[HANASHIR:6183] Who Wrote, Recordings, and More

[Adrian Durlester <durleste...>]

Debbie: "O Guide My Steps" was written primarily by Debbie Winston, a
Minneapolis area soloist currently studying for certification, with
assistance from a few other Hava Nashira attendees a few years ago. It was
composed at Hava Nashira under very special and personal circumstances that
gave it even greater power to those of us who know of them. If you think the
song affected you deeply, you have no idea of just how deeply it can affect
someone who knows the story of its creation.

I may be wrong, but I am assuming "Return Again" is by Donny.

Meris:

There are simply too many copyright and other issues to even consider
sharing HN recordings with anyone who did not attend that particular year.
Last year was the first time that OSRUI actually officially sanctioned and
produced a CD. For many previous years, Rick Mann and I took the effort
entirely upon ourselves to record and edit down hours of material onto
cassettes which we then sold to participants for a nominal price which was
always well below cost. In a way it was our gift back to HN.

I can understand (though I don't necessarily agree) with a viewpoint from
OSRUI's end that making a product available to non-attendees that
potentially eliminates one inducement to actually attend Hava Nashira (and
thus reduce potential income from it) doesn't make a lot of sense.

However, it has been my feeling for many years that OSRUI finally needs to
take the bold step of hiring someone to make full archival recordings of
Hava Nashira, to produce a special recording for attendees, but then to also
produce both a songbook of printed music and a recording of "The Best New
Songs of Hava Nashira" for sale to the general public (i.e. songleaders,
synagogues, camps, music educators.) I recognize there are huge issues to be
dealt with in order to do this, not just copyright. It may be that this
recording/songbook might not include new works by faculty due to
restrictions of their contracts with others, but I imagine that many of the
aspiring songwriters at Hava Nashira would not mind seeing one of their
works propagated in this fashion. And those who wouldn't want their songs
used would be accommodated.

If money is a primary issue, then surely, as there were generous individuals
out there who made it possible for OSRUI to build a new chadar ochel, there
are generous lovers of Jewish music out there too. In fact, the almost total
lack of serious funding support for Jewish songwriters and recording artists
is a shanda - billions for birthright but none for song - but that's a topic
for another time.

If you think this is a worthwhile idea (or a lousy idea,) please write me
privately and we can discuss the ins and outs.

Adrian

------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Atheism is a non-prophet organization."
                          -George Carlin
Adrian A. Durlester. M.T.S.  -  durleste (at) home(dot)com
http://members.home.net/durleste/
Music Director, Congregation Micah, Nashville, TN http://www.micahnash.org/
Home phone (615) 646-9788 Nextel cel-phone (615) 207-2661
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http://uahc.org/hanashir
Editor, Bim Bam (for Torah Aura Productions) http://www.torahaura.com/
Alternate Email: aad (at) iname(dot)com  adriand (at) aol(dot)com


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