.7hanging Modes in Hazanuth

By JACOB H. SONENKLAR
The hazan, or the cantor, in the
aspora became an important fig-
e in Jewish life. He was, to be-
e with, the inheritor of the lev-
al chants which were heard in

present it to the Jews of that day,
who now wanted refinement and
good musical taste in the syna-
gogue.
Sulzer's influence spread over
Western Europe and even fil-
tered through the iron gates of
the Orthodox synagogue, so that
today Sulzer is still the great
idol of all cantors.
A new condition faced the can-
tor in this country in the middle
of the 19th Century at the begin-
ning of the Reform movement.
The cantor was confronted with a
new Reform prayer book and a
new liturgy. Where was he to get
his music? He sought the help of
the Gentile organist, who complied
with his requests, but it was not
of great use for the synagogue.
With the musical creativity out of
his hands, the only think left for
the cantor was to study his own
part and come to the synagogue
and sing it.
Congregants began to feel that
the synagogue lacked an impor-
tant element, that element which
they could only find in the syna-
gogue. In its place they found a
poor singer who was singing music
that had little individuality or
style, for it is not the traditional
mode of the synagogue which gives
the synagogue its character and
spirit. (Our traditional music has
that power to either inject or re-

ject it.) Why should our people
come to the synagogue to hear a
quasi-operatic music when they
can today stay at home and hear
the finest operatic and religious
music beautifully sung by fine
singers and well-trained choruses?
He, the cantor, once again has
become the possessor of Jewish
learning which is so necessary.
His musical renditions become
saturated with the history and
traditions of our people. He stud-
ies the history of synagogue mu-
sic and its vast literature, trying
to reshape the old and create the
new material so as to meet the
requirements of this time and
age. The cantor again becomes
conscious of the true meaning of
his ancient title "Sheliakh Zib-
bur" and constantly reverts to his
role so that our people will again
receive and value it.
"The Temple of Song is the
nearest to the source of holiness,"
said Rabbi Nachman Bratzlawer.
"There are gates in Heaven which
can be opened by song alone," is
a well known Kabbalistic saying.
Indeed, the Jew's conception of
the relationship between divinity
and the art of music is as old as
Israel. No wonder that a people
cherishing such a conception was
destined to occupy a distinguished
place in the world of this divine
art — the art of music.

Prediction,: Tigers Will Start
Sherry as Season's Pitcher

By JESSE and ROY SILVER

(Copyright, 1965, JTA, Inc.)

Goldstein was born in Israel but
now lives in New Jersey. He'll re-
turn next season . . . Ron Mix, the
all-pro tackle from San Diego of
the American Football League, has
turned author. The tome is called
"I Swore I Would Quit Pro Foot-
ball" . . . Also in the stalls is a
book, "What Is Sports Medicine?"
written by former hurdler Dr.
Ernst Jokl, of the U. of Kentucky,
one of the world's foremost ex-
perts on the subject . . . In case
you missed it, the 15th Chess
Olympiad held in Tel Aviv was
won by the Soviet Union. The
United States was sixth . . . Fol-
low-up to a story carried in this
column recently, about the possi-
bility of 'Turkey refusing to allow
its Jewish athletes to participate
in the Seventh World Maccabiah
in Israel this summer: Current
stories out of the Middle East indi-
cate a new Turkish policy — the
courting of the Arab states at the
expense of Israel. Politics and
sports get tangled up all too often.
The final figures are in. Walter
Blum rode 324 winners to capture
the nationalist riding champion-
ship for 1964 while Buddy Jacob-
son saddled 167 winners to cop the
trainer's crown. Incidentally, doc-
tors say that Blum, who was in-
jured in a spill, will have to wear
a brace for some time before he
gets back to the track. He suffered
a severe concussion, a broken ver-
right side, a lacerated tongue, and
multiple chest bruise s. When
Jacobson, 34, who has been top
trainer for two straight years, was
asked how long he intends to be
number one, he said: "From now
on."
* * *
Overseas tennis rankings: Abe
Segal, No. 2 in South Africa; Frank
Salomon, No. 2 in Rhodesia, and
Ruth Kaufmann, No. 2 in Switzer-
land. Basil Katz, cousin of Salo-
mon, is ranked No. 6 in Rhodesia.
A unique ranking was achieved in
Portugal by P. Cohen, No. 1 among
the women, and David Cohen, No.
2 in the men's division . . . Here
at home, Roberta Zimman of Lynn,
Mass. is No. 6 among New England
women and No. 3 in the girl's 18
singles.

