VA - Klezmer Pioneers - European & American Recordings, 1905-1952

This album features remastered recordings from American and European Klezmer greats such as Art Shryer, Abe Elenkring, Sam Musiker, Mishka Tsiganoff, Abe Schwartz, Joseph Cherniavsky, Josef Solinski, Naftule Brandwein, Joseph Moskowitz, Dave Tarras, and more.

A nice collection of very early recordings of klezmer, roughly half from Bucharest and half from New York. These ones cover the span from 1905 to 1952, essentially starting with the advent of the flat-disc format in Eastern Europe (actual cylinder recordings aren't represented here). There's a decent breadth of sound here, ranging from the familiar orchestral sound of New York klezmer bands catering primarily to non-Jewish audiences to the solo tsimbl (hammered dulcimer) of Eastern Europe. 

The main item to note here is the way that the album catalogs the semi-gradual shift from the importance of the violin as the primary instrument to the reign of the clarinet. There's some beautiful music on this album, but if you're a klezmer fan who's been self-fed the modern klezmer of groups like the Klezmatics and the Klezmonauts, be forewarned that this is a heavily different sound.

Tracklist:

1. The Rabbi's Dance - Art Shryer's Orchestra
2. Revery Dream-Jewish Fantasy - Art Shryer's Yiddish Orchestra
3. From The Wedding - Abe Elenkrig's Yidishe Orchestra
4. A Homey Bulgar - Sam Musiker And His Orchestra
5. How Beautiful - Belf's Rumanian Orchestra
6. Greek Dance - Mishka Tsiganoff
7. Liebes Tanz - Orchestra Romaneasca (Abe Schwartz's Orchestra)
8. A Dance For Everyone - Abe Schwartz's Orchestra
9. The Bridal Serenade And Congradulations - Joseph Cherniavsky And His Yiddish-American Jazz Band
10. The Chasidium Visit The Rabbi - Kandel's Orchestra
11. Doina Un Sirba - Mihal Viteazul
12. One Glance At You - Alexander Olshanetsky Und Zein Orkestrer
13. Dance A Freilachs - Abe Schwartz's Orchestra
14. Orientalishe Motive II - Josef Solinski
15. A Lively Honga - Kandel's Orchestra
16. Odessa-Burlgar - Mishka Ziganoff
17. The Hot One-Tater Dance - Naftule Brandwein's Orchestrer
18. The Hassid From Bessarabia - Isreal J. Hochman's Jewish Orchestra
19. Doina - Joseph Moskowitz
20. Bessarabian Hora - Belf's Rumanian Orchestra
21. Dancing With The Bride - Art Shryer's Modern Jewish Orchestra
22. The Disciple Of The Rabbi From Trisk - Dave Terras
23. Memories Of Kirshenev - Abe Katzman's Bessarabian Orchestra
24. Uncle Max's Bulgar - Sam Musiker And His Orchestra

VA - Klezmer Pioneers - European & American Recordings, 1905-1952

(320 kbps, cover art included)