‘God is in the detail’: a composer’s perspective on crafting modern Jewish sacred music – part 1/7 Pt-1 Pt-2 Pt-3 Pt-4 Pt-5 Pt-6 Pt-7 (Bibliography) Prayer, words and music For 40 years, I have been exploring the …
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 are many pieces I’ve written for High Holy Days over the years. If you like this music, or are interested in singing some of it, please get in touch. I’d love to hear from you! New for 5781 (2020) Adonai, Adonai (13 Attributes) – a lyrical tune to ‘marinade our souls’ (Rabbi Anne Brener) Adonai …
Music and Audio © Alexander Massey 26 May 2019 BUY the sheet music – $3.95 (lead sheet) יִשְׂמְחוּ בְמַלְכוּתְך שׁוֹמְרֵי שַׁבָּת וְקֽוֹרְאֵי עֹֽנֶג עַם מְקַדְּשֵׁי שְׁבִיעִי כֻּלָּם יִשְׂבְּעוּ וְיִתְעַנְּגוּ מִטּוּבֶֽךָ וּבַשְּׁבִיעִי רָצִֽיתָ בּוֹ וְקִדַּשְׁתּוֹ חֶמְדַּת יָמִים אוֹתוֹ קָרָֽאתָ זֵֽכֶר לְמַעֲשֵׂה בְרֵאשִׁית They shall rejoice in Your kingdom, those who keep Shabbat and call it a …
Music and Audio © Alexander Massey 10 April 2014 3 part round, 12 bars BUY the sheet music – $1.50 (lead sheet)
Music and Audio © Alexander Massey 16 March 2012 4 part round, 16 bars BUY the sheet music – $2.25 (lead sheet) – print as many copies as you like for your own performance, but please encourage your friends and colleagues to buy their own copies from this site.
Music and Audio © Alexander Massey 12 April 2013 I made this 2 part round up during a Saturday morning service at the end of the Amidah, after the final blessing, as an alternative to Elohai N’tzor, Yih’yu L’ratson, or Oseh Shalom. It’s simple, and instantly learnable.
Music and audio © Alexander Massey 25 Nov. 2018 BUY the sheet music – $9 (4 copies @ $2.25) (Apologies for my falsetto parts in this ad hoc recording – I’ll post a better recording when I next have sopranos in my studio!) This Sim Shalom (Maker of Peace) partners another round, Lo Yisa Goi (No.2), …
Music and audio © Alexander Massey 20 Oct 2014 BUY the sheet music – $4.50 (2 copies @ $2.25) Havayah, Sh’chinah, Adonai,S’fatai tiftach,Ufi yagid t’hilatecha. All-That-Is-Was-And-Shall-Be, In-Dwelling Presence, Yah,Open my lips, And my mouth will declare Your Praise. For many years, I have joined with my community to say the Amidah, beginning it with the verse from Ps …
Summary of sections: Prayer, words and music – the role of sacred music ‘Reaching out without dumbing down’ Music as theology; music as midrash ‘Prayer: the lost art’ Making music holy – kodesh ‘God is in the detail’ – 25 questions for creating new musical prayer Using PaRDeS (peshat, remez, drash, sod) as a framework …
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