Larry Sherry of the Detroit Ti-
gers may be a starter this season.
His manager says it all depends
on Detroit coming up with another
reliefer. Larry obtained special
permission this winter to work out
with the Dodger rookies in Los
Angeles and apparently has re-
covered from his broken foot,
which he suffered in Cleveland
from a line drive on August 2. . . .
Houston pitcher Larry Yellen who
calls Brooklyn his home, didn't
take to baseball South of the Bor-
der. He was released by his Vene-
zuelan Winter League club after a
4-5 record . . . Abe Saperstein, the
champion Globetrotter of them all,
was tendered a testimonial ban-
qued in Chicago recently. The $50-
a-plate proceeds went to Little
City, a foundation for mentally
handicapped children. They will be
used to construct a gymnasium.
Tal Brody of Illinois continues
to shine on the hardwood. He led
CANTOR SONENKLAR
all scorers when his team upset
ie Holy Temple during the daily
third ranked Indiana. . . . Albert
rvices in Jerusalem. He intoned
Ades, C. W. Post's six-foot, 155-
e liturgy which now replaced an-
pound sophomore hoopster, has a
ent rites.
unique background. First of all his
There were periods in Jewish
nickname is Tine., which comes
story when the cantor was of
from Albertino. Secondly, he lives
ch importance that he impro-
in Brooklyn; his father was born
sed and composed portions of
in Israel but is of Syrian back-
e liturgy. A shining example of
ground; his mother is a genuine
is epoch was Eliezer Kalil -, the
Brooklynite; and Albert lived in
eat poet cantor of the 7th Cen-
Puerto Rico before he was three.
Miriam (Exodus 15), and conclud- If all this sounds confusing, forget
By EVA WIESNER
ry.
Music, instrumental or vocal, is ed by the Song of Deborah it. He's 19 and a good basketball
The cantor, throughout the days
exile, was the bright light of the most valued form of art among (Judges 4-5), is read in the syna- player! He aspires to make the
e Jewish community. It was he Jews. While the Bible opposes gogues. This month is dedicated to U.S. Maccabiah Games Team ! In
(ho led the community in prayer sculpture and painting because of singing and playing, or listening cidentally, the father of a former
Maccabian, Dave Karetsky, the ex-
a times of joy and sorrow. He the close relationship between to Jewish music.
It is claimed occasionally that Yale butterfly star, is retiring after
oothed the Jewish soul with his creating images and idolatry, it re-
onsoling intonation of the prayers gards highly the musical arts. In- truly Jewish music is only the coaching high school basketball in
fter catastrophe and misfortune. strumental music is important trope of the biblical cantillation, New York for 35 years. Although
i le brought solace and comfort to enough for the Torah to mention and tunes derived from it. This John Karetsky is only 59 he said
he soul of the Jew on the Sabbath its beginnings and its inventor. would, of course, confine Jewish he wants to step aside so that the
nd Holy Days, after week-days of We read on the first pages of the music to narrow limits. Jewish j younger fellows can have a chance
aim and persecution. No wedding Bible that Jubal was "the father music has also been characterized . . Olympic gymnast Art Shur-
eremony or funeral service was of all who play the harp and the by its mood. Since it is a product lock will tour Mexico with five
ompleted without him. He was pipe" (Genesis 4:21). Only - two of a nation in exile, it expresses others under the banner of the
other "firsts" are reported after the mood of Galut.
he voice of the Jewish soul.
U. S. Gymnastics Federation. The
Specific features of Jewish music group will give exhibitions.
The musical impulse of the Jew the story of the creation: Jubal,
* * *
-hich developed during Paestini- the tent dweller and farmer, and were thus seen in its being writ-
Don Goldstein of Fairleigh-
