New Directions in the Music of the Sephardic Jews Edwin Seroussi (bar-ilan university)

Abstract The redefinition of meaning and content in a musical tradition exposed to radical new circumstances does not necessarily imply the extinction of its identity but rather its power to revitalize itself. In discussing the social and cultural transformations affecting the Sephardic Jews since the mid-nineteenth century, several authors have raised the likelihood of the eventual disappearance of vital portions of their musical traditions.1 As indicated in its title, this article takes an alternative point of view. The phrase “new directions” assumes a departure from established patterns of musical creativity and behavior, not necessarily confined to the renewal of musical materials (e.g., new melodies added to the repertory), but also including changes in music appreciation, aesthetic values, performance practices and the social functions of music. Such changes, however, may be seen as part of a dynamic process in which music rooted in traditional repertories continues to be one of the most salient features contributing to the maintenance of a worldwide Sephardic Jewish identity.