Sunday, December 09, 2007

Melodies of Shabbat Chanukah

Musical Note By Cantor Sherwood Goffin
The Melodies of Shabbat Chanukah

This Shabbat Chanukah lends itself to many creative possibilities that I would like you to be aware of, so that you can join me and sing along!

Shacharit:
Mimkom'cho
- the well-known melody of "Hanerot Hallolu"

Hallel:
B'tset Yisroel
- the classical "Chanukah O Chanukah"
Shuvi Nafshi - The Italian "Maoz Tzur" by the master renaissance composer Benedetto Marcello (18th Century) 1724.
Hodu - The ancient 15th Century ( c.1450) German "Maoz Tzur - traditional throughout the world.
Ono Hashem - For the first two lines: from the Israeli Chanukah song,"Nerot Dolkim,” to a melody by Felix Mendelsohn.

Musaf Kedusha:
Begins with the 18th Century oratorio from "Judah Maccabeus" by F. Handel: "See the Conquering Hero Comes" or "Hineh Ba" in the Hebrew version. Most important is, that it is in the Major mode, and it therefore fits into the nusach structure that is traditional for Naaritzcho.
I will then use the beautiful niggun "Bilvavi" (which we often use for Kedushah) by Rabbi Shmuel Brazil for Mimkomo. The theme is the internalization of building a sanctuary, the altar, and the eternal light within the Holy Temple-appropriate for Chanukah.
Al Hanissim: The traditional 100 year old melody, sung by many generations of Jewish families.

Daven well and sing along

2 comments:

Michael Kopinsky said...

Where can I subscribe to receive these musical notes by email? Do you post all of them, or are there more that you don't post?

thanbo said...

Call up Lincoln Square (212 874 6100) and ask to be put on the email list for the Shabbat Echod. Ask for Joe Blank. I tried to subscribe several times by email; I finally cornered the late Jeff Levinson and he put me on the list then & there.

I post most of them; some that are too shul-specific, I don't bother with.