[HANASHIR:6561] Re: Tisha B'av

[BZcantor <BZcantor...>]

In a message dated 07/19/2000 10:15:36 AM Eastern Daylight Time, 
BEBWH (at) aol(dot)com writes:

>
>  Music is one of the things that is out. On Tisha B'av, Eicha is 
>  sung to a beauiful melody but thats it. 
>

Sorry to have to say it so strongly, but you are not correct.
Rabbi Abraham Rosenfeld, working under the supervision of 
the Office of the Chief Rabbi of Britain, editted a 224 page
"Authorized Kinot for the Ninth of Av."  At the Cantorial School
of the Jewish Theological Seminary in the 70's, I was taught 
elegaic melodies for several of these Medieval piyyutim, all of 
which are laments (which are of course chanted a capella).  
They are even divided into evening Kinot and morning Kinot,
 just like the traditional Shabbat Zemirot (D'ror Yikra, etc.).

Now, truth be told, I have never done more than three of the
many "Authorized Kinot" we were taught.  One of them is
Eili Tziyon, which actually has several verses which are sung
to an adjunct melody using the better-known melody for just the
refrain.  Thus, I do (a capella, of course) Hashiveinu, Al Naharot
Bavel (the old mournful melody), Viy'huda Lei'olam Teisheiv, and
concluding with Avinu Malkeinu as a lead-in to the coming HHD.  
Using this last melody also has implications of the connection
between our behavior and what happens to us as a People, but
that is a different discussion.

So, there is a "kosher" musical tradition beyond the chanting of
Eicha.  Most of us have CAREFULLY updated it as mentioned
above and in some other replies.  Have an easy fast!

                            Cantor Neil Schwartz

------------------------ hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org -----------------------+