On occasion, congregants have asked me to sing more “traditional music.” My usual answer is to ask what specific melody the congregant would like to hear. I have found this is nearly always the question being asked. The cliché definition of “traditional Jewish music” is “the music that you remember from your childhood.” This is not without a rational basis. Folks with a Conservative/ Orthodox background have a good reason to assume that the music of their youth is “traditional.” After all, the level and extent of traditional observance is the usual line of demarcation between Orthodox and liberal Judaism. That is, however, an incorrect assumption.
“Mi-Sinai” music
“Mi-Sinai,” literally, “from Sinai,” is the admittedly hyperbolic designation of a prayer or musical setting thought of as having originated at the time of the giving of Torah. The implication is that this is a very old, well-established musical setting, perhaps even centuries in the making. Obviously, this could not actually apply to any music that we use today. Musicologists don’t even agree about the meaning, much less the appropriate chanting, of the tropes for Torah reading. The Israelites did not utilize recognizable musical notation at the time of the giving of the Law, and the Diaspora interfered with “mouth-to-ear”, transmission. Therefore, it is simply impossible to know what melodies were sung at that time, or even for thousands of years thereafter. That does not mean that there was not a fixed set of melodies in use at the time of Moses. In fact, the Tanach refers to a Levitical orchestra, as follows:
16 And David spoke to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brethren the singers, with instruments of music, psalteries and harps and cymbals, sounding aloud and lifting up the voice with joy. (I Chron. 15:16 )
19 So the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, [were appointed,] with cymbals of brass to sound aloud; (I Chron. 15:19)
20 and Zechariah, and Aziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Unni, and Eliab, and Maaseiah, and Benaiah, with psalteries set to Alamoth; (I Chron. 15:0)
21 and Mattithiah, and Eliphalehu, and Mikneiahu, and Obed-edom, and Jeiel, and Azaziah, with harps on the Sheminith, to lead. (I Chron. 15:21)
There was, as well, a choir, as we learn in the following verse:
22 And Chenaniah, chief of the Levites, was over the song; he was master in the song, because he was skilful. (I Chron. 15:21)
The Psalms include “cues” to the Choirmaster and Conductor:
1 For the Leader; with string-music. A Psalm of David. (Psalm 4)
1 For the Leader; with string-music; on the Sheminith. A Psalm of David. (Psalm 6). (The “Sheminith” was probably an 8-stringed musical instrument).
So, yes, Virginia, there is music Mi-Sinai. However, it most certainly does not include Adon Olam set to the melody of a German drinking song that many folks think of as “the traditional melody.” And, no, that is not hyperbole.
20th Century Traditional Synagogue Music
Having grown up in an “ABM” (“all but mechitzah”) conservative synagogue, I am well acquainted with so-called “traditional” congregational melodies. These melodies generally fall into two categories: simplified composed music; and completely secular melodies assigned to sacred words. An example of the first category would be Ein Kamocha, the first piece of liturgy in the Torah service. This was originally a composed choral arrangement by Salomon Sulzer, a hazzan and composer of the 19th century. Derivations of the melody, some more and some less true to the original, are nearly universal in American Ashkenazi synagogues. Other examples are L’cha Dodi and Tzadik Katamar (not the freilach version). These settings are still commonly used in traditional synagogues, and even in some Reform synagogues.
Examples of the second category are the aforementioned Adon Olam and my very favorite, shehu noteh shamayim (from the Aleinu). Listen carefully, the next time you chant the first “up-tempo” portion of the Aleinu, and you will clearly recognize “The Itsy Bitsy Spider.” These are not the only two examples. Some good rules of thumb are: if you can tap your foot to it and it is in a major key, it is almost certainly a secular melody. If the range of the melody does not extend more than five or six notes, likewise, it is almost certainly a secular melody, or it is a semi-chant musical vehicle of marginal musical value which somehow found its way into the repertoire.
The only other “traditional” melodies that precede the guitar revolution have a basis in the oriental Cantorial tradition. These are generally sung by the cantor or shaliach tsibur (emissary of the congregation, also known as the “shatz”). By the way, this is one of the few times you can appropriately use the word “oriental” as an adjective without referring to a rug.
Traditional Music Following the Guitar Revolution
Although many people think Debbie Friedman was the first person to popularize camp music in the synagogue, that honor actually belongs to Dr. Michael Isaacson. Born in 1946, his music epitomized Jewish camp music in the 60s. He earned his PhD from the Eastman School of Music, and remains active to this day, composing, and serving as scholar-in-residence. He has composed a huge body of work. We use his setting of V’ne-emar, v’hayah Adoshem during our High Holy Days.
Debbie Friedman z”l” was the Next Big Thing. Her easily singable/playable and often- inspired compositions transitioned from the summer camps to the schuls. More than once, a congregant has asked me to sing a “traditional” musical setting, which was actually composed by Debbie Friedman. It is impossible to overstate her impact upon the music of the synagogue, although there were other contemporary players/singers who made significant contributions, the best example of which is, perhaps, Shalom Rav, composed by Rabbi Dan Freelander and Cantor Jeff Klepper.
Countless other contemporary stylists followed. It would be fair to say that songs written during the last 40 years by such contemporary stylists form the basis of 90% of Reform Jewish musical repertoire. Within the Conservative movement more and more tefillot are being musically re-imagined. As a matter of fact, our own Friday night service consists almost entirely of composed pieces of the last 40 years.
I have not discussed hazzanut (cantorial music), or klezmer music, even though both proceed in time all other styles mentioned here. Both represent amazing and unique Jewish musical contribution and deserve their own discussions.
All of the above having been said, if there is a melody that you remember from your childhood, or something that you’ve heard in some other synagogue, please do share it with me. I am always looking for settings, old and new, with which to inspire our worshippers.
So, if there is a point to this, it would be that “traditional Jewish music” is in the ear of the beholder. My goal is to continue to create a minhag hamakom, the musical tradition of Temple Ramat Zion, as inviting and inclusive as is possible.
Love to hear your thoughts. . .
As always, I look forward to singing with you at temple.
