Re: Hazanim in NYC w/ tradl Nusach

[Jonathan Zimet <jdz...>]

Oops!   I thought I'd just replied to Irwin.  Anyway, anyone else is 
welcome to read the attached article, and respond to me w/ comments, if you 
want.
Jonathan


At 01:45 PM 9/10/02 -0400, Jonathan Zimet wrote:
>Hi Irwin,
>You might be interested in the article I've circulated for the last 10 
>years (not formally "published" in magazine, though portions of it have 
>been quoted in books).
>I attach it both in WP and MSW (3 versions, electronically, 
>altogether).  Let me know if you can't open any,  and if you can, any comments.
>Shanah Tovah,  Jonathan
>
>At 07:13 PM 9/10/02 +0200, you wrote:
>> > 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/
>>
>>---------------------- jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org 
>>---------------------+
>>