The music of Eastern European Jewry developed under the strong influence of the Hasidic movement. Exalted prayer, accompanied by singing and dancing, became an essential part of the ritual. Because of the ban on playing musical instruments during the holidays, including Shabbat, a unique “instrumental” singing style was created. It reproduced the sound of percussion instruments. Hasidic music gave rise to the genre of song without words – nigun.

The art of klezmers became a manifestation of the Jewish folk music culture of Eastern Europe. These were musicians who played in small ensembles, most often at weddings. Such groups were in all the shtetles. Right in front of you, there are the instruments of a typical klezmer ensemble.

At the end of the 19th century, a movement to study Jewish folklore and the development of professional music emerged in the Russian Empire. Julius (Yoel) Engel led it. Together with the writer and ethnographer Semyon Ansky and the folklorist Zinoviy Kiselhoff, they recorded many Jewish songs on Edison's wax rollers. The materials in the showcase behind you can give an idea of it.

On the left, you can see a piano that belonged to the family of Zelik Tsyrulnik. All his children and grandchildren were engaged in music. This instrument is about 100 years old. The Tsyrulnik family purchased the piano of Johann Gottlieb Vogel's music studio. Nearby you can see another old German-made piano Yorzai, which belonged to the family of a famous volunteer, public figure Pavlo Khazan.

The development of Jewish music continued and reached its apogee in the twentieth century with the appearance of such talented musicians as Volodymyr Horowitz, Leonid Kogan, Hryhoriy Pyatigorsky, and David Oistrakh on Ukrainian soil. The materials of the exhibition are dedicated to these and other prominent people.

Leonid Kogan, a native of Katerynoslav-Dnipro, was one of the most outstanding violinists of the last century. His repertoire included all the famous violin music and works by contemporary composers. In the exhibition you can see materials showing his history: photos, posters, a statuette in the form of a cello. The latter is a prize awarded to talented violinists and cellists in the finals of the Kogan competition, launched in the musician's homeland - in Dnipro. You can listen to the talented violinist playing in the interactive monitor number #3. He performs one of the parts of Dmitry Shostakovich's 13th symphony. It was written based on Yevhen Yevtushenko poem “Babyn Yar.”