I love Bentzion Shenker! Here you can listen to two hours of his music and a very interesting interview done in his house by Charlie Bernhaut. http://www.charliebernhaut.com/archive/archive6.html
The Charlie Bernhaut interview is a must listen to for any fans of R'Bentzion and authentic Yiddishe music. Some tidbits:R'Bentzions famous Hamavdil was first just a composition he was humming to himself in Spring Valley in 1943 as a 18 yeard old yeshiva bochur.A good friend and classmate from Torah Vodaas proposed putting it to Hamavdil.This friend is a famous rabbi today.Guess who?
Another interesting story:When he first met the Modzitzer Rebbe, who realized R'Bentzions musical abilities, the rebber asked to sing.R'Bention chose a shir hamaalos that he knew was a composition of the Modzitzer.The rebbe was surprised that he knew it.Remember this was before internet and even frum lp recordings.R'Bentzion had heard it from Lubavitcher boys who had returned to America from the yeshiva in Otvock, where the Modzitzer rebbe lived.The boys would attend the tischen there apparently.I gather that these boys were the few Americans that escaped before the War in Poland such as Hecht,Berel Levy , Barnetzky,Greenberg.
Another interesting anecdote:R'Bentzions family did not even sing Aishes Chayil!They had no niggun to sing it to, he says.
Fascinating interview, and R'Bentzions memory and mind are razor sharp
"Another interesting anecdote:R'Bentzions family did not even sing Aishes Chayil!They had no niggun to sing it to, he says."
Of course! I'll never forget my surprise and naivete when, upon learning that Aishes Chayil was composed by Benzion Shenker, I asked my father what people sang it to before that - he said "We didn't sing it, we said it."
JEM has a interview with Reb Ben Tzion Shenker, he participated by the rebbes farbrengen in the early 40's, Rav Volfson was in his circle of friends, who was there too.
how nice. surprised they didn't pick up on Lipa ;)
ReplyDeleteKaddish hashem in the media for a change.
ReplyDeletefrom where is this track coming from?
ReplyDeletewho is the sefardy guy next to R'Bentzion?
ReplyDeleteI love Bentzion Shenker!
ReplyDeleteHere you can listen to two hours of his music and a very interesting interview done in his house by Charlie Bernhaut.
http://www.charliebernhaut.com/archive/archive6.html
The Charlie Bernhaut interview is a must listen to for any fans of R'Bentzion and authentic Yiddishe music.
ReplyDeleteSome tidbits:R'Bentzions famous Hamavdil was first just a composition he was humming to himself in Spring Valley in 1943 as a 18 yeard old yeshiva bochur.A good friend and classmate from Torah Vodaas proposed putting it to Hamavdil.This friend is a famous rabbi today.Guess who?
Another interesting story:When he first met the Modzitzer Rebbe, who realized R'Bentzions musical abilities, the rebber asked to sing.R'Bention chose a shir hamaalos that he knew was a composition of the Modzitzer.The rebbe was surprised that he knew it.Remember this was before internet and even frum lp recordings.R'Bentzion had heard it from Lubavitcher boys who had returned to America from the yeshiva in Otvock, where the Modzitzer rebbe lived.The boys would attend the tischen there apparently.I gather that these boys were the few Americans that escaped before the War in Poland such as Hecht,Berel Levy , Barnetzky,Greenberg.
Another interesting anecdote:R'Bentzions family did not even sing Aishes Chayil!They had no niggun to sing it to, he says.
Fascinating interview, and R'Bentzions memory and mind are razor sharp
rav moshe wolfson (answer to guess who? in last comment)
ReplyDelete"Another interesting anecdote:R'Bentzions family did not even sing Aishes Chayil!They had no niggun to sing it to, he says."
ReplyDeleteOf course! I'll never forget my surprise and naivete when, upon learning that Aishes Chayil was composed by Benzion Shenker, I asked my father what people sang it to before that - he said "We didn't sing it, we said it."
Dovy, you are correct!
ReplyDeleteBtw, the interview has a recording of R'Bentzion singing a yiddish song as a young bochur
What was the record called that he made as a young boy?
ReplyDeleteJEM has a interview with Reb Ben Tzion Shenker, he participated by the rebbes farbrengen in the early 40's, Rav Volfson was in his circle of friends, who was there too.
ReplyDelete