Re: Hazanim in NYC w/ tradl Nusach

[I.Oppenheim <i.oppenheim...>]

> I myself enjoy listening to Joseph Malovany at the
> 5th avenue synagogue (e. 62, btwn Fifth and Madison),
> but I don't know that much about traditional nusach.

While Malovany is certainly a gifted singer, he's at
his best on stage accompanied by a big symphony
orchestra. I'd say he's more a concert cantor than a
ba'al tefilah.

> The Orthodox Chazzanim I have spoken with tell me
> that everybody wants Carlbach, period. I wonder if
> that is true.

Well, it is true. Probably 80% of the Orthodox public
prefers a Carlebach style service with heavy emphasis
on unison community singing. And in Reform circles,
they prefer to sing school camp music in the style of
Debbie Friedman, accompanied by a guitar.

Recently, Samuel Adler created quite some commotion, by
daring to write the following in a Reform quarterly:

"Our religious establishment has joyfully embraced the
sound and the spirit of popular culture, and the
musical sounds pouring forth from our pulpits are
either Chasidic ditties, written for people who are
musically illiterate, or pop-sounding songs written by
musical amateurs to make our congregants feel 'warm'
rather than get the spiritual high that would result if
they were ever confronted with great music."


Gemar Chatimah Tovah,

  Irwin Oppenheim
  i(dot)oppenheim (at) xs4all(dot)nl
  www.xs4all.nl/~danio/chazzanut/

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