[HANASHIR:5192] Re: Kol Han'shama

[Rabbi Ken Alter <rabbialter...>]

Since there is so much interest in the "Hallelu" song, I will give you as they
say "the rest of the story." As I stated yesterday, the "Hallelu" song was
adapted from the chant of "Allah-hoo" created by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. The
wonderful new Israeli musical group named "Sheva" heard it and adapted it for
Jewish use. "Sheva" taught
the song to a group of people from the synagogue " B'nei Jeshurun" in New York
City.  The names of the Rabbis who were there were Rabbi Marcelo Bronstein and
Rabbi Rolando Matalon. Cantor Avi Preiven learned it as well. I've seen notes
from a Hava Nashira conference stating that Rabbi Bronstein wrote the second 
part
of the song. This is incorrect, per my conversation with Cantor Priven today. It
was written by "Sheva". If anyone would like to see proof of this, all you have
to do is look at the album "With Every Breath-The music of Shabbat at BJ". In 
the
liner notes, by song #9 Halleluyah, it will state this. Cantor Ari Priven will
also be glad to confirm this.I hope this clarifies any misinformation that has
been transmitted regarding the origins of this wonderful song.

Ken
"Daniel A. Singer" wrote:

> I believe I just heard that recording, and it was very interesting to hear.
>  Much more eastern than I was expecting it to sound, especially after my
> summer hearing it at Hava Nashira.  Is the "newer" version the one we sang
> at HN?  I seem to remember it being in dm, and pretty upbeat.  The kids at
> our temple love it, and we're trying to find music for it.  Is that same
> version arranged for chorus?  If so, how can I get it?  What
> instrumentation should we use?  I've just been using the guitar, but it
> sounds nothing like the recording you mentioned.
>
> "Praise Allah."  Is that "Allah-Lou" or "Peggy-Sue"?
>
> Dan
>
> At 12:34 AM 2/10/00 -0500, you wrote:
> >The "Hallelu" song  was taken from Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan's chant entitled
> >"Hoo".The best version of this song to my knowledge appeared on his last CD
> >entitled,"SWAN SONG". He died in 1997. They claim that he was the most
> respected
> >Pakistani musician ever to live. The chant is also referred to by other
> names as
> >well. The song is sung at the beginning of "Qawwali" gatherings. "Qawwali"
> is a
> >complex fusion of thoughts, feelings, emotions and sounds that people
> around the
> >world have embraced.  The essence of it is the love of G-d and humanity.
> It became
> >a means for making more understandable the teachings of the great Sufi
> masters.
> >The English meaning of the chant used by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and his
> followers
> >is
> >"Praise Allah."
> >
> >
> >Carole Rivel wrote:
> >
> >> Please note that on Debbie's, "It's You" album, the song is listed as
> Hallelu,
> >> and the only words used are: Halleluyah...hallelu.
> >> Carole Rivel
> >>
> >> Joanna Selznick Dulkin wrote:
> >>
> >> > FYI,
> >> > the "traditional" Kol Han'shama on Debbie's album is not, well,
> >> > traditional, the tune comes from a pakistani sufi chant and, so far as I
> >> > know, the Jewish community hasn't been singing it for more than 5 years!
> >> > We have to be very careful when we use the word "traditional" -- many
> songs
> >> > we think are Really Old are, in the large scheme of things, Very New.
> >> >
> >>
> >
> >
>
> ***********************************************************************
> Daniel A. Singer        H: (734) 397-1950  W: (810) 238-1350 ext. 4253
> 1713 Glenshire Dr.      Flint Institute of Music, Temple Beth El
> Canton, MI 48188        Bass Voice, Guitar
> ***********************************************************************
> "If I am not for myself, who will be for me?
>          If I am for myself alone, who am I?
>                            If not now, when?"
> ****************************************************************************
> ***
>

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