52 Ancestors Week 29 - Music

The theme for Week 29 (July 16-22) is Music. My father used to like to say, "I have a very musical family. Beatrice plays the guitar. The children play the piano. And I play the hi-fi." The really musical person on Dad’s side of the family was my grandfather, who had a cantorial degree from the Jewish Theological Seminary. I have not confirmed this, but I have reason to believe he had been part of a chor that toured throughout Lithuania. In practical terms, he often sang Yiddish songs at various gatherings at our house and I was his designated piano accompanist, largely because my brother was more inclined to show off his solo prowess.

My mother’s side also had a musical line. Aside from her guitar playing (which she learned by watching Folk Guitar on PBS), her uncle, Morris Schwartz, was a musician. I was told he played saxophone in Benny Goodman’s orchestra, but have not been able to confirm that either.

My musical ability (despite the piano lessons and a couple of years of viola in elementary school) is more in line with my Dad’s. Though nowadays we call it a stereo.