Re: Adon Olam et al

[robert wiener <wiener...>]

Perhaps we should do what is desirable.

Especially for those of us living outside of Israel, music is a
powerful means of connecting with Jews of the past and Jews in other
parts of the world.  Traditionally, nusah has been the glue that binds
us one to the other (as well as distinguishing different prayer
services one from the other).  With more and more congregations
ignorant of the role of nusah, we become less and less connected to
our history and our fellow Jews of today.  The wonder of being able to
walk into a synagogue anywhere in the world and feel at home is
threatened by substituting popular melodies for nusah.

Perhaps because Adon Olam, comes after the prayer service (and nusah
does not apply), it is most  likely to be sung in this way.  Perhaps
we use it as a transition for returning to the secular world outside.
For these reasons, I have been less concerned with musical
experimentation here.  But I have been persuaded by commentsabout the
seriousness and traditional uses of the text as well as its rhythmic
structure, that even here we should not be so quick to sing a
meaningful Jewish text to just any old (or new) melody.

Just because we can fit Adon Olam to most any tune does not mean that
we should.  For many, doing so sets a precedent for treating other
prayers in a similar fashion and dispensing with nusah.  Services
become compilations of greatest hit tunes, almost unidentifiable as
Jewish without the words.

I think that we should be increasingly vigilant in learning and
preserving our precious musical liturgical heritage.

Bob

-----Original Message-----
From: Adrian Durlester <durleste (at) home(dot)com>
To: World music from a Jewish slant. <jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org>
Date: Thursday, February 04, 1999 10:30 PM
Subject: RE: Adon Olam et al


>Adon Olam one can fit to most any tune. What I find more intriguing
are
>other connections. Try, for example, waking up your religious school
kids
>with Modeh Ani sung to "Oh, What a Beautiful Morning!" As Tom Lehrer
once
>sang "it don't matter if you have to fit a couple of extra syllables
into a
>line." (Tom Lehrer-Folk Song Army.)
>
>And though I don't want to open up this whole debate again, while it
might
>be nice (and desirable) to use nice chassidishe tunes, I'll remind us
that
>we've been adopting the music of the cultures in which we have lived
for
>centuries.
>
>Adrian
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: owner-jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org
>[mailto:owner-jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org]On Behalf Of winston
weilheimer
>Sent: Sunday, January 31, 1999 8:25 AM
>To: World music from a Jewish slant.
>Subject: RE: Jewish cowboy music
>Importance: High
>
>
>Absolutely serious.  It looks like others have used some good tunes
too.
>When I moved to DeLand (outside Orlando), the members of my previous
shul
>sang Adon Olam to "It's a small world after all."  I also use Oh once
there
>was a wicked wicked man... on the Shabbat before Purim, Maoz tsur on
Shabbat
>Channukah, and dayanu for Shabbat Pesach.  Love the idea of Saints go
>marchin in...perhaps around Mardi Gras!
>
>Now that I have opened this can of worms...how about some other
suggestions
>out there!
>
>
>
>Winston Weilheimer
>Rabbi
>Temple Israel of Deland
>(Florida)------------------------------------------------------------
-------
>-----
>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
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>List-Owner for hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org; Co-Owner for L-Torah (at) 
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>
>
>
>
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