Sometime in the
1960s, composer, conductor, musical director, pianist
and arranger Murray Rumshinsky, the son of famed
composer Joseph Rumshinksy, visited the Los Angeles,
California home of Zalmen and Celia Zylbercweig, like so
many in the Yiddish theatre industry did over many
decades whenever they came to Los Angeles.
Over the years Murray
Rumshinsky wrote lyrics and music for such stars as
Molly Picon, Menasha Skulnik, Helen Morgan et al. In
conjunction with his father, he composed many shows for
the Yiddish stage.
As for the
Zylbercweigs they broadcast a "Yiddish Radio Shtunde
(Hour)" from their own studio from 1949 until 1969,
which they built at their own expense in the back of
their home in the Fairfax area of Los Angeles. Here they
would broadcast a variety of sound recordings, from
their own commentaries, announcements of Jewish events
in the area to advertisements for various products and
banks.
You can find a series
of their radio broadcasts at the Museum of Family
History's "On the Air!" series, which you may find at
www.museumoffamilyhistory.com/yw/radio/zz/ota.htm.
It is highly recommended that you also visit the
wonderful, online exhibition about Zalmen Zylbercweig
and his incredible work on his "Lexicon of the Yiddish
Theatre" and more at
www.museumoffamilyhistory.com/yw/zylbercweig/zz-main.htm.
To listen to Murray
Rumshinsky play a series of compositions, which were
recorded at the Zylbercweig home, please click
here to hear the
thirteen-minute sound recording in mp3 format. Please
give it a minute or two to load and begin playing. Can
you identify the songs?
photo: Murray Rumshinsky,
date unknown.
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