[HANASHIR:3741] Re: Interpretation Blues

[Andy Curry <acurry...>]

I belong to two congregations - one Reform, one Conservative - which still
make an effort to preserve at least some of the distinctive nusach of our
chagim uzmanim.  Personally, I appreciate that.

My observation is that the delivery of the choir and/or of the shaliach
tzibur has a lot more to do with "successful" worship music than does the
particular melodies which are used.

My question is:  Where will those of us who are familiar with, and enjoy,
the liturgy and traditional nusach go when it has been forgotten in our own
synagogues?  I will be cantorial soloist in a small-to-medium congregation
for these yamim noraim; I am being asked to substitute a fair amount of
"nusach Amerika l'chol" (well-known Friedman, Klepper, etc.., which I
generally DO like) for the more rarefied HH melodies.  I will do it,
because I'm not the boss.  But when I go to HH services as a worshipper, I
want to hear those special melodies and modes which say that it's an
especially holy time, not the same melody which I hear most every Shabbat.

I can't help but feel that doing Shabbat or l'chol nusach on Yom Kippur
represents a kind of dumbing-down.  If we continue to tell the congregation
when to stand up and sit down, they'll never know on their own when to
stand up and sit down.

Respectfully submitted,
Andy
Andy Curry
6016 Holmes St
Kansas City MO 64110-3034
Home: (816)363-8381
Work: (816)545-7739

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