[HANASHIR:6528] Re: Shireinu

[Adrian Durlester <durleste...>]

We'll need someone who owns the new version to answer. I do not own a copy
of the Shireinu chordster, and perhaps was led to misunderstand that it was
in lead-sheet format-which means that it did have music. Apparently it does
not. I should have figured that out from its low price.

Manginot, however, does have music in lead sheet format. Thus Transcon IS
providing synagogues with a source of music which does provide melody lines
for many of the most used songs. In addition, Tara and Soundswrite both
carry many sources of printed music.

The Shireinu Chordster and its predecessor, the NFTY Chordster, were
designed for people who already know the melodies. While everyone can't know
everything, I would hope (and this is one reason I think certification of
synagogue musicians and songleaders is a GOOD idea) that anyone considering
themselves a qualified Jewish songleader would have a passing familiarity
with most of the songs in Shireinu. These songs were not picked at random.
Same is true of Manginot. Shireinu is a tool for those who already have some
experience and repertoire knowledge. There's nothing wrong with providing
tools for the experienced among us. And I agree that there is a need for
full lead sheets. But I suspect almost every piece of music in Shireinu is
available in that format (and the info for Shireinu Chordster claims it
lists all those sources) and it would be extremely cost prohibitive for
Transcon to produce Shireinu in such a format. It's amazing Manginot is as
cheap as it is. Professional musicians can pay hundreds, even thousands of
dollars for fake books that contain lead sheets - both legal and illegal
ones. I don't imagine many synagogues or Jewish songleaders would be willing
to cough up the cost of such a tome, were Shireinu to be published in a lead
sheet format. But, perhaps some machers out there are willing to underwrite
the cost to make it affordable?

Adrian

------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Atheism is a non-prophet organization."
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Adrian A. Durlester. M.T.S.  -  durleste (at) home(dot)com
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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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