Familie Lachman at St. Petri Church

Again, klezmer in a church - this time, on October 13th, at the Protestant St. Petri Church in Hannover-Kleefeld, and this time starring the group "Familie Lachman" from Hamburg. Some months ago, this group had been introduced on German TV station N3.

They came from Ukraine seven years ago, and a little bit later, during a meeting with some friends, father David and mother Valentina sang some of the old tunes Valentina had learnt from her grandmother. Asked frequently to sing, David and Valentina decided to form a group together with their daughter Katharina and their nephew Zewa.

Curiously I watch them install their minimal equipment. Two microphones, two mini amplifiers, not much bigger than the speakers of your PC, that's enough. And on they go. Valentina lead us through the programme, coming up with well known and popular songs ("Alle Brider", "Joshke fort avek") as well as mostly unknown ones, "Homentaschen" f.e., a song about partially burnt, partially underdone Purim cakes. Up to now I've heard this song only by the Berlin based group Klezmischpoche. They even played "If I were a rich man" from the musical "Anatevka", and strange enough, it didn't appear as a break in style. Also, Valentina made the audience appreciate the cultural background of their music in a very interesting and fine manner. And the stage show (or should I say altar room show? ;-) ) - ooh, you simply must have seen the verve of David, dancing around, playing the violin and singing. Adequately companied by singer Anna, who replaced Katharina this evening, and clarinet player Zewa. Like this, exactly like this, I always fancied a klezmer group. And if somebody may talk about authentic Jiddish music, he first should have heard and seen Familie Lachman.
Enthusiastic applause, fair enough, came from the audience.

Only one thing I regretted. Lachmans were not responsible for it however, but the promoter, the St. Petri congregation: If the concert wouldn't have taken place just on Friday evening, I'm sure, that many people of the Jewish congregation would have come to listen the Family. (Pst, dear Petris, on Friday evening Shabbat begins! Respect it next time, ok?)

The musicians

Valentina Lachmanpiano
David Lachmanviolin, vocals
Anna Tsvetkovavocals, percussion
Zewa Lachmanclarinet, vocals

Bookings via:
Verein CHAVERIM - Freundschaft mit Israel
Norderstedt bei Hamburg
or Heike Linde (chair woman)


DMU, 15-OCT-2000