Klezmer music is also based on non-Jewish music but it’s a natural for Jews, as opposed to some of those types that MBD and Fried and younger artists sing.
This is music that evolved with Jews, as well as other cultures originating from those lands.
There are certain scales that are associated with Jewish, real Jewish music.
The Phrygian dominant scale is used and it’s also used in Middle Eastern, certain Spanish, certain “gypsy”, and Indian ragas.
I find it very non-convincing that Gregorian chant came from Jewish chants, they do not sound the same and the early members of that faith changed many things to distinguish themselves from Jews.(day of the Sabbath, for example)
Many scholars have suggested it, though.
As far as AviK’s suggestion that opera is based on chazzanus, let’s just say that they are distant cousins, that both require specific training and much skill and practice. The story I’ve heard is that Enrico Caruso, probably the most famous opera tenor in modern times, came to shuls to hear chazzans and pick up tips for expression and techniques, and the art of expressing emotion with the voice. It probably was the famous Yossele Rosenenblatt he came to hear, especially for tips in playing the tenor role in HaLevy’s ” La Juive.”
There are well known classical Jewish composers besides, Felix Mendelssohn and Gustaf Mahler,who were apostates. Several well-known composers of the 20th Century that were Jewish are Ernst Bloch and Castelnuovo-Tedesco, who both had several Jewish influenced works. Bloch’s Schlelomo is a major repertoire piece for the cello.
If you’d like to hear some 21st Century Art Music composed by a frum Jewish composer, check out
“Hishtapchus Hanefesh for Five Cellos” and “Moznayim” on YouTube.
“Gending Ahava Raba” is on the composer’s website.