[HANASHIR:8195] Re: nusah America

[LizBolton <LizBolton...>]

Dear Hevre,

It was a pleasure to read Erik's fine distillation about nusah and the 
Tefila, below, in response to Rachelle's query (and Mazal Tov Rachelle on 
your position in Ottawa!).

I would only add, in response specifically to the origins of the 
congregational melodic variations: this is, I believe, due to the wonders and 
vagaries of "Nusah America." Woven with the regional variations imported from 
overseas, we now have the layers of both European and American trained 
hazzan/im/ot/shlihey tzibbur, lay and professional, from all regions of this 
continent, with high mobility, and, now, amazing electronic communications, 
that get intertwined with the invariably strong thread of the culture of a 
particular congregation/havura..... I long to read the thesis or dissertation 
that seriously explores this subject!

Beshalom,
Liz

Rabbi Elizabeth Bolton
Director, Music and Liturgy Project
Jewish Reconstructionist Federation

<< Mime-Version: 1.0
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 Date: Tue, 13 Feb 2001 04:41:48 -0500
 To: hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org
 From: "Erik L. F. Contzius" <contzius (at) home(dot)com>
 Subject: [HANASHIR:8184] Re: Avot/Gevurot melodic origins
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 >From: "Rachelle and Howard Shubert" <notfranz (at) total(dot)net>
 >As I prepare to learn the Shabbat morning Avot/Gevurot for a 
 >congregation at which I am just about to start leading the music, I 
 >am struck by the differences between the melodies from one 
 >congregation to another.  I have looked carefully through Zamru Lo, 
 >Spiro's Shabbat Service and Gates of Song and have not found these 
 >particular melodies.  Can anyone enlighten me as to the origins of 
 >the various melodic approaches to these prayers?
 
 Please remember that chants like the Avot and G'vurot were not 
 intended to be congregational, as they were chanted by the Hazzan in 
 the Khazarat haShatz (repetition by the shaliakh tzibbur [prayer 
 leader]). Therefore, it is no wonder that their "melodies" vary from 
 one notation to another, and vary from congregation to congregation. 
 They were freely chanted during the repetition, with the tzibbur 
 (congregation) chanting "Barukh hu uvarukh sh'mo" and "amen" at the 
 appropriate places, but the chants for Avot, G'vurot, etc, were 
 improvised sponaneously, and would even vary from week to week.
 
 BUT
 
 they would ALWAYS be in the proper prayer mode! In the shabbat 
 morning service, they (the avot & g'vurot) should be in Hashem Malakh 
 mode, which is basically a major scale with a lowered seventh (i.e. 
 like a C major scale with a B flat before the top note of the scale), 
 and the subtonic (note below the first note in the scale) raised. As 
 well, the mode has certain patterns that should be followed and 
 repeated, as Hashem Malakh is more than a scale, but contains many 
 motives, which vary depending on what part of the service one is in.
 
 To answer the question about where to find notations: The most common 
 notation of the nusakh (prayer mode, for want of a better 
 translation) that is used in American synagogues, it is found in a 
 book written by Cantor Adolph Katchko (a.k.a. the Blue Book). In 
 there can one find a notation of the chants for Avot & G'vurot, but 
 always bear in mind, all it is, as well as any other cantorial 
 notation, is a notation of something that was intended to be 
 improvised and sung solo by the Hazzan during the repetition.
 
 Perhaps with this knowledge, someone would take on the dubious task 
 of writing a real congregational Avot (avot v'imahot?), since it has 
 become customary now for the entire cognregation to chant it as a 
 whole. We most certainly do this with the g'vurot, for those of you 
 who sing the "Trad." melody of Max Wohlberg (who wrote that little 
 ditty when he was 18, according to the midrash).
 
 hope that helps. 'nuff said.
 
 
 
 -- 
 Cantor Erik L. F. Contzius
 Reform Congregation Keneseth Israel
 Elkins Park, PA
 contzius (at) home(dot)com
 
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