[HANASHIR:3734] Interpretation Blues

[Adrian Durlester <durleste...>]

So, are any of the others of you out there who are conducting HHD choirs
tired of hearing "well, that's a different interpretation than we're used
to"? I sure am. I don't know about you, but I find the performances on the
Yamim Noraim CD set uninspiring. And while I strive to be true to the
composers original intent, I do tend to take some interpretative liberties
in terms of tempi, ritards, rubato, phrasing (as when I find the composer's
phrasing doesn't really work with the meaning of the Hebrew,) etc. After
all, it's not a performance, it's prayer!!

My choir is effectively all volunteer. We do have quartet that sings a lot
of extra material and does most of the YK afternoon service, but as of this
year, only one of them is a ringer and getting compensation. Thus, there is
a great range of talent and ability in the choir. I strive to find a middle
ground between satisfying the pros and semi-pros without frightening off the
amateurs and shower singers. It's not easy. And it's a lot of material to
learn in a short time. The salvation is in the form of those who have been
singing it for years...but they are also the thorns in the side when I
interpret different, or choose different settings than they have been using
in past years. So a mixed blessing.

Thanks for letting me vent. I feel much better now.

And here's a project for someone (or someones.) While I love  much of the
great classical and contemporary settings of musical prayers used for the HH
Days, I would sure like to see a whole lot of new contemporary music not in
classical style that would still be suitable for these grand and awesome
occasions, and still retain aspects of nusach appropriate for the HH Days.
Already Steve Dropkin's Pitchu Li is making its way into services, but
there's a whole lot more that could be written. (I hope my wife is reading
this too.)

Adrian----------------------------------------------------------------------
--
Adrian A. Durlester  -  durleste (at) home(dot)com
http://members.home.net/durleste/
Student, Vanderbilt University Divinity School
http://divinity.lib.vanderbilt.edu/vds/vds-home.htm
Music Director, Congregation Micah, Nashville, TN
http://www.micahnash.org/
Home phone (615) 646-9788
Nextel cel-phone (615) 207-2661
You can page me from http://www.nextel.com
List-Owner for hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org; Co-Owner for L-Torah (at) 
shamash(dot)org
http://uahc.org/hanashir
Editor, Bim Bam (for Torah Aura Productions)
http://www.torahaura.com/
Alternate Email: aad (at) iname(dot)com  adriand (at) aol(dot)com




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