Composition & recording © Alexander Massey 6 Feb 2021 – All Rights Reserved Pirkei Avot (Ethics of the Fathers) 2:5 “In a place where there is no humanity, strive to be human.” [Interpretive translation] If this song encourages people to look into the darkness, and gives a sense of the bleakness when there is an …
Composition and audio © Alexander Massey 15 March 2021 Genesis lists 70 descendants of Noah after the crisis of the Great Flood, and from this, Jewish tradition has it that there are 70 nations of the world, and that we all come from one family. This nigun has 70 notes. We, the Jewish people, are one …
Over a number of years, some new musical settings of High Holy Days prayers have been gradually introduced in the services for the Oxford Progressive Jewish congregation. On this page, you’ll find: pieces I wrote for this year’s HHD for Oxford (2020) pieces I wrote for previous HHD in Oxford, some of which are being …
Music for Oxford High Holy Days (Progressive congregation) Read More »
Music and recording © Alexander Massey, 19 May 2020 BUY the sheet music – $3.95 (voice & guitar, optional vocal harmonies) In May 2020, during the lockdown, I was attending a morning meditation session run by Rabbi Anne Brener in the USA (4.30pm for me in the UK!). She asked us how we were feeling, …
Music and audio © Alexander Massey 10 June 2019 BUY the sheet music – $4.95 (voice & piano/guitar) This was composed for a concert based on Book 4 of the psalms, for the Society for Old Testament Study Conference, Oxford University July 2019. These verses are an important part of Yom Kippur liturgy, with the themes of …
Here are many pieces I’ve written for High Holy Days over the years. If you like this music, or are interested in singing some of it, please get in touch. I’d love to hear from you! New for 5781 (2020) Adonai, Adonai (13 Attributes) – a lyrical tune to ‘marinade our souls’ (Rabbi Anne Brener) Adonai …
Music & audio © Alexander Massey, 23 March 2014 BUY the sheet music (1 or 2 vces + guitar chords) – $2.25 In Jewish life, we take joy seriously! We are reminded that, on Shabbat especially, we should be joyful, prompted by the verse from Isaiah 58:13 – “and call the Sabbath a delight [oneg]”. The …
Music and audio © Alexander Massey 6 Dec. 2013 BUY the sheet music (voice & pno) – $4.95 20. Why have You forgotten us utterly, forsaken us for all time? 21. Turn us back, Eternal One, to Yourself, that we may be turned! Renew our days as of old. 22. For You have utterly rejected …
Music and audio © Alexander Massey 11 April 2018 Jer. 31:15; Gen. 4:10; Jerusalem Talmud, Sanhedrin 4:1 (22a) BUY the sheet music (voice & pno) – $4.95 On Yom HaShoah v’HaGevurah, we commemorate both the victims of the Holocaust, and those who heroically resisted. This piece was written to honour those people. The three Jewish …
Music and Audio © Alexander Massey 13 Sept 2018 BUY the sheet music (solo lead sheet) – $3.95 BUY the sheet music (three voices) – $6.75 (3 copies @ $2.25) Han’shamah lach v’haguf pa-alach, chusah al amalach. Han’shamah lach v’haguf shelach, Havayah, aseih l’ma-an sh’mecha. The soul is Yours and the body is Your workmanship; …