[HANASHIR:10720] Re: role of the volunteer choir

[Andy Curry <acurry...>]

At 12:13 AM 1/28/02 EST, Ellen Lerner wrote:
A lot has been changing lately in the music of temples.  The trend is more 
toward participation rather than listening. The philosophy where I volunteer 
is according to our religious practice chair is <<The future is music sung by 
the congregation led by a soloist or Cantor and with a volunteer choir to 
provide support and to help the congregation learn new music as it is 

introduced. >> I am just curious,  is that the trend where you are?  How do 
you see the role of the choir at services? Does the choir do anything special 
that keeps their interest up as well? Is the music of yore dying along with 
the Yiddish language? Are the cantorial gems just a thing of the past or for 
special programs only? Or is this millennium going to be the friendly user 
approach to religious practice? Is that really the best approach? Iâ??m just 
curious what othersâ?? thoughts are.
>
Ellen,
I think the answers to each of your questions is Yes, No, and Maybe.

It seems that the baby-boomer generation isn't as interested in the
"frontal" cantor/choir approach as its parents.

But we should remember that some Orthodox synagogues used to have (and some
still may) boys' choirs, whose purpose was not to perform but to accompany
the shaliach tzibur.  The congregation participated, and the choir was
there to help "round out" that participation.  So what's old is new today.

I spoke with a cantor yesterday.  After seeing a concert by Dr. Elli
Kranzler (shaliach tzibur of the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale),  the
cantor was a little down, wondering about his place in the "new" direction
of worship music.  I think there's a place for the "cantorial gems" and the
knowledge of tfila which is the cantor's bailiwick.  But we should also
remember that, before cantorial schools, such knowledge was passed down
more or less informally, and there were great variations in substance and
style.  So, again, what's old is new today.

Make new friends and keep the old.  That's my answer, and I'm stickin' to it.
*******************************
Andy Curry
Field Applications Engineer
SchlumbergerSema
11146 Thompson Ave
Lenexa KS 66219
Office: 913-312-4739
Facsimile: 913-312-4701
Home : 816-363-8381
E-Mail: acurry (at) lenexa(dot)sema(dot)slb(dot)com
*******************************

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