Re[4]: Itsy Bitsy Spider and other Liturgucal Themes

[richard_wolpoe <richard_wolpoe...>]

Dear Itzik Leib,
        I agree with you wholeheartedly that we should NOT trivialize 
davening.  EG, when the mets won in 1969, I heard of a Baal Tefilloh who 
sang the Musaf Kedusah to Meet the Mets.  This MIGHT be apropriate for 
Purim but not much else.
    I admit that I do get defensive about already established niggunim.  I 
don't 
like to see things that have been "sanctified", (albeit in error) get 
blasted unless absolutely necessary.  Why should people who have sincerecly 
sung Oleinu a certain way for decades,  suddenly be shocked to find out that 
tjey've been singing a nurery sone all along!  I think a lot of the 
old-timers in my congregation would either get angry or depressed over that 
revelation.  Azoy ich bin melamed zchus re: what has already happened and I 
look for the most lofty explanation, where possible.
        Lechatchilo, I agree with you.  I would never trivialize the 
davening with inaprorpiate melodies (with Purim being a possible 
exception).  Now my congreagtion is very much Western. Therefore I have no 
hseitation adding more Western or even Chassidic marhces becasue they blend 
into our shul's establsihed minhogim. 
Also, I am not oppose to Westernizing the davening per se.  I think Western 
liturgy is no less kosher than  Eastern. EG, alot of Chassidc music is 
attributed to Napoleon's marches as he invaded Eastern Europe.  Chassisdim 
felt it was OK to adapt those marches to the liturgy.
        And as an Orthodox congregation, we have adapted numerous reform 
melodies.  And, as  I've mentioned that I use Handel's Oratorio from Judas 
Maccabeus during daving on Shabbos Chanukah.  I am satisfied that it is 
both musically appopriate to our shul, and liturgically appropos since the 
meodly concerns yehuda haMakkabee.  I admit not everyone would agree.  I do 
concede that the matter is not to be taken lightly; that there should be 
consideration and deference before using a melody and not just to use it 
willy nilly.  Ober, unzere yidden will always debate isues such as what is 
approriate and what is not.

Respectfully Yours,

Rich Wolpoe

Reuven ben Zvi

______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Re:  Re[2]: Itsy Bitsy Spider and other Liturgucal Themes 
Author:  <jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org > at tcpgate 
Date:    2/25/98 12:07 PM


Incidentally, there is a whole history of struggle against tasteless 
liturgical music in Christian worship, especially in n the 19th and 20th 
centuries. Of course the parameters were different -- in the 19th century 
many felt it was getting to sound too much like Italian opera tunes, and 
there was a campaign to bring back plain chant as the basis of the
liturgy. In the Eastern Orthodox, the issue has often been -- as with us -- 
too much westernization.

But as I said at the outset, to many people the whole thing is a non-issue.

Itzik-Leyb