n days could not be stopped when Tubal-Cain, the inventor of the ten in minor mode, predominantly
with augmented seconds.
Dickinson has been named to the
ie was driven into exile. He want- process of molding of metals.
Its forms are in the main influ- 1964 All-America soccer team.
Music is mentioned in numerous
4:.1 to sing and had to sing. Albeit
I t was difficult to sing the Lord's other places in the Bible. King enced by the characteristics of the
David was a harpist, and became Hebrew language. In harmony a
ong, etc., in a strange land.
Some of the distinguished can- known as "the sweet singer of tendency to simplicity is apparent
Israel." The -Book of Psalms makes in which much use is made of
tors of the 19th Century were:
Solomon Kashtan, Hersh Wein- many references to music. Its last ostinato figures. However, this
By DAVID SCHWARTZ
(Copyright, 1965, JTA, Inc.)
traub, Solomon Sulzer, Solomon chapter lists numerous instruments definition excludes, for example, a
multitude
of
Israeli
tunes
which
of
the
orchestra
of
ancient
Israel:
Naumbourg, Minkowsky, Yeru-
A
young
man named Greenberg
chum Hakoton, Baruch Schoor; "Praise God with the blast of the do not express the mood of the has written a funny book, "How
Diaspora.
and in our own way, the late Shofar, praise him with the harp
The new Israeli music is strong- to be a Jewish Mama." He tells of
Joseph Rosenblatt and others, and the lyre, with drum . . . with
ly
influenced by Bedouin-Arab mel- one Jewish mama who was asked
string
and
flute
.
..
",
and
so
on.
There is still a sprinkling of this
odies
and does not possess the what she thought of the Cincinnati
Music
occupied
an
honorable
place
type of hazan, or canto r, in
afore-mentioned
features of Jewish Reds. She said, "In every big city
in the religious services in the
America and abroad.
music (but it is a return to an- there are some trouble makers."
When the period of enlighten- Temple at Jerusalem. The chanting cient forms of the music of the
So the Jewish mamas don't
of
the
Torah
reading
and
of
the
m ent came upon the Jewish people prayers, is an integral part of the Land of Israel). Furthermore, know much about baseball.
of Europe at the beginning of the
I recall in my childhood hearing
these specific features are fre-
of today.
19th Century, many changes took synagogue services
quently mingled with other ele- a Yiddish song in which a man
**
place in the communal and per-
told about his wife. The last line
Already in the time of the Bible ments. If we are not ready to ac- read, translated:
Sonal life of the Jew.
cept
naturalized
alien
elements,
The synagogue also witnessed a music has been regarded as a we have to exclude the familiar
"She plays piano on the lokshen
change. With the appearance of source of relaxation (for example melody of the popular Hanukah (noodles) board."
in
Isaiah
30:29,
"Joy
of
Heart,
as
the Jewish Reform movement, the
Both of these types of Jewish
when one goes with the flute"). song "Maoz Tzur," for example.
cantor was often eliminated.
* * *
mamas have largely vanished. To-
The
servants
of
King
Saul
knew
of
Solomon Sulzer in Vienna and
We would perhaps be safe in day there are Jewish mamas ac-
others in Germany realized this the psychotherapeutic value of formulating
that music composed quainted with baseball but do not
music
and
recommended
a
harpist
condition and began to reshape
or
performed
by Jews is Jewish know anything about the lokshen
for
their
master:
"
.
.
.
and
it
came
the art of the cantor.
to
the
extent
the
composer or the board.
Wherein did Sulzer differ from to pass . . . that David took the
Recently, the New York Herald
performer
identifies
himself with
harp
and
played
.
.
.
,
and
Saul
his predecessors? He was first of
Tribune had a story of an attempt-
Jewry.
A
musician
expresses
him-
found
relief
and
it
was
well
with
all one who possesed Jewish learn-
ed holdup. There was a woman cus-
