Re: Salamone Rossi's ha-Shirim asher li-Shelomo

[Alex J. Lubet <lubet001...>]

Responding to the message of <NBBBJPGEPBMHMOJGKPFFIENICIAA(dot)jbgordon (at) 
cloud9(dot)net>
from jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org:
> 
> I am no musicologist, but I do remember from my conservatory days that the
> Renaissance composers used their craft to hide the motivic origin of their
> compositions. I have always assumed that Rossi did the same, and that
> someone familiar with the nusach of his time and place would be able to find
> them there, just inverted, extended, or hiddden in some way. By the way, I
> have heard people sing his Ele Moadei Anonai with the exact melody he used
> and attribute it to Ladino heritage, although who knows if this was strictly
> true on their part or if they got it from somewhere else.
> jonathan gordon
> 
That's the sort of thing that would have been more typical of 15th than 16th 
century composers.  In any case, Elliott has given us some excellent information
on this topic.  Lack of nusach doesn't detract from Rossi's craft, his 
achievement, or his dedication to Jewish spirituality through music, although it
does mean he eschews part of our tradition that is largely responsible for 
making something 'sound Jewish.'



Alex Lubet, Ph. D.
Morse Alumni Distinguished Teaching Professor of Music
Adjunct Professor of American and Jewish Studies
University of Minnesota
2106 4th St. S
Minneapolis, MN 55455
612 624-7840 612 624-8001 (fax)

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