Re: Nussach & Niggunim: Our Liturgical Music

[robert wiener <wiener...>]

I hope that those of us who know nussach pass it on so that it remains
central to our musical heritage(s).

I have seen a remarkable resurgence of the learning of trope in
Conservative synagogues in Manhattan and Riverdale.  Dozens of adults,
many if not most of them women, learning to read from the Torah for
the very first time and using that skill regularly.  I think that if
more people were aware of nussach and classes were offered, people
would take them and learn.  In fact, just a couple of minutes of
explanation in synagogue of nussach (or trope) (i.e., what it is, its
history, its function, its history, with a couple of examples) can
really increase general appreciation for that musical aspect of the
services.  One can only truly share Winston's reactions if you
recognize the different nussach.  It's all about having a Jewish
religious experience.

As to multiple melodies, I think that Winston is doing a great thing.
When I was the advisor for a high school/college congregation (the
YPS - Young People's Synagogue of East Midwood Jewish Center in the
mid-late 70s), I began to record different tunes on cassette (e.g.,
for Hallel) so that the shaliach tzibur (male or female) could take
their pick.  We do have the Saul Wachs tapes and some books, but it
might be nice to have collections of different melodies of L'cha Dodi
and other t'filot.  (I know of a Kol Nidre CD, but that's about it,
and it has limited use.)  Just look at the interest we got in
different versions of Havah Nagila.  It's certainly easy enough to
record them for personal use (let's beware of copyright infringement)
from recordings onto minidisc.   I also wish that we knew better the
musical sources (time and place if not actual composer) of the
different versions so that we could better appreciate the musical
diversity in Jewish liturgical music.

I seem to recall that someone (one of us?) has a website with versions
(recorded?) of Adon Olam.  Can anyone give us details?  Also, a friend
of mine (and for one more week, neighbor, Rabbi Jonathan Klein
jklein (at) UAHC(dot)org ) is interested in putting together a website
collection of nigunim.  If anyone has advice, please share it with him
and us.

Bob

P.S. I look forward to responding to Robert Cohen's post next week.

-----Original Message-----
From: winston weilheimer <taxrelief (at) bitstorm(dot)net>
To: World music from a Jewish slant. <jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org>
Date: Wednesday, May 05, 1999 12:28 PM
Subject: RE: Nussach & Niggunim: Our Liturgical Music


>without reposting the long post of robert cohen, I agree completely
with the
>sentiment of nusach for the holidays.  it provides the tam of the
day.  who
>could not be moved by the introduction to baruchu on yom kippur.  on
yom
>tovim i cringe when the sheliach tzibur does not use the nusach for
musaf.
>It gets me in the mood when I hear (or use myself) the special
melodies that
>for the repitition that lead up to tifillat geshem an tal.  We do
loose out
>when these are not used.  The problem is that they are not taught to
many
>congregations and the fact is that they are lost in many areas.  When
I
>daven in a shul and use these melodies, i always get people from the
>congregation come up to me and tell me that they have not heard them
for 20
>years or more.  It is part of the hamiginization i am afraid.
>
>having said that, i also enjoy introducing new melodies to the
congregation.
>We are now up to 6 different melodies for l'cha dodi.  some old, some
>modern.  I learned a new one last November and brought it back to the
>congregation.  I mix them up so that on each friday night we might
sing a
>different one.  Sometimes I even use more than one on the same night,
and
>israeli version, the traditional version, and the Lewendowski
version, on
>different paragraphs.  It works and the members of the congregation
who come
>from different traditons all "groove" on it.  There is room for both.
>
>Winston Weilheimer
>Lay Rabbi
>Temple Israel of Deland (Florida)
>
>
>----------------------
jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org ---------------------+
>