Bye Bye Adar, Hello Nisan!

Well, as a new Hebrew month begins, our little Shira group is happily creating a (slightly silly) video about the life of one of the Reform movement's premier composers, Louis Lewandowski.  We have been having fun telling the tale of this innovative Jewish maverick from 19th century Germany.

Mr. Lewandowski introduced the Jews of Germany to a new, more classical form of liturgical music.  Thanks to Louis Lewandowski and his contemporary, Salomon Sulzer, we have the option to enjoy liturgical music sung by a choir and accompanied by instruments such as an organ or piano. Major changes brought about by the Reformers in Germany in the 19th century include:

•  a greater sense of decorum
• services conducted in the native tongue of the congregants
• a move away from the Oriental (Middle Eastern sounding) style of chanting and towards a more Western (European/"classical" sounding) style
• The removal of separation of men and women in synagogue
• choral music
• organ music
• a move to be less "different" than their Christian neighbors; assimilation

Here is a sample of Louis Lewandowski's liturgical music, performed recently in the Berlin synagogue in which he worked for over 25 years:

Note the German, rather than Hebrew service!

The students have enjoyed making their own music, learning to sing the Four Questions, and some new Passover song.  They have been identifying the Hebrew words that they already know in the new songs.  Words like shir (sing), simcha (joy), aviv (spring), gadol (great, or big), ma (what), and laila (night) can be found in the Four Questions and other Passover tunes.