasted to the other famous klezmer clarinettist of his time, Dave Tarras
, who had a more conservative but nonetheless very talented playing style.
.
His career soured from the mid-1920s onward, as demand for his traditional approach to klezmer music waned; he made his last recording in 1941 and lived out his final years in relative obscurity, playing in the Borscht Belt
.
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.
Early life
Brandwein was born in Przemyslany, PolandPoland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
-Galicia (now Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
), into a family of klezmer musicians, part of the Stretiner Hasidic dynasty
Hasidic dynasty
A Hasidic dynasty is a dynasty of Hasidic spiritual leaders known as rebbes, and usually has some or all of the following characteristics:#Each member of the dynasty is a spiritual leader, often known as an ADMOR or simply as Rebbe and at times called the...
founded by Rabbi Yehuda Hirsch Brandwein of Stratin. His father Peysekhe played 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....
and was an improvising wedding poet (badkhn); of his thirteen sons, Moyshe played violin, French horn, and valve trombone, Mendel played piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, Leyzer played drum
Drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s, and Azriel played cornet
Cornet
The cornet is a brass instrument very similar to the trumpet, distinguished by its conical bore, compact shape, and mellower tone quality. The most common cornet is a transposing instrument in B. It is not related to the renaissance and early baroque cornett or cornetto.-History:The cornet was...
; Azriel became Naftule's first music teacher, and had a lasting impact on his playing.
Emigration to the United States
In 1908 Brandwein emigrated at the age of nineteen to the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
where he quickly became a star of the 78 rpm record
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
era, proclaiming himself the "King of Jewish Music". Thus, he was considered to be among the first wave of American klezmer artists, those trained in the Old World
Old World
The Old World consists of those parts of the world known to classical antiquity and the European Middle Ages. It is used in the context of, and contrast with, the "New World" ....
, as opposed to the second generation who learned their skills in America. Between 1922 and 1927, he cut twenty-four records, first as a member of Abe Schwartz
Abe Schwartz
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...
's orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
, and then as a solo artist after 1923.
Style
Brandwein was known as much for his colorful personality as for his musical talent, often playing with a neon signNeon sign
Neon signs are made using electrified, luminous tube lights that contain rarefied neon or other gases. They are the most common use for neon lighting, which was first demonstrated in a modern form in December, 1910 by Georges Claude at the Paris Motor Show. While they are used worldwide, neon signs...
, reading "Naftule Brandwein Orchestra", around his neck, and with his back facing the audience, to conceal his fingering
Fingering
In music, fingering is the choice of which fingers and hand positions to use when playing certain musical instruments. Fingering typically changes throughout a piece; the challenge of choosing good fingering for a piece is to make the hand movements as comfortable as possible without changing hand...
tricks. He also wore plugged-in Christmas lights as part of his costume on several occasions, which once shorted out when he perspired too much, almost electrocuting him. His wild style incorporated not only the influence of Jewish music
Jewish music
Jewish music is the music and melodies of the Jewish People which have evolved over time throughout the long course of Jewish History. In some instances Jewish Music is of a religious nature, spiritual songs and refrains are common in Jewish Services throughout the world, while other times, it is...
, but also flourishes of Greek
Music of Greece
The music of Greece is as diverse and celebrated as its history. Greek music separates into two parts: Greek traditional music and Byzantine music, with more eastern sounds...
, Turkish
Music of Turkey
The music of Turkey includes diverse elements ranging from Central Asian folk music and has many copies and references of Byzantine music, Greek music, Ottoman music, Persian music, Balkan music, as well as more modern European and American popular music influences...
, and Gypsy music. His warm and lively playing style would constantly jump up and down the scale and express itself in trills, slides and other ornamentation; he is often contrasted to the other famous klezmer clarinettist of his time, Dave Tarras
Dave Tarras
Dave Tarras was possibly the most famous 20th century klezmer musician. He is known for his long career and his very skilled clarinet playing.-Biography:...
, who had a more conservative but nonetheless very talented playing style.
Decline
Brandwein was notoriously unreliable, unable to read music, and possessed of a reputation as a nasty drunk. He even supposedly played private shows in backrooms for the largely Jewish contract killing gang Murder, Inc.Murder, Inc.
Murder, Inc. was the name given by the press to organized crime groups in the 1920s through the 1940s that resulted in hundreds of murders on behalf of the American Mafia and Jewish Mafia groups who together formed the early organized crime groups in New York and...
.
His career soured from the mid-1920s onward, as demand for his traditional approach to klezmer music waned; he made his last recording in 1941 and lived out his final years in relative obscurity, playing in the Borscht Belt
Borscht Belt
Borscht Belt, or Jewish Alps, is a colloquial term for the mostly defunct summer resorts of the Catskill Mountains in parts of Sullivan, Orange and Ulster counties in upstate New York that were a popular vacation spot for New York City Jews from the 1920s through the 1960s.-Name:The name comes from...
.