Re: Adon Olam et al

[elkahn <elkahn...>]

Ameyn. And may I also add that after learning a bit about Nusah and
studying Jewish musical history over the past few years, American Jews
should be extremely concerned right now about the state of music in their
synagogues. From what I've observed in COUNTLESS synagogues in the NY
metro area, it's deplorable.

The communal singing that was introduced in the sixties has finally borne
its bitter fruit: congregants ignorantly intoning di-di-di for every other
blasted prayer, singing the "Sh'ma" (not such a hot tune to begin with) at
a largo tempo to invest it with solemnity, lay song leaders leading
prayers in stratospheric keys that only a chipmunk could sing in, an on
and on...ad nauseum.

I am NOT speaking of Orthodox synagogues because I don't worship there,
rather the Reform, Reconstructionist and some Conservative branches.

Why do congregants -- and especially board members -- believe they can do
without trained cantors and other music professionals? Is the next step
that they can do without trained rabbis?

Democratization of prayer and song are good things -- but within reason.
When there are no trained professionals around, the results are that the
inmates take over the asylum. That is not my idea of a vibrant, living 
Judaism.

Eliott Kahn




On Fri, 5 Feb 1999, robert wiener wrote:

> 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
> >Nextel cel-phone (615) 207-2661
> >You can page me from http://www.nextel.com
> >List-Owner for hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org; Co-Owner for L-Torah (at) 
> >shamash(dot)org
> >http://uahc.org/hanashir
> >Editor, Bim Bam (for Torah Aura Productions)
> >http://www.torahaura.com/
> >Alternate Email: aad (at) iname(dot)com  adriand (at) aol(dot)com
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >----------------------
> jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org ---------------------+
> >