For over two millennia, Jewish communities around the globe have developed diverse musical cultures, shaped by migration, cultural exchange, political upheaval, and technological change. This course explores these cultures across a wide range of periods, locales, and musical genres, ranging from sacred music in Renaissance Italy to contemporary hip-hop. We will engage key questions in the study of Jewish music, such as: What do varied Jewish musical cultures have in common, and what does their diversity reveal about migration and cultural transmission? How have political changes—such as the Emancipation of European Jewry, the Russian Revolution, and the founding of the State of Israel—influenced Jewish musical expression? How do musicians draw on the Jewish past, both ancient and modern, to inspire new forms of creativity?
Students will acquire tools for analyzing music in both historical and contemporary contexts. No prior knowledge of music or Jewish culture is required.
