Liturgy and Music of the Minor Holy Days and Fast Days - Einzelansicht

The semester-long course is designed as the second part of the yearly survey-course on the musical liturgy and music of the life-cycle events and minor holy-days. Its purpose is to familiarize the students with the customs and prayers the minor holy-days and the fast days through the yearly calendar. The course is divided into ten Lessons.

The prayer-chants and melodies will be discussed with reference to the ideas behind the practices and the customs (Minhagim) that accompany it. Due consideration will be given to Orthodox as well as Conservative, Liberal and Reform customs and prayers. The musical Nusach will follow both Eastern-European and German traditions as needed.

Lesson 1. Rosh Chodesh (The New Moon)

· Review of Hallel chants and melodies

· Yaale Veyavo and Psalm 104

· Musaf Service of Rosh Chodesh

· Musaf Service of Shabbat and Rosh Chodesh

· Rosh Chodesh as a women's holiday

Lesson 2. Chanukah

· Lighting the Chanukah candles, the ceremony and its chants

· Al Hanisim prayer, musical settings

· Traditional Chanukah songs

· Traditional and modern Chanuka Songs

Lesson 3. Tu Bishvat (15th of Shevat)

· The origins of the Holiday and its Kabbalistic interpretation

· Ceremonies, Prayers, and songs for the Tu Bishvat Seder

· Prayers and songs for planting trees

Lesson 4. Purim

· Laws and customs of Purim

· Piyutim and songs for Purim

· The traditional Purim Spiel

· Purim of Frankfurt and its melodies

Lesson 5. Yom HaShoah and the International Commemoration of the Holocaust

· Special Services on Yom Hashoah

· Yizkor and El malei rachamim prayers for the martyrs of the Shoah

· Songs from the ghettos and concentration camps

Lesson 6. Yom Haatzmaut, Israel’s Independent Day

· Yom Hazikaron: Prayers Commemorating the Victims of Israeli Wars

· The Maariv Service on the Eve of Yom Haatzmaut

· Prayer for the State of Israel, its chants and melodies

· Selected songs for Yom Haatzmaut

Lesson 7. Lag BaOmer and Yom Yerushalayim

· Counting the Omer: the ceremony, its chants and cantorial compositions

· Songs of Lag Baomer: Songs of Nature and songs of the Kabbalists

· Songs for Jerusalem

Lesson 8. Minor Fast Days

· Taanit Tzibbur (Public Fast), its customs and special prayers

· Partial Fast Days: Tzom Gedalyahu, 10th of Tevet, Taanit Esther, 17th of Tamuz

Lesson 9. The Major Fast of Tishah B’Av

· Maariv Service of Tishah B’Av and its lamentations

· Shacharit Service of Tishah B’Av and its lamenations

· Minchah Service of Tishah B’Av as time of consolation

Lesson 10. Review Examination of the Music for the Minor Holy Days

Literature and sources will be made known during the course of classes.

Oral exam (15 min.)