The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-30

that osntles are unwelcome at the jewish
houaas Of worship.
Emanuel Ia ths only ono OF the reformed
synagogues that doesn't borrow much from
the so-called Roman Catholic music set To
Hebrew words hat the other synaGogucs
Affect. AT Emanuel they have their own
printed books OF traditional jewish music,
a. we'll N the modern compositions OF
Mr.. Spicker, william Sparger and Mr.
Macfarlane; and aside from these pieces
they borrow ron the English school.
At the other three loading reformed
Jewish sy~nagogues, Temple Bethel, Temple
Rodolph sholom and Temple Ahawath
Chesed Shaar H~ashomayim. you will hear
the pick OF those Roman Catholic masses
that used TO thrill you with their operatic
climaxes In the cathedrals ana churches,
miXed with traditional Jewish songs and
modern ones by Spicker, Sparger. Macfar-
lane. M. Grammar, Sommer and Herman
Goldstein.
There Is much about these services Of
the reformed synagogues that eminds one
of the Roman Catholic services, for there
II a cantor who Ia analogous to the singing
priest and who sings solos and a%ntiphonal
music along with the choirs.
Except at Temple Beth-M, where the
organ and choir are high up in front over
tbs Ark OF the Covenant, concealed from
sight OF the congregations by the inter-
position OF gauze curtains, the synagogue
organs and choirs are In galleries at the
back of the auditoriums and the cantors
sing their solos and their duets with some
member OF the choir in the gallery, from
their positions in the chanoel, often 200 feet
away from the gallery.
And these cantors are all trained singers,
some OF them with unusually fine voices,
notable among them being Cantor Kahn
Of Rodolph Sholom and NJ. Graumann,
who during the holiday season sang at a
Newark temple. The beautiful ritual OF
the ~synagogues ia greatly enhanced by the
excellent work Of these cantors and to the
unaccustomed Gentle attendant their per-
Torrance so far away from the organ and
choirs IL always impressive.
The ancient shofar, or rams horn trumpet,
pealed out during the servicesiof the more
orthodox temples on the occasion OF the
New Years services, although some syna-
gogues were unable to procure players
whom the music directors would trust,
so comets too the place of the shofar.
A shofar unless played by a man very
much its master IL apt to break.
E2They we're usel in olden times to call
the tribes TO worship from the fields and
they were played by the hottest men OF
the villages.
sThese men, said a Jewish singer, were
naturally the Oldest men in the community
and often their strength Of lung and skill
OF lip we're undermined by the passage
Of years. II used to be believed that the
evil one did all in his power to prevent the
blowing OF the shofars and the summoning
of the tribes, and when these old men made
a slip II was sscribed to the efforts Of Satan
rather. than to the inirmity OF age"
The greatest service OF the year in the
synagogues began Ia It Friday At shutdown,
Yom Kippur or the Day OF Atonement.
1t is a long service during the evening
and is succeeded on Saturday by one that
begins at about 0 O'Clock in the morning
and lasts until close on to Q O'Clock at night,
with about an hours intermission at noon
for the singers.
For the faithful there is no intermis-
sion and nothing is eaten from Friday at
shutdown until the same time on Saturday.
The music is very heavy and during the
day something like eighty heavy numbers
are sun by the choirs, exclusive Of a num-
Der Of the traditional tunes that the cantors
will sing often u~naccompanied.
The Succoth music comes on October 3,
4. 10 n IL. They are trying coca
sions for all thes singers, and those Christian
churches which support quartets whose
members sing in s~ynagogues are apt to
find their soloists out OF voice as a result.
Music committees of these churches do
not like to have their singers sing in the
synagogue choirs on this account, for the
Jewish services every week on the most
, ordinary Sabbaths are as onerous as ever
occur in the Christian churches at Christmas
and Easter. There has been some dis
cussion among church singers OF late years
in regard TO the mall pay they get from
the synagogues and tentative efforts have
been mace with the end in view OF forming
a union Of church singers who should agree
! not to sing In the s~ynagogues for less than
, they get for their Sunday work, but nothing
' has come OF 10 as yet.
IF that state of affairs ever does come
to pass, said a Jewish woman singer re-
Gently. the synagogues will meet Il. IL
will mean the end OF choruees in the n
gogues and the same amount OF money will
be used to maintain a quartet choir, a. in
the Christian churches. Our people will
never maintain double quartets and choirs
OF sixteen IL they have b pay the individual
Gentle rates for their work.
Owing to the immense congregations
during the holidays those wishing to attend
services must make rrangements by which
they may be admitted by card. On other
occasions you may walk in freely and take
a seat. No collections are ever taken.