Music & audio © 2024 Alexander Massey – All Rights Reserved On Shabbat morning, as part of the Amidah blessings, we sing prayers in a call and response. Every prayer tradition has different texts for the parts that the leader recites, so I had to choose which rite I was going to set. The text […]
Music & audio © 2024 Alexander Massey – All Rights Reserved This piyut (poem) by Solomon Ibn Gabirol (11th century) can be a great way to sing ourselves awake. At dawn I seek you, my rock and my refuge; I lay before You my morning and evening prayers. Before Your greatness, I stand and tremble,
Shachar Avakeshcha Read More »
Music and audio © 21 May 2023 Alexander Massey – All Rights Reserved Buy the sheet music (voice & piano, 2 copies) – $4.95 “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
Yih’yu L’ratzon – May the words of my mouth Read More »
Music and recording © Alexander Massey, 20 June 2022 BUY the sheet music (voice & piano, including lead sheet) – $4.95 Just over two years ago, I wrote a penitential, yearning setting of this text, inspired by a conversation with Rabbi Anne Brener. Just recently, I have been studying the books and lectures of Rabbi
Adonai Adonai No.2 (13 attributes of compassion) Read More »
These are my favourites! Comins, Mike (2010) Making Prayer Real: leading Jewish voices on what prayer is difficult and what to do about it [Inner meanings & practices.] Grishaver, Joel Lurie (2012) Stories We Pray: insights into the inner work of Jewish worship [A hugely rich resource for imagination, kavanah-intentions and meanings to make the prayers
Books on Jewish prayer practice and meditation Read More »
Composition & audio © Alexander Massey 29 Nov 2020 BUY the sheet music (Voice & piano/guitar) – $4.95 This is a ninth century text that uses four names of God in each verse, in the same order they first appear in the Bible. The song has five verses. I feel these as five different emotional
Ein Keiloheinu No.2 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 »
‘God is in the detail’: a composer’s perspective on crafting modern Jewish sacred music – part 7/7 Pt-1 Pt-2 Pt-3 Pt-4 Pt-5 Pt-6 Pt-7 (Bibliography) Bibliography Printed articles
Composing Jewish sacred music – part 7/7 Read More »
‘God is in the detail’: a composer’s perspective on crafting modern Jewish sacred music – part 6/7 Pt-1 Pt-2 Pt-3 Pt-4 Pt-5 Pt-6 Pt-7 (Bibliography) PARDES (‘paradise’) In order to be able to answer those questions, lyricists and composers must
Composing Jewish sacred music – part 6/7 Read More »
‘God is in the detail’: a composer’s perspective on crafting modern Jewish sacred music – part 5/7 Pt-1 Pt-2 Pt-3 Pt-4 Pt-5 Pt-6 Pt-7 (Bibliography) ‘God is in the detail’ So, as a composer and occasional lyricist for sacred music,
Composing Jewish sacred music – part 5/7 Read More »