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Current Exhibitions > The Man and his Music > Sholom Secunda |
What Did the Critics Say?
Here are twelve excerpts from various reviews of Yiddish theatre productions that mention
the quality of Sholom Secunda's work.
It will be interesting to read what they have to say about his compositions. All
reviews here originally appeared in the Yiddish Forward.
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Hopkinson
Theatre
"MARGARITA"
"The success of the operetta is thanks to the music and theatre and singing and dancing of the performers, and from the chorus. The music is written by the composer Sholom Secunda, who is virtually a guest in the New York theatres. He can, without a doubt, write music for operettas. In the operetta he has a couple of nigunim (religious melodies) that are immediately captured by the audience. One small song, 'Foygele,' is so beautiful and so 'catchy' that the audience does not let the singer down from the stage until she learns to sing the song herself. When she finishes, the entire theatre sings with her." |
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The Rolland
Theatre
"THE STREET SINGER"
"For the music of the operetta Secunda receives a compliment. He did not just write music to enter the world. He insisted that each number be adapted to the action and the roles, and he did so. Some of the songs will surely quickly become popular among the Jewish public. Round-and-round in the operetta, "The Street Singer" is one of the very best that the current season has produced." |
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Lyric
Theatre
"A GIRL LIKE YOU"
"The music, in my opinion, is the best part of the new offering. Sholom Secunda has well utilized both the Yiddish folk nigunim (religious melodies), as well as the American 'jazz' motifs, with which he enters into a series of pleasures, rhythms, singing numbers. In Secunda's music there is a mood." |
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The Rolland
Theatre
"A JEWISH ROMANCE"
"Sholom Secunda's music is precisely well adapted to the content of the operetta; it is popular, Yiddish-like, and where it should be also authentically American; and in it there is a pleasant warmth." |
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The Rolland
Theatre
"THE RABBI'S TEMPTATION"
"Here Secunda's music is a success; he generally has a feeling for folk motifs, and he successfully weaves them into the operettas. Their own melodies, although not far from original, are very pleasant, and they are easily remembered; for example, the songs, 'Farges mikh nit (Forget Me Not)' and 'Vi a kholem vi a fayl fun boygen (Like a Dream, Like an Arrow From a Bow),' have a melodic grace in them. Here also they are better than the average lyrics of the operettas." |
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Public Theatre
"A WEDDING ON THE EAST SIDE"
"For the operetta Sholom Secunda has created fourteen various singing numbers, funny, romantic and dramatic. Several of the melodies will surely remain in the repertoire of Yiddish operetta music; on this note I would say: 'Dem romans (The Romance),' 'Eyn sheh mit dir (One Hour With You),' 'Vos iz glik (What is Happiness),' and 'Dos redele dreyt zikh (The Wheel Turns).' " |
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Public Theatre
"OH, YOU GIRLS!"
"Sholom Secunda's musical numbers are very successful; there are pretty little nigunim (religious melodies), and they are rich melodically. ... You leave the theatre with a light heart, chanting the playful and romantic motifs that resonate within you. ... They have united H. Kalmanowitz's good, popular comedy with Sholom Secunda's melodic, rhythmic music, and together they have created rich material for the performers and singers." |
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Public Theatre
"PINIE FROM PINCHEV"
"Sholom Secunda has written some very fine numbers, both comical, as well as romantic.. He also has created many very fine dance numbers for the chorus. The music and the playing of the actors ... make the entire production amusing from beginning to end." |
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Public Theatre
"A NIGHT IN BUDAPEST"
"The best that is present in the new operetta is Sholom Secunda's music. The music here is melodic, popular and full of mood. It is Yiddish-like according to its spirit, and it is light and operetta-like according to its rhythm and motifs. Several musical numbers are 'Zitst a shnayder (Sits a Tailor),' or, 'Amcho,' or 'Oy, libe (Oh, Love).' Even if they are not very original, according to the nigunim (religious melodies), they are still pleasant to hear because in them one hears the sounds of Yiddish folk motifs, from which Secunda goes on the right path. A Yiddish operetta has for itself a rich spring of Yiddish folk music from which you have to draw as often and as much as you can." |
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Public Theatre
"LET'S GET MARRIED"
"Here Sholom Secunda succeeds in creating fine music for William Siegel's libretto. His music is completely transient, completely diverse: At times it evokes a dreamy romantic mood, and at times it is mischievous and playful -- there are melodies that are Jewish and folk-spirit in mind, and there is also often a departure from the American motifs, From the peculiar American jazz. It is a very natural thing for a Jewish operetta in America to reflect the Jewish and American motifs; this Secunda has tried to implement in the new operetta." |
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Yiddish Art Theatre
"IF I WERE A ROTHSCHILD"
"The best in the production is the music (composed by Sholom Secunda); the warmth of the songs make you forget the 'politics' of the heroes. There are also many beautiful dances ..." |
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Hopkinson
Theatre
"HARD TO BE HONEST"
"Sholom Secunda has written appropriate music. He has a number of original numbers that are entirely 'catchy,' and which the audience sings with. He also has improvised and inserted a number of melodies from George Gershwin's opera, 'Porgy and Bess,' and other modern songs that were 'hits' on Broadway, that are sung here by Pesach'ke Burstein and Henrietta Jacobson, who were strongly taken by the audience." |
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