Witty, philosophical and humble at age 73, Israeli clarinetist Giora Feidman has released his 40th CD in about 40 years. Entitled 'Klezmer and Strings', it is his third collaboration with the Gershwin Quartett.



Feidman's playing has a wide range -- smooth, fast, jumpy and expressive. He covers a variety of klezmer styles from hasidic to middle eastern to jazzy.



Feidman spoke to Israel National Radio's The Beat music podcast from Germany about his take on the history and meaning of klezmer music.





"Are you in the Mossad or something?" Feidman asks, surprised information about his new CD is already available on his web site. Feidman spends most of his time playing concerts, having one in Mannheim, Germany, the day the interview takes place, which may explain why he doesn't have much time for the internet. He's also ambivalent about being called "one of the most well known klezmer musicians in the world today" as the official web site states.



The motivation to be a musician for Feidman is "to be a servant of society. We are responsible for the spiritual food for society in any form of art." The clarinetist has a unique take on the meaning of the word klezmer, which comes from the Hebrew words "kl[e]y", instrument, and "zemer", singer. Feidman adds that "kl[e]y" – kaf, lamed, yud – can stand for Kohen, Levi and Yisrael, the three categories of Jews in relation to Temple service; together, they represent the nation as a whole.

"It has nothing to do with music," Feidman elaborates. "Klezmer is the nomination the Jewish society gives to the body. The body is an instrument of song with the voice to express the language you call music."



Though "it is true that in eastern Europe, the folklore musicians, were called 'klezmers,'" Feidman says, the term does not determine style, rather, it is merely a Hebrew word, similar to Hallelujah or Amen, that general society has incorporated.



But Feidman's philosophy on music goes deeper, and he could seemingly talk for hours on the subject. "Even speaking is a way to sing. We change the rhythm and the color of our voice. There is silence between the words. This comes from the body we call kle-zemer."



"The most important thing people will understand is that the singing and dancing is... a need," he says, "not a talent. We forget that the way of communication between the mother and the baby is by singing. Every mother on the entire planet will sing for a baby."



When asked if he sees a difference between playing in Israel, Germany or the many other countries he travels to, Feidman replies a firm no. "For me personally, there is no difference. Music is a prayer without religion," Feidman answers. "Religion without music cannot exist. But music doesn't have a religion. When you deal with human society, in the end, one shares with the other."





As for Feidman's new CD, he praises his band. As is usual for him, it is a mix of covers and original compositions done by his wife and manager Ora Ben Haim. When asked if he ever composes melodies, Feidman replies, "I didn't try. My wife composed more than 400 songs. You see, it would be very difficult for me to compete with this lady."



Giora Feidman was born to a family of klezmer musicians in Argentina. He made aliyah to Israel and played with the Israel Philharmonic for 18 years. He became one of the first musicians to bring klezmer to the concert stage.



Today he teaches only one class a year, a masters class in Tzfat, the ancient northern city in Israel known for its klezmer tradition. The class attracts students from all over including Israel, America, Italy, France and China.

"I don't know if I teach," Feidman says. "I share with my colleagues. Let me put it another way. There doesn't exist pupils and teachers; there exists a society and we share our experience."



The most important thing for Feidman is the mandatory performance by the whole class on stage at the annual summer Tzfat Klezmer Festival.



"Education is to share and not to be an egoist or work to be famous," states Feidman. "Our job is to share a spiritual element to all mankind. As a Jew, I must be a light to the universe, and I think we the musicians and artists, we do it."



Feidman says he has come across non-Jewish klezmer bands in Japan, and Christian Germans who play klezmer for non-Jewish audiences, confirming for him his belief that the soul of the music goes far beyond its Hebrew clothes.



"Listen," he says, "we must leave the process to G-d."

Ben Bresky is a music critic and host of the Israel Beat Jewish Music Podcast on Arutz 7 - Israle National Radio. For mp3 archives click here.