From its opening words and notes, Kol Nidrei stirs the heart and mind, and pulls at the guts. Those first notes mark the point of no-return, when we cross from Ordinary Time into Yom Kippur. For the next 25 hours, we will step outside time. We’ll sit in community, search our innermost selves, review our […]
Kol Nidrei Paradox Read More »
Here are a few bits of free sheet music as PDFs to download. Some of the pieces are my transcriptions of music that is in the public domain and/or out of copyright. Others are my own pieces which you are welcome to download and distribute. You’ll see there’s a little coffee cup icon that allows
Music and recording © Alexander Massey, 20 June 2022 Download the free sheet music (voice & piano or guitar) Just over two years ago, I wrote a penitential, yearning setting of this text (Adonai, Adonai No.1) inspired by a conversation with Rabbi Anne Brener. Just recently, I have been studying the books and lectures of Rabbi
Adonai Adonai No. 2 (The 13 Attributes of Compassion) Read More »
Music and Audio © 2022 Alexander Massey – All Rights Reserved Download the free sheet music (voice & piano, including lead sheet) ;הוָה, אוֹרִי וְיִשְׁעִי–מִמִּי אִירָא .יְהוָה מָעוֹז-חַיַּי, מִמִּי אֶפְחָד :אַחַת, שָׁאַלְתִּי מֵאֵת-יְהוָה– אוֹתָהּ אֲבַקֵּשׁ ;שִׁבְתִּי בְּבֵית-יְהוָה, כָּל-יְמֵי חַיַּי .לַחֲזוֹת בְּנֹעַם-יְהוָה, וּלְבַקֵּר בְּהֵיכָלוֹ Translation God is my light and my refuge secure — whom shall
Adonai Ori / Achat Sha’alti (God is My Light / Only One Thing I Ask) Read More »
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 Download the free sheet music (voice & piano or 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
Adonai Adonai No. 1 (The 13 Attributes Of Mercy) Read More »
Music and audio © Alexander Massey 6 Dec. 2013 Download the free sheet music (voice & piano) Why have You forgotten us utterly, forsaken us for all time? Turn us back, Eternal One, to Yourself, that we may be turned! Renew our days as of old. For You have utterly rejected us, bitterly raged against
Lamah Tishchacheinu (Why Have You Forgotten Us?) Read More »
Music and audio © Alexander Massey 11 April 2018 Download the free sheet music (voice & piano) Jeremiah 31:15; Genesis 4:10; Jerusalem Talmud, Sanhedrin 4:1 (22a) 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 texts
Kol B’Ramah, Kol D’Mei (A Voice in Ramah) Read More »
Music and Audio © Alexander Massey 13 Sept 2018 Download the free sheet music (voice & piano or guitar, or 3 unaccompanied voices) 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; have compassion on what You have created;
Han’shamah Lach (The Soul is Yours) Read More »
Composition and audio © Alexander Massey 25 Sept 2016 Download the free sheet music (round of 2 voices & optional guitar chords) “Listen, YaH, to the sound of my cry and, being kind, answer me.” (trans. Reb Zalman Shachter-Shalomi) “Hear, O Lord, when I call with my voice, and be gracious to me, and answer
Sh’ma Adonai Koli Ekra (Hear My Voice) Read More »