Klezmer's Afterlife

Klezmer's Afterlife: An Ethnography of the Jewish Music Revival in Poland and Germany by Magdalena Waligorska. The traditional Jewish wedding music known as klezmer has been met with controversy since its emergence in European concert halls. This music, often performed by non-Jews for non-Jewish audiences, has been described as "fakelore," a form of cultural appropriation. Klezmer's Afterlife is the first book to explore this complex scene, shedding light on the musicians, producers, and consumers who have driven the revival. Through an interdisciplinary approach drawing on musicology, ethnomusicology, history, sociology, and cultural studies, Waligorska examines the consequences of the klezmer boom in Poland and Germany. She investigates how the music has influenced the representation of Jews in Polish and German popular culture, its role in Holocaust commemoration, and its use as a model for successful cultural policy. This book will appeal to scholars and students studying Jewish culture and cultural relations in post-Holocaust central Europe, as well as those interested in klezmer music and music revivals.