New Jeffrey Wollock article in ARSC
In response to the news about the early European discography, Pete Rushefsky was reminded of another significant article recently released:
[There is a] recent article by Jeffrey (Itzik-Leyb) Wollock in the most recent ARSC (Archives for Recorded Sound Collections) Journal-- in it he provides a discography and excellent background on the State Ukranian Ukranian SSR band -- this is the band than list members may be most familiar with for the recording of the badkhones with virtuosic violin by Rabinovitch and a whole lot of theatrical boo-hooing from the bride.
Wollock was able to meet and interview two people who were in Kiev in the 1930's and had direct knowledge of the band-- one was actually at the recording session.
Provides great details on the background of Rabinovich the violinist (turns out he was in his 70's at the time and also that he didn't have a reputation as a great fiddler -- hard to imagine given the virtuosity exhibited on the badkhones recording). Should be noted that Rabinovich's grandfather was a teacher of the legendary Berditchev fiddler Kholodenko (aka Pedotser).
Also very interesting that the article makes a direct link between Beregovski and the ensemble-- Beregovski it seems was personally involved in putting the ensemble together and setting up the recording.
Should also put in a plug for Wollock's older article in the ARSC Journal from 1997 which provides a discography for European recordings 1911-1914 and provides a number of great details on the Belf Orchestra.
The journal (Spring 2003, Vol.34, no.1) may be ordered from the ASRC website. Although the website is unclear (new website early 2004), I have confirmed that the journal is $18 postpaid US. More for international orders - email folks with specifics from the webpage.
[I should note that I believe that this is the article I heard Dr. Wollock describe a couple of years ago which was inspired by the scene which opens Joel Rubin's book on klezmer - a scene which Wollock felt was unlikely and which proved, indeed, to be largely fictitious. Rubin had written about a secret session overshadowed by fear of the secret police in Stalinist Russia. Wollock found the original source (Rubin had not done so) and got the correct details about this fascinating session. Dangerously relying on old memory, what I remember was that the session, described in the Rubin book with great overtones of fear (not that this would have been misplaced in Stalin's Russia in general at that time - but it was an entirely wrong description of the atmosphere at this particular event) had been so secret and so closely guarded (not!), that two boys (one of them the source of information) playing across the street had seen musicians come to the studio and had wandered in to meet them. Ari]