Velvel Pasternak is a musicologist, conductor, arranger, producer, and publisher specializing in Jewish music

Jewish music

Jewish music is the music and melodies of the Jewish People which have evolved over time throughout the long course of Jewish History. In some instances Jewish Music is of a religious nature, spiritual songs and refrains are common in Jewish Services throughout the world, while other times, it is...

. In 1981 he was described as "an expert on the music of the Hasidic

Hasidic Judaism

Hasidic Judaism or Hasidism, from the Hebrew —Ḥasidut in Sephardi, Chasidus in Ashkenazi, meaning "piety" , is a branch of Orthodox Judaism that promotes spirituality and joy through the popularisation and internalisation of Jewish mysticism as the fundamental aspects of the Jewish faith...

 sect and probably the largest publisher of Jewish music anywhere, although he is quick to note that publishing Jewish music is a business that attracts few rivals."

The founder of Tara Publications, he has been responsible for the publication of 26 recordings and over 150 books of Jewish music since 1971, spanning the gamut of Israeli, Yiddish

Klezmer

Klezmer is a musical tradition of the Ashkenazic Jews of Eastern Europe. Played by professional musicians called klezmorim, the genre originally consisted largely of dance tunes and instrumental display pieces for weddings and other celebrations...

, Ladino

Sephardic music

There are three types of Sephardic songs—topical and entertainment songs, romance songs and spiritual or ceremonial songs. Lyrics can be in several languages, including Hebrew for religious songs, and Ladino....

, cantorial

Hazzan

A hazzan or chazzan is a Jewish cantor, a musician trained in the vocal arts who helps lead the congregation in songful prayer.There are many rules relating to how a cantor should lead services, but the idea of a cantor as a paid professional does not exist in classical rabbinic sources...

, Hasidic and Holocaust music. He is a regular lecturer on the music of the Hassidim.

Published works

• The Best of Israeli Folk Dances (1997, ISBN 978-0933676206) (previous edition 1990)
• The Jewish Fake Book (1997, ISBN 978-0933676695)
• Beyond Hava Nagila (1999, ISBN 978-0933676787)
• The Jewish Music Companion (2003, ISBN 978-1928918240)
• Songs Never Silenced--The Folk Music And Poetry of the Shoah (2003, ISBN 978-1928918264)

External links

• Tara Publications