Re: Linking High Holidays melodies to the content of prayer

[Adam Cainer <adam...>]

Blimey  that's a bit of a sweeping statement! There are many
wonderfully gifted masters of nusach who understand the way that
the melodies interact with the meaning of the words. Indeed this is
the whole inyan of the cantorial art!

Names that spring to mind are Naftali Herstik of the Great
Synagogue in Jerusalem and Lionel Rosenfeld of Western Marble Arch
in London but any Chazan worth his salt should be able to explain
the nuances of nusach - that's what they are paid for!
 

  In article <>, Sheldon Levin
(slevin (at) mciunix(dot)mciu(dot)k12(dot)pa(dot)us) writes: >The one authority 
in the
world who knows more about this subject than  >anyone else is
Cantor Max Wohlberg. He lives in Waskington DC with his  >son Rabbi
Jeffrey Wolhberg who is at Adas ISrael. I suggest you call the 
>synagogue and speak with the Rabbi to ask if you can speak with
Cantor  >Wohlberg who has been ill these past few years. (He is in
his late 80's).  >If he can talk to you or your group you are in
for a treat. He is  >brilliant, humorous, thoughtful, gentle,
egalatarian and very inspirational.  > 
>Cantor Sheldon M. Levin
>slevin (at) mciunix(dot)mciu(dot)k12(dot)pa(dot)us
>
>On Wed, 5 Jul 1995, Doug Wissoker wrote:
>
>> At last year's National Havurah Committee Summer Institute, I took a 
>> workshop 
>> (with Sami Barth) on leading High Holiday services.  He suggested that 
>> service leaders 
>> or the Hazzan take the time (at least once during the holidays) to explain 
>> how the nusach or melody relates to the content of prayer.
>> 
>> I like this idea a lot and would like to incorporate it into Fabrangen's
>> High Holiday services (in Washington DC).  Most of our services are davenned 
>> using fairly traditional nusach and it would be great to be able to point
>> out ways the nusach fits the content.  (Although, ideally i could figure it
>> out myself) I'm hoping that someone else has already done the work.  Does any
>> one know of particular sources that would be helpful?
>> 
>> Thanks in advance.
>> 
>> Doug Wissoker
>> 
>> E-Mail: Wissoker (at) UI(dot)Urban(dot)Org                   (202) 857-8622
>> 
>

"The whole world is a very narrow bridge - the important thing
is not to be be afraid"