ing, as well as secular education. him and the evil spirit departed self in his creation or in his per- tomer in the store. She grabbed
formance. Consciously or subcon-
His voice was beautiful and well from him" (I. Samuel 16:23).
In more recent times, the Has- sciously he draws from his entire the thug by the arm and tossed
trained so that it even moved
sidim
rediscovered the great value being. The Jewishness of the com- him to the floor. She had come
Franz Liszt, who once heard him
of
music
as a means of communi- poser may come through in works recently from Israel. She explained,
in Vienna at a Friday evening
which are devoted to a Jewish or "We do this all the time in our
service. He dispensed with the su- cation between man and God.
From Hassidism, the high appre- to a general topic. In this sense Israel army training."
perfluous melodic elaborations of
This is the new model of the
the East European cantor. He dis- ciation of music found its way into music by Ernst Bloch or Leonard Jewish mama.
Bernstein,
for
example,
may
'..e
the
modern
Jewish
national
youth
pensed with superfluous repetition
Nahum Sokolow used to tell
of words and phrases. He injected movements. The oneg shabbat took evaluated as Jewish, even if their
a classical interpretation into his the place of the "shalosh seudos." subject is not Shelomo, the Baal about his rebbe Menasse Cutler.
The Land of .Israel and its up- Sheen Tov, and Avodat Ha-Kodesh He was a saintly man who knew
musical renditions.
It would be wrong to imagine building became the main subject (Sacred Service), or Jeremiah and nothing whatever about money. His
the Kaddish, respectively. Just as wife was the business woman, and
that he eliminated the traditional of the song.
* * *
the new stained glass windows in he sat all day and pored over the
"nusach" of the synagogue, though
The American Jewish community the UN Secretariat building, re- Hebrew books. One day, the rabbi
he changed many of these modes.
yearly
observes Jewish Music cently dedicated to the memory of was called to a beth din, (arbitra-
He did take most of these tradi-
tional modes and set them down Month. This annual celebration be- Dag Hammarskjold, can hardly be tion proceeding) and at its conclu-
for the first time in musical nota- gins on Shabbat Shirah, "the Sab- disassociated from the numerous sion was offered a few rubles.
"What is that?" he queried.
tion and without choral accom- bath of Song", when the Song of thoroughly Jewish creations of
"It's money," he was told, "give
paniment in such a style as to Moses,. followed by the Song of Marc Chagall.

An Evaluation of Jewish Music

4

The New Jewish Mamas

it to your wife. She will know what
to do with it. You can get fish
with it."
"Oh, so you can get fish with
it," he repeated, "then give me
more."
In Czarist Russia, the women
were frequently the breadwinners.
The men sat in the synagogues all
day learning and the women
brought in the lucre. And in many
other parts of the world the wo-
men really did the hard work. I
remember in our own south there
used to be a popular song:
Everybody works but father
He sits around all day
Warming his feet by the fire
smoking a pipe of clay
Mother takes in washing
So does sister Ann
Everybody works in my house
Except my old man.
It is probably true that women
were kept out of the army because
army life was essentially a lazy
life and men wanted to keep it to
themselves on that account. We
may remember that the phrase "to
soldier on the job" means to loiter.
There is more muscle required in
making a matzo ball than in pull-
ing a trigger.
Israel has shown the way. It
made the women into soldiers and
gave the most important cabinet
job, that of foreign affairs, to a
woman.
The one field in which women
seem to show little talent is cook-
ing. I am told that all big hotels
and restaurants insist on men
chefs. Men should stick to cooking.

THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
18—Friday, February 26, 1965

