Composition and audio © Alexander Massey 20 May 2014 Many years ago, someone commented to me that I didn’t always say ‘thank you’ when it might have been appropriate. I was shocked, and embarrassed. I was convinced I was grateful.…
Tag: chant
You have all been shown what is good
Music and recording © Alexander Massey 19 May 2016 “You have all been shown what is good, and what God seeks from you. Do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8) [See the Hebrew original, and…
V’asu Li Mikdash and the ‘holiness project’
Composition and audio © Alexander Massey 16 Feb 2017: V’asu li mikdash v’shochanti b’tocham. Recording with English words: “We’ll make You a holy home, and You will live with us.” Buy the sheet music: $2.25 (approx. £1.80), minimum 4 copies…
Ashrei Yoshvei Veitecha
Music and audio © Alexander Massey 13 August 2015 Siddurim (prayerbooks) place the Ashrei in various different places in the sequences of morning and afternoon prayer. For me, emotionally, it feels good to open davenen (praying) with just its first…
Posted in Liturgy / Siddur, Meditation, Prayer / T'fillah, Psalms / Tehillim Tagged with: audio, chant, mincha, shacharit
Tashlich
Composition and audio © Alexander Massey Sept 2014 In the book of the prophet Nehemiah, we learn that “all the Jews gathered as one in the street that is in front of the gate of water.” (Neh 8:1) We commemorate…
Posted in Festivals, Jewish customs Tagged with: audio, chant, High Holy Days, Micah, Rosh Hashanah, round
Elohai N’shamah
Music and recording © Alexander Massey 11 March 2015 (I have written another substantial article on Elohai N’shamah, including 2 new meditations, which can be found here.) Chant, text, translation, source readings and reflections ….
Brich Rachamana at Lincoln Jewish Minyan
The grace after meals, my setting of B’rich Rachamana was taught to the Lincoln Jewish Minyan at their St George’s Harvest Supper (2013). “After a lovely dessert of spiced plums and ice cream Steve then surprised the gathering by inviting…
Ana Eil Na
Moses prays the words Eil, na r’fa na lah – ‘God, please heal her now’ – as a petition for healing his sister Miriam (Num 12:13). The extra word ana (‘I beseech’) at the start, is found in the 16th…
Ma’ariv Nigun
Meditative music must begin from silence. We must be prepared to enter silence first, because that is the most fertile space for beginning prayer. When I had my hand-woven tallit (prayer shawl) made, its maker Amy Smith (of www.bluefeetstudio.com), asked…
B’rich Rachamana
© Music and recording: Alexander Massey June 2012 Birchat hamazon – blessing after the meal Brich rachamana malka d’alma marei d’hai pita. (Talmud, Brachot 40b) A Fountain of Blessings is the Compassionate One, Ruler of Eternity and the concealed and…
