SHABBAT DAY

Ein Aroch Lecha

This Chassidic melody has become extremely popular throughout the world. It was originally composed by Benny Hershkovitz, and arranged for cantor and choir by Raymond Goldstein and Cantor Azi Schwartz.

Al Zot

Cantor Moshe Stern has served as Cantor in some of the most prestigious pulpits in the world, including Temple Beth El in Borough Park, where he succeeded the great Cantor Moshe Koussevitzky. This setting is based on a composition of his from 1996.

Mimkomcha

This setting is one of the earliest settings composed by Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach, and one of his most musically complex and sophisticated. It is strongly influenced by the cantorial and classical tradition with adherence to the principle of nusach ha’tefillah as well.

Ein Kamocha

Composed by Salamon Sulzer (1804-1890) who is widely recognized as the father of synagogue music. He was the Chief Cantor of Vienna beginning in 1826, and achieved great renown, garnering such honors as Knight of the Order of Francis Joseph and a maestro of the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome. He was held in high regard by Franz Schubert, who composed a setting of Psalm 92 just for him.

Av Harachamim

This is the second half of a setting composed by Abraham Dunajewski (1843-1911) who was the conductor of the Choir of the Great Synagogue of Odessa in pre-WWI Russia. The first part of this setting of Ein Kamocha is virtually unknown outside of synagogues with a strong and classical choral tradition. The minor key is reflective of the yearning nature of the text, which pleads for the rebuilding of walls of Jerusalem.

Mi Shebeirach for IDF Soldiers

This tefillah is set to the song El Eretz Tzvi, composed by Dubi Zeltser to words by Telma eligon-Rose. It was sung by Yehoram Gaon as part of the soundtrack for the movie Mivtza Yonatan about the Israeli mission to rescue the hostages at Entebbe in 1977. Cantor Berson’s rendition of this song, accompanied by Six13, has gone viral. (Photo top right from YouTube video: Six13 featuring Chazan Chaim Dovid Berson - Mi Shebeirach)

Avinu Shebashamayim

This contemporary setting for the Prayer for the Welfare of the State of Israel by Cantor Sol Zim, of the Hollis Hills Jewish Center in Queens, has become a classic since its composition and is sung throughout the world.

Birkat Hachodesh

David Koussevitzky (1912-1985) was one of the four brothers in the famous cantorial family who served as cantor of Temple Emanuel in Brooklyn as well as in other positions, and taught Cantorial Arts at the Jewish Theological Seminary. He composed and performed this moving setting of the prayer for the new month. (Photo top left from YouTube video, Cantor David Koussevitzky Uvnucho Yomar Concert.)

Mi She’asa Nissim

This beautiful setting of a passage from the Prayer for the New Month was composed by A.M. Himmelstein (1906-1974), the Choirmaster of the Great Synagogue of Johannesburg, South Africa.

Uvnucho Yomar

This is one of the most famous compositions of Louis Lewandowski. Originally composed for cantor, mixed choir and organ, it was rearranged by Raymond Goldstein and became one of the signature pieces of Cantor Naftali Herstik at the Jerusalem Great Synagogue. In this setting, the “Hashiveinu” section is reprised in a delicate falsetto with choral accompaniment.

Mechalkel Chaim

Cantor Berson has introduced this melody into the weekly Shabbat service of KJ. It was composed by the late Cantor David Bagley (19322007), who served pulpits in Israel, South Africa, the United States and Canada. This week, it will be sung in a choral arrangement by Stephen Glass, former music director of Congregation Shaar Shomayim in Montreal.

Kedusha

This majestic setting of Kedushah in the Western European musical tradition was composed by Leo Low (1878-1962). Low was choirmaster at the Great Synagogue of Warsaw, and then at Temple Beth El of Borough Park. Low was also the director of the National Workers Farband Choir in New York.

Uv’yom Hashabbat

This lively setting, composed by Cantor Naftali Herstik, is built upon the nusach motifs for Chazarat Hashatz of Shabbat Musaf.

Sim Shalom

Composed by Abraham Nadel (1926-1985), who was a prominent synagogue choir conductor and composer of liturgical music. He led synagogue choirs accompanying some of the greatest cantors of the day, including Moishe Oysher, Leibele Waldman and Moshe Ganchoff.

Ein Kelokeinu

This setting for Ein Kelokeinu was composed by Dr. Zvi Talmon, the choirmaster of the Heichal Shlomo Synagogue in Jerusalem. Until the Jerusalem Great Synagogue was dedicated in 1981, Heichal Shlomo was the center for cantorial music in Jerusalem. Cantor Naftali Herstik credits Dr. Talmon as the only one who successfully created a distinctive new Israeli choral and harmonic style. Many recall this as a highlight of the services at the Jerusalem Great Synagogue in the 1980s, when the young Netanel Herstik, now cantor at The Hampton Synagogue, sang it as a solo with the choir in his angelic voice.

TOP TO BOTTOM:

Heichal Shlomo Synagogue Deror Avi, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Jerusalem Great Synagogue Suicasmo, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia

Yiddish Ad for Concert featuring Moishe Oysher, 1958, Public domain, Wikimedia