Maftirim Music Project

Karen Gerson Sarhon, of the Sepharadi cultural research center of Istanbul, recently sent out the following update about a recent publication:

Our Sephardic Center in Istanbul has been trying to finish a major work ever since its foundation in 2003; to bring to light the wonderful collection of the Maftirim, which the great masters of this music, David Behar, the late hazzan Isak Macorro and hazzan David Sevi had recorded in 1987. The nearly 6 hours of audio-visual material is just extraordinary to listen to as the voices are of those rare voices that you do not come by very often.

The book that accompanies the audio-visual material was accomplished with the aid of other great masters like Prof. Edwin Seroussi of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Prof. Tova Beeri of Tel-Aviv University, Prof. Isaac Jerusalmi of Hebrew Union College, Cincinnatti, Udi Mahmut Ozbay, expert of Turkish music, etc.

All the information in the book is in three languages: Turkish, English and Judeo-Spanish. The book also contains the scores of all the collection!

You can ask us to send you the brochure we have prepared for the sales of this masterpiece (and I sincerely hope you can buy it), which is part of our cultural heritage.

To order this magnificent work, all you have to do is send us your credit card no. (16-digit Visa or Mastercard) + the exp date + the 3-digit security no at the back of your card either by fax to: +90 212 231 92 83 (to the atten of Gila Erbes) or by e-mail (preferably in 3-4 e-mails for security reasons) to karensarhon@gmail.com or to kitabevi@salom.com.tr

Please forward this information to all you know who are interested in liturgic music, in Sephardic music and also in Turkish Classical Music to help us sell this work and continue preserving our culture.

(Hat-tip to David Shasha)