From: bri@panix.com (Brian Shanblatt)
Subject: Shaliach Tzibur (aka "Cantor") and Music
Summary: music, appropriate nusah, tunes, and such
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 17:28:54 GMT
Organization: PANIX Public Access Unix & Internet, NYC

 I have noticed an interesting trend in jewish sacred music.
It seems that Orthodox shuls are far less likely to hire
professional , year-round chazzanim ("cantors") than shuls in
the Conservative and Reform communities.  There are of course
numerous explanations.  Orthodox shuls are more likely
to have congregants who are able to daven with more or less accuracy,
and are therefore not in need of a professional.
The problem is that accurate nusah, to say nothing of
graceful treatment of the nusah, to say nothing of 
original innovation in nusah, may be slowly eroding from Orthodox
communities at large.
	Certainly, hazzanim like Joseph Maolvany, Moshe stern, and selected
others are examples of highly trained and skilled S.T.'s (Shlichei Tzibur).
I think, however, that these men are exceptions and their shuls, mostly in larger cities are exceptional in the Orthodox communities in america.
	I have been in many Orthodox shuls where the S.T. uses the correct
Nusah outline (i.e. L'chu N'rannana sounds like it should on friday eve)
but many of the nusah details are missing - traditional shifts from
major to minor, from one mode to another, at selected phrases,etc.  
Additionally, I have noticed a trend toward "generic" melodies.
These melodies that one may hear for "Shir HaMaalot (benching)"
as well as in the Hallel, as well as in pitutim in the High Holyday
services.  Although I suppose one could argue that "tune sharing" has
a certain charm, I believe that tunes should be used for the
text for which they were written, and then only for texts for which
it is approriate to be singing a tune.  Folk tunes for which there
is no specific text (at least in our collective musical memories)
should be applied to liturgical texts with great caution.
	This is really a shame because at one time, great cantorial
music was an intregal part of traditional, Orthodox Judaism.  
Professionals, with trained voices, were not as hard to finf in
Orthodox communities.  At this time, the true guardians of
traditonal nusah are the Conservative and Reform cantorial organizations.
Training at those schools is comprehensive, and trains students
for performance, as well as researches, scholars and composers.  
Although the Reform liturgy differs substantially from traditional
prayer structure, the musical training uses such tradtitional
music texts such as Baer, Alter, etc.  The Orthodox training school,
while offering some fine performers/teachers like Joseph Maolovany
is more of a "we sing it, you repeat it" trade school. The majority
of the students (yes, there are exceptions) become daveners
of competence, but are not taught the analysis of the nusah that
makes one a master and innovator.
	I would be interesting to hear opinions and experiences 
of/about the "cantorial state" of your shul!

e-mail. posts, flames welcomed and encouraged!


-- 
bri@panix.com
"How to learn how to sing, Rule #1: There is always tomorrow..." 
Newsgroups: soc.culture.jewish