[HANASHIR:15195] Re: High Holy Day choices

[rahel <rahel...>]

Shalom,
I'm interested to read people's responses to this letter. Janet, I am in 
complete agreement with you about the "easy listening" renditions of our 
traditional prayers. I am presently connected to a Reform synagogue. I 
don't mean to underrate the efforts of the Reform movement, for there are a 
lot of reasons why the Reform movement attracts and keeps members/followers 
- music being a huge pull. But I do not see the need to pick, choose and 
chop up our beautiful prayers. The only reason for doing so seems to be 
because the general population, overextended, in a hurry, with no time to 
fit in everything they want to do in life, cannot, or does not want to sit 
for longer than one hour at a prayer service. And this, too, is an 
unfortunate circumstance in itself. Rushing through a prayer service leaves 
me tense and unfulfilled. If we've already made the decision to attend a 
service to pray, then why do we need to zip through it like driving through 
a drive-thru?

My vote is to keep the traditions - keep the prayers as they were written 
and intended to be recited/chanted/sung. Don't give in to the easy 
listening hit parade - pop style version of prayer. Sing, pray and enchant 
congregants with your sincerity, passion and kavannah (intention).

Rahel

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At 11:38 AM 9/1/2003 +0200, you wrote:
>I want to discuss something with all of you that is beginning to bother me.
>That is, that as the years pass (I've been a cantorial soloist for 26
>years), I have been noticing that (Reform) congregations I've sung for seem
>to be less and less able to tolerate/appreciate/enjoy long recitative-type
>chants.  I am really torn, because 1) they are part of our heritage, 2) they
>are beautiful expressions of the prayers, and 3) they are personally
>challenging and satisfying.  I feel a pressure to switch to "easier
>listening" renditions, but every time I drop a traditional piece from the
>repetoire, I know it will have vanished from the aural memories of the
>congregation forever.
>
>Any comments?
>
>Janet Pape
>Cantorial Soloist
>

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