Re: Kol Nidre

[Joe Kurland <ganeydn...>]

  Lenka,

I'm not going to suggest a recording--there are many wonderful ones. 
Listen to many of them. But what I will suggest is that even if you 
can't read Hebrew, get a word for word translation/transliteration of 
the text and be able to know what you are singing throughout.  When 
you practice, concentrate on the meaning of every word and every 
phrase and the historical context in which this prayer was written so 
that you can interpret it emotionally in your singing.  Remember that 
you are representing the congregation as you sing. All their hopes 
and sorrows must be expressed by your voice.  It will be different 
from what is expressed by the khazn who's recording you listen to 100 
times a day.

You can do it.  Go for it!!


Zayt gezunt (be healthy),

Yosl (Joe) Kurland
The Wholesale Klezmer Band
Colrain, MA 01340
voice/fax: 413-624-3204
http://www.WholesaleKlezmer.com




At 11:46 PM -0700 7/16/01, Lenka Lichtenberg wrote:
>Dear Listers,
>I have been invited to sing Kol Nidre at the Learning Service of our 
>small congregation (members desribe ourselves as traditional 
>egalitarian and i'm not sure how it differs from Reform of which we 
>are using prayer books). where do i begin? i took it on  (probably 
>being overly ambitious) as an inspirational challenge, hopefully not 
>way over my greenhorn head. i can't read Hebrew that well though 
>help is on hand if text is available; i'm hoping to learn it more or 
>less by listening (all summer, 100 times a day) to the recorded 
>singing of...?  Please help...
>         thanks,           lenka

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