Original songs by Alexander Massey The Four Children – A fun song that use two voice parts, one very simple and repetitive. Ki L’olam Chasdo (Ps 136) – Verses from the Great Hallel, including refrains that I very quick for people to pick up around the seder table. Oseh Shalom (Ukraine lullaby) – When the …
The Cantors Assembly in the USA has a wonderful monthly online gathering called SongSwap, showcasing liturgical songs and songwriters, and the methods and songs of cantors working with congregations around the country. The theme for January 2023 was ‘Songs for Social Justice in Honour of Martin Luther King (MLK) Day’. Looking through my own catalogue, …
Light is apparently mentioned only 36 times in the Torah (B’nei Yissascher on Kislev and Tevet 1:6). It is mentioned many more times in the Talmud, and especially the mystical text of the Zohar. We are taught that the soul of a each person is part of the light of God (Prov. 20:27). There are …
Music and audio © November 2022 Alexander Massey – All Rights Reserved Psalm 97:11 אוֹר, זָרֻעַ לַצַּדִּיק, וּלְיִשְׁרְי לֵב שִׂמְחָה “Light is sown for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart.” I wrote a completely different setting of Or Zarua during the same 24 hour period; it’s a more contemplative version. It’s interesting …
Music and audio © November 2022 Alexander Massey – All Rights Reserved Psalm 97:11 אוֹר, זָרֻעַ לַצַּדִּיק, וּלְיִשְׁרְי לֵב שִׂמְחָה “Light is sown for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart.” There’s no doubt that this is an inward, contemplative setting that could almost be a lullaby. I wrote a completely different setting …
All of these pieces have been composed for and/or sung at services or events commemorating the Shoah / Holocaust. Adonai Roi (Ps 23) – Setting of the original Hebrew for voice and guitar (‘The Lord is my shepherd’) B’makom she’ein anashim (Pirkei Avot 2:5) – “In a place where there is no humanity, strive to …
Here is a list of my musical settings for the Shabbat morning service. It includes solo pieces, duets, congregational music, chants, rounds, and full choral settings. Much of it can work unaccompanied as well as accompanied, while some work better with accompaniment.
Psalm 92 Musical settings for the ‘Verses of song’ section of the morning service This list includes solo pieces, duets, congregational music, chants, rounds, and full choral settings. Much of it can work unaccompanied as well as accompanied, while some work better with accompaniment.
Evening prayers Adon Olam No.2 – can be sung a cappella, or with pno/guit Ahavat Olam – can be sung a cappella solo, congregational, or SATB, or with optional piano Hashkiveinu – for voice and guitar/piano; can also be a cappella; in Hebrew, it uses core elements of the prayer text, with one short section in …
Here is a list of my Jewish songs that use English, either as the original lyric, as a singable close translation from a Hebrew setting of mine, or alternating between English and Hebrew in a song.