Klezmer, in short, is a Jewish folk music tradition originating from Ashkenazi musicians in Central and Eastern Europe as far back as the 16th century and perhaps earlier. The word Klezmer comes from Hebrew and can be translated as “instrument of the singing.” Some klezmer musicians say that in order to play in this style one must make their instrument “speak in Yiddish.” Klezmer originally referred to the musicians themselves rather than the genre. These virtuosic Jewish musicians were largely self-taught, learning and playing the music by ear and passing down the traditions within their families. Klezmer groups originally incorporated violins and tsimbl, or hammered dulcimer, with occasional inclusion of a viola da gamba (a member of the viol family roughly comparable to the cello). Hammered dulcimer As the style evolved a typical band had 4 to 8 musicians, with the violin as the lead instrument. Some bands would have two violins with one in the lead role and t...