אוֹר, זָרֻעַ לַצַּדִּיק, וּלְיִשְׁרְי לֵב שִׂמְחָה “Light is sown for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart.” (Ps. 97:11) In 2020, over one 24-hour period, I composed these two very different settings of Or Zarua – one lyrical and contemplative for Yom Kippur, and the other celebratory for Shabbat. Here are the two […]
Or Zarua – Two ways of sowing light Read More »
Music & audio © 2023 Alexander Massey – All Rights Reserved Download the free sheet music (voice & piano or guitar) נֵר יְהוָה, נִשְמַת אָדָם חֹפֵשׂ, כָל-חַדְרֵי-בָטֶן אֱלהַי נְשָמָה שֶנָתַתָ בִי טְהורָה הִיא כִי-אַתָה, תָאִיר נֵרִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהַי, יַגִיהַ חָשְכִי Verse 1: The soul of a person is the candle of God, that searches the
Neir Adonai No.1 (Candle of God) Read More »
Music and audio © 2 Dec 2023 Alexander Massey – All Rights Reserved Listen/view on YouTube. Download the free sheet music (voice & piano) אֱלהַי נְשָמָה שֶנָתַתָ בִיטְהורָה הִיאנֵר יְהוָה, נִשְמַת אָדָםחֹפֵשׂ, כָל-חַדְרֵי-בָטֶןכִי-אַתָה, תָאִיר נֵרִייְהוָה אֱלֹהַי, יַגִיהַ חָשְכִי Chorus: My God, the soul you have given me is pure. [Berachot 60b, morning prayer]Verse 1: The
Neir Adonai No.2 (Candle of God) Read More »
Music and audio © 21 May 2023 Alexander Massey – All Rights Reserved Download the free sheet music (voice & piano or guitar) “May the words of my mouth, and the song in my heart, be pleasing to you, my God, my Rock and my Redeemer.” (Ps 19:14) These words are used at the end
Yih’yu L’ratzon (May the Words of My Mouth) Read More »
Music & Audio @ 7 Dec 2022 Alexander Massey – All Rights Reserved Download the free sheet music (voice & piano or guitar) שְׁלַח-אוֹרְךָ וַאֲמִתְּךָ, הֵמָּה יַנְחוּנִייְבִיאוּנִי אֶל-הַר-קָדְשְׁךָ, וְאֶל-מִשְׁכְּנוֹתֶיךָ ;Send out your light and your truth; let them lead me let them bring me to your holy mountain, and to your dwelling place. (Ps 43:3) Yearning
Sh’lach Or’cha (Send Out Your Light) Read More »
Music and audio © November 2022 Alexander Massey – All Rights Reserved Download the free sheet music (voice & piano or guitar) אוֹר, זָרֻעַ לַצַּדִּיק, וּלְיִשְׁרְי לֵב שִׂמְחָה “Light is sown for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart.” (Ps. 97:11) I wrote a completely different setting of Or Zarua during the same
Or Zarua No. 2 (Light is Sown) Read More »
Music and audio © November 2022 Alexander Massey – All Rights Reserved Download the free sheet music (voice & piano) אוֹר, זָרֻעַ לַצַּדִּיק, וּלְיִשְׁרְי לֵב שִׂמְחָה “Light is sown for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart.” (Ps. 97:11) This inward, contemplative setting could almost be a lullaby. I wrote a completely different
Or Zarua No.1 (Light is Sown) 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 »
Music and recording © Alexander Massey 13 Sept 2020 – All Rights Reserved Download the free sheet music (lead sheet, voice & guitar) 1 Yah is my shepherd; I lack nothing. [Chorus] 2 Yah makes me lie down in green pastures; Yah leads me to water in places of repose; 3 Yah renews my
Adonai Roi (God Is My Shepherd, Psalm 23) Read More »
Music and recording © Alexander Massey 12 Sept 2020 – All Rights Reserved Download the free sheet music (voice & piano or guitar) “Let the heavens rejoice and the earth exult; let the sea and all within it thunder.” Psalm 96:11 is such a joyous text, it needs music that will get people clapping, stamping
Yism’chu HaShamayim (Let The Heavens Rejoice) Read More »