Here are many pieces I’ve written for High Holy Days over the years. Some texts appear several times in the season, throughout the month of Elul, at S’lichot, Rosh Hashanah, or on more than one occasion during Yom Kippur. If you like this music, or are interested in singing some of it and would like […]
High Holy Days music Read More »
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
Composition and audio © Alexander Massey 20 May 2014 BUY the Modeh Ani sheet music (1 or 2 vces & pno) – $4.95 Many years ago, a good friend 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
Omer Day 7 – Malchut of Chesed Read More »
Composition and audio © Alexander Massey 13 August 2015 BUY the sheet music (1 or 2 vces & pno/guit) – $4.95 The sheet music is also available as part of ‘Five Sacred Chants’. ןְטַהֵר לִבֵּנוּ לְעָבְדְּךָ בְּאֶמֶת V’taheir libeinu, l’ovd’cha b’emet. “Purify our hearts, that we may serve You in truth.” When, in the morning,
Composition and audio © Alexander Massey Sept 2014 BUY the sheet music (2 vces & pno/guit) – $4.50 (2 copies @ $2.25) I think of this chant as ‘sing as you fling’! At Rosh Hashanah, the celebration of the new year, the whole community is encouraged to a place of flowing water, and to cast
We are told in the Torah: “On the first day you shall take the product of the beautiful tree, branches of palm trees, thick branches of leafy trees, and willows of the brook and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days” (Lev. 23:40) This has developed into the tradition of arba’a minim,
Sukkot matters (2): Finding meaning in the Four Species Read More »
The shaking of the Four Species, sometimes called ‘shaking the lulav’, has attracted a number of meanings over the course of Jewish history. One of these was the idea that all the four plants require water to grow, and this was a ritual to invoke the right amount of rain for the crops. I would
Sukkot matters (3): Finding meaning in shaking the lulav Read More »
Sukkot is a wonderful opportunity to reach back into our Jewish tradition, drawing upon ancient wisdom, at the same time as making new meanings for ourselves and contributing to the evolution of a living Judaism. I’m not going to give an exhaustive account of every detail, or of every ‘official’ version of the meanings of
Sukkot matters (1): Finding meaning in the sukkah Read More »
Listen/watch song on YouTube Composition and audio © Alexander Massey 15 February 2014 BUY the sheet music (2 vces) – $4.50 (2 copies @ $2.25) The fun of this song is all in the lyrics (printed below). First, the chorus loses more words each time it happens, and, by doing so, gradually reveals the differences between
Psalm 89:16-19 Composition and audio © Alexander Massey, 24 May 2012 Listen / watch on YouTube (including spoken introduction) – SOAS Interfaith Music Festival Buy the sheet music (4 equal vces + pno) – $11.25 (5 copies @ $2.25) Buy the sheet music (1, 2 or 3 voices, unaccompanied, or with guitar) – $6.75 (3 copies @
Ashrei Ha’am (Ps 89:16-19) Read More »