Traditional words and music, arranged for voice and piano by Alexander Massey © 2022 Why is this night different from all the other nights … … that on all other nights we eat both chametz and matzah, on this night, we eat only matzah? … that on all other nights we eat many vegetables, on this night, maror? […]
Mah Nishtanah (arrangement) Read More »
Traditional words and music, arranged by Alexander Massey © 2022 [We thank you] For the miracles, for the deliverance, for the mighty deeds and saving acts, as well as for the wars which you waged for our ancestors, in days of old, at this season.
Al Hanisim (arrangement) Read More »
Traditional words and music arranged by Alexander Massey for voice and piano © 2022 Hayom, Hayom (Rosh Hashanah) Al Hanisim (Chanukah) Mah Nishtanah (Pesach)
Three Festival Songs Read More »
Composition & recording © Alexander Massey 6 Feb 2021 – All Rights Reserved BUY the sheet music (voice & piano) – $4.95 בּמָקוֹם שֶּׁאֵין אֳנָשִׁום, הִשְׁתַּדֵּל לִהְיוֹת אִישׁ B’makom she’ein anashim, hishtadeil lih’yot ish. Pirkei Avot / Ethics of the Fathers 2:5 As with so much Hebrew, a literal translation of this verse fails to
B’makom She’ein Anashim Read More »
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,
Adonai Adonai No.1 (13 attributes of mercy) Read More »
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
Barchi Nafshi (Ps 103:1-12) Read More »
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