The Music and History of Klezmer

The word “klezmer” comes from Hebrew “kli zemer” which means “instrument of the singing.” Over time it came to signify the musicians themselves, and in current usage it also refers to the musical genre of East European Jewish dance music.

This lecture will look at the development of klezmer from medieval times through the 20th century, with the inclusion of photos, video and musical examples (some from Yale Strom himself). Many of the locations that will be discussed have been personally visited by Strom, who has done ethnographic research there.