[HANASHIR:15007] Re: Or Zarua

[jbielan <jbielan...>]

Karen,

I'm Music Director for Valley Outreach Synagogue in L.A. - one of the two
congregations founded by Rabbi Schachet. This is an extremely dramatic
entrance - we've done it for years and people always comment on how
effective it is.

We have the Cantor in the back w/ a wireless microphone as part of a parade
of people with torah scrolls  - walking and singing the melody, then the
choir echos it - each time going up a half-step.  Piano (and strings in our
case) drone on the tonic of the key. It's a very basic melody.  I don't have
a notation program handy for email, so I'll try to feebly lay it out for you
here.  For example, starting in the key of A, it would be as follows:

            1) Instruments drone a low A

            2) Cantor sings - from the back of the shuel
                        (feeble attempt at writing out words phonetically so
you can get the idea)

                           (words)     Or  za-  ru  -ah   l'- tza-  deek
ool  yeesh ray lave sim-chah
                           (notes)        C   A     A    A  A  A      A
A    A      A    C     A    A

            3) Choir echos w/ similar inflection

            4) Instruments drone a low Bb           etc,

Because we're blessed to have a Cantor with extraordinary chops, on the last
one he does some moving cantorial inflections to end the segment and the
choir doesn't echo him.

If all this sounds like a jumble (and it probably does), please feel to
email me w/a phone number and I'll play it for you over the phone.  I
promise you - it'll be worth the effort.  Rabbi Schachet has always had a
wonderful eye for soul-stirring ritual.  This is one of his classics.

Jack Bielan



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