Re: Associations

[winston weilheimer <taxrelief...>]

Who gave us the right to "adapt" Adon Olam (or any part of the liturgy) to
any melody "we" see fit?


who gave any of the great composers of Jewish music the "right" to do so.
As I write this, I am listening to Tal recording of Yossele Rosenblatt, one
of my favorite pieces.  On the same CD is the Kaminsky version of the
Kaddish.  Who gave Lewindowski the hechsher to compose all of the beautiful
music we have?

I have been reading these "itsy bitsy spider" posts for the last three weeks
or so, and wondering...

If it is so disgusting, how did it become THE standard in every shul I have
ever been in.   The popularity and meaningfulness of any melody rests with
the congregation and if a congregation wishes to change, we are all free to
do so.

I came across a CD of a concert of Russian Chazonim with a wonderful tune
for Kadishenu B'mitzvosecha.  I had never heard it before, but it was so
infectious that I introduced it to our congregation.  It has a refrain of
Bam Bitty Bam, which all of the congregation, and especially the children
love.   Our services are not concerts, and if a particular melody is
uplifting and meaningful, then I see nothing wrong with introducing it or
using one that is use.  I have not read any posts which offer alternatives
to the Alenu melody, just a disapproval of the "itsy bitsy spider" melody.
BTW, if you sing itsy bitsy spider,,,it is not the exact melody used in
Alenu, but there is a resemblance.
Concerning Adon Olam, as a younger person, I was the adult leader of a Jr
Congregation in Maryland.  We would learn Adon Olam to different melodies
and occasionally we would be invited to the "adult" service at the end of
the service and the congregation always looked forward what I had cooked up,
amongst them "she'll be comin around the mountain and special for Pesach
(which I still do in my current congregation) Adir Hu.  For Channukah we
sing to Mo-oz Tsur (its a stretch but can be fit).  It adds meaning and I
see nothing wrong with it.
When we left Md for Orlando, Florida, the service which was dedicated to
saying goodbye to our family ended with a surprise Adon Olam, suggested and
encouraged by the Rabbi, and kept strictly secret from me.  It brought tears
to my eyes when as a tribute to my tenure there, the kids and congregation
sang Adon Olam to "Its A Small World."

While traditional nusach is wonderful, we do not need to always sing without
improvision.

Winston Weilheimer
Spiritual Leader (lay Rabbi)
Temple Israel of DeLand (fl)