RE: Musical synagogues - Hebrew Tabernacle in NYC

[Barry J. Mehler <sbjhl...>]

I seemed to have missed the previous "thread" on Musical Synagogues, but I
feel that I need to send a short response to this message.

Having been born in Washington Heights, I know the traditions of Hebrew
Tabernacle, Beth Am, but also of Breuer.

The "classical" Western European music culture - as it was originally
intended - is as you pointed out become quite rare in the 21st century.
However, if you would take the opportunity to walk down the hill to Bennett
Avenue on a Shabbat, I think you will be very pleasantly surprised to hear
an all male (and boy) choir singing the Western Style Chazzanut
(Lewandowski, Japhet, Mombach, etc.) which you are accustomed to hearing up
the hill at Hebrew Tabernacle.  Of course, at Breuer there is no organ, but
the choir makes up for that by humming the organ parts - as our (orthodox)
choir does in Amsterdam.

The main centra in Europe where you can still hear a Yekkish "choral" style
service are summarized below:

Amsterdam
 - J. Obrecht Shul (orthodox)
 - Liberal Shul

The Hague
 - Liberal Shul

Antwerp
 - Goldman (not certain of the name) Shul (Orthodox) [not entirely yekkish,
but very nice]

Brussels
 - Rue de la Régence (orthodox)

Paris
 - Rue de la Victoire (orthodox)

Strassbourg
 - Great Shul (orthodox)

Basel
 - Orthodox

Zurich
 - Orthodox

Berlin
 - Peztalossistraße (spelling?) (liberal)

Vienna
 - Great Shul (Orthodox)



====================================
Barry J. Mehler
Postbus 17154
1001 JD Amsterdam
Nederland / Pays-Bas
Tel: 31-20-620-7750
e-Mail: sbjhl (at) euronet(dot)nl
====================================






> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org
> [mailto:owner-jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org]On Behalf Of r l reid
> Sent: maandag, oktober 13, 2003 13:46
> To: World music from a Jewish slant
> Subject: Re: Musical synagogues - Hebrew Tabernacle in NYC
>
>
> You'd have to put the  Hebrew Tabernacle Congregation on that list,
> in Washington Heights NY.  It's not musical in that BJ participatory way,
> but rather it is a classical German Reform congregation with strong
> and distinct musical traditions.
>
> When you go to services there, you are "audience", and the cantor, choir,
> and organist are performers.  It's different if you are used to either
> traditional or a modern liberal approach.
>
> Very recently their old Cantor retired and their old Rabbi died.
> They now have a new cantor, Rebecca Fletcher.  This does not change
> the content - the music they use is the music they use, and any
> cantor they
> have needs to use it.
>
> This is a time of change for them, they have merged thier space with
> The People's Temple, which has its own style.
>
> Here is a link to the various minhag they use on different days.  It's
> diverse, and I don't think there are too many places you can still hear
> the Classic Central European Reform style.
>
> http://www.uahc.org/ny/ny011/shabbat.htm
>
>
> --
> r l reid      ro (at) rreid(dot)net
>
>
>
>

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