A comment I just made on "Emes v'Emunah"
http://haemtza.blogspot.com/
Sorry, RHM, I do not agree. I made this point to Rabbi Gershon Schaffel when he was standing next to me at Rabbi Meyer Maryles's chasunah, and the band was playing "Yidden" and Reb Afharon Schechter, RY Chaim Berlin was dancing (clearly in such simcha that he was oblivious to the music). There was extreme dissonance between the exalted expression on his face and the mood (and other dancers) set by the music.
In fact, the ikkar objection to non-Jewish music, IMHO, *is* the tune, and not the lyrics. That is why classical music or folk music is generally not held to be objectionable. The emotions it arouses or amplifies are generally positive ones.
OTOH, one of my colleagues at MTA asked me to watch a DVD "School of Rock." The "hero" expresses his perspective that the core of rock is the "philosophy" of "Stick it to the Man" - being, in this case, any authority or limitation. That is still almost innocuous. Generally, rock "melodies" are meant to evoke and magnify much more negative and animalistic emotions and moods: sexuality (not romance!), violence, depression, anger, etc.
Its the niggun, not the words.
You can't argue emotions. In one person it brings out one thing and in another a different thing. Maybe you get those emotions, but others don't.
ReplyDeleteAcher the gemurah says Greek music but then look at the tosfos in Yebomos says it was instruments never stoped playing the nafka mina would be in your torah here
ReplyDelete"the ikkar objection to non-Jewish music, IMHO, *is* the tune, and not the lyrics. That is why classical music or folk music is generally not held to be objectionable. The emotions it arouses or amplifies are generally positive ones."
ReplyDeleteAny mikoros for this?
Perhaps the rhythm? Or the tone?
One of my old chaveirm told me back in the day that I don't look like the same aidel bochor he thought of me as when he watched me playing the drums at weddings.
The sugya of acher and the zemer yevoni nosher mkirbo haunts me sometimes. Where is that tosfos in Yevamos quoted above? Not that it would give me much relief as I too love to play music and not just listen.
Dahrf mehn a ra'ayah? S'ihz doch a dvar pashut!
ReplyDeleteIt's not pashut, it's an emotional argument. And, you admit you have no raayah!
ReplyDeleteIsn't the tune for Marseilles used in a Chassidic nigun? /would they detect the revolutionary undertones in the melody?
ReplyDeleteSome revolutions are good. Chassidus was a revolution too.
ReplyDelete