Musical Tastes of Jewish Audience in Interwar Krakow

The paper discusses the issue of musical tastes of Jewish audience in interwar Krakow. This is an attempt to answer the question how these tastes influenced musical life of Krakowian Jews at that time. On the basis of the information contained in archival sources, memories, interwar Jewish press as well as the analysis of preserved musical scores it describes the repertoire created, performed and listened by Krakowian Jews. It focuses on the transformations of Jewish traditional musical genres but also expands the picture of musical life of Krakowian Jews by the genres adapted from European music culture. It shows the collaboration and synthesis of both musical world made due to the transformation of musical preferences and interests of Jewish audience. The analysis of historical, social, political and aesthetic factors shaping musical life of the Jewish community in interwar Krakow allows to look from a new perspective on this community itself and hopefully, contribute to its better understanding.