[HANASHIR:1396] Re: Organs and HH music

[DurlKare <DurlKare...>]

In a message dated 10/1/98 11:07:46 Central Daylight Time,
rgurevit (at) geography(dot)ucl(dot)ac(dot)uk writes:

<< a) the music is pitched too high for many people to join in.
 b) the classical style encourages ornamental solos and the repetition in
 some melodies with an organ ill-equipped to change 'mood' means that many
 choir-leaders keep changing tempo to provide a bit of variation, making it
 even harder for others to join in.
 c) there is a psychology that if you have a 'choir' of 'good' voices with
 organ then no-one need join in, and I've even seen some congregants being
 hushed for 'spoiling' the music if they try!
 d) Likewise, some choir leaders and choir members get it into their heads
 that they are the 'good' voices, and *prayers* become choral performances -
 it might sound nice, but the kavannah (intention) is completely lost.
  >>
Rachel, your comments are right on the mark.  I agree that choir melodies are
not in the range of most of the congregation, and usually the choir sings
while the rest of the congregation sits in silence.  The songs are often quite
cold and the formality of the choir voices creates more of a performance than
prayer.  The lack of participation by those who have come to worship has
always bothered me, especially since I have for the most part been one of
those people for so long: NOT a rabbi, NOT a cantor, NOT a songleader, NOT in
the choir.  All this goes in direct contrast with my earlier experiences in an
Orthodox shul, in which there is no instrument, and the blending of those
davening becomes one big communal prayer-song.  Ok, ok, so they're all men,
but there's got to be a middle ground somewhere.

This year, I had the opportunity to see things from the other side.  I joined
the choir.   Being an alto, the part is often really yucky, almost NEVER the
melody, which is very frustrating, but the great part is being able to
participate!  Surely, if I feel this way, then so many others sitting in the
congregation must feel that way, too.  And not all of them can sing choir type
music, not all can read the notes.  Thus the need for the more folky "easy-to-
sing" stuff.

So, how about a compromise?  How about a few choice choral pieces for a lift,
for a break?  But not a service totally comprised of every song and every
prayer being sung by these lovely (often professional and paid) voices and no
one else (and yes, it is almost as if anyone trying to join in is hushed!)  I
believe there is a place for all kinds of music, EVEN the organ, which can be
really enchanting and mesmerizing in a way (especially with Adrian who,
although he hates the organ, can really bring Jewish music to life on this
"Xtian" instrument).  My greatest hope is that I may one day be able to
(although the opportunity has evaded me to this point) share my music within
the context of a Jewish worship setting.  Further comment on this latter
subject to be expressed in a future posting.

-Karen D.