Giora Feidman EN

None of these peoples want bombs to be sent.

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In July 2012, interviewer Heinz Michael Vilsmeier met the clarinetist and klezmer soloist Giora Feidman in Bad Staffelstein. The evening before, Feidman had captivated around 5,000 attendees at “Songs on a Summer Evening” on the meadow in front of Kloster Banz—an appearance whose sound still lingered when the two met the next morning for breakfast at Feidman’s hotel. From this encounter emerged a conversation shaped by the immediate impression of the concert and delving ever deeper into the life and inner world of an extraordinary musician: Feidman, born on 25 March 1936 in Buenos Aires and often called the “King of Klezmer,” still fills concert halls around the world to this day. The interview offers a unique insight into Giora Feidman’s creative work and impact.

Sample reading

The following excerpt comes from the full interview that was published in the publication.

HMV: Giora Feidman, what is a song?

GIORA FEIDMAN: “Should one allow music to be used for political purposes?“ It’s a prayer! … So, divide a song into two or three parts. One is the music, one is the words. – Look, that guy yesterday, who was it …? – Wecker, right? …

I don’t understand the words. My friends say his words talk about politics. – They talk about politics! Should one allow music to be used for political purposes? – I don’t think so! You listen to this music; I don’t understand the language, so I can’t understand the song. I’ve listened to two or three songs and it seems to me they were all the same. That’s why I asked Ms. Springer [Giora Feidman’s companion, HMV]. I know that these people can have an influence on society. I say no, they will have no influence on German society, none at all! – Not them! They will neither overthrow the government nor will they set anything in motion. Again, why does he talk about values? It’s right, maybe it’s right that this group in society is not fair, that this isn’t fair or that isn’t. Maybe that’s right. But do they change anything? This way, nothing is moved! The question is, what is this! Art? – I am objective, I don’t understand the language. I want to record the music! – But I can’t! … Something great these guys, this guy and his colleague, have.