Cantor Arie Subar
Co-Editor

In 2005, I was a presenter at the European Cantors' Convention, held in London, England, under the auspices of the Jewish Music Institute. One of the sessions was given by Geoffrey Shisler and focused on a number of congregational melodies which he had written and used throughout his career, with considerable success. I was immediately struck by the attractiveness of the tunes and felt that they deserved a wider audience.

....... I truly believe that these pieces have a role to play in synagogue services today. In many cases, they are simple to learn and very appealing. I hope that my colleagues will be open to incorporating these new tunes into their repertoire....


Stephen Glass
Co-Editor

Having grown up in the UK, where I often heard Geoffrey Shisler lead services, accompanied him in concert and for weddings and studied with him, it is especially meaningful to have been involved in the production of this book.

There is definitely "something for everyone in this volume...

I would suggest that the wider incorporation of some of these melodies into the regular synagogue service is one of a number of initiatives that can help in the important process of musical renewal and freshness in traditional Jewish prayer.


From the Composer

One often hears people bemoan the fact that the music of the synagogue today it once was. And that's not surprising-it shouldn't be, and can't be!

.........one of the challenges for those leading services today is how to engage the modern-day congregation. One of the ways is through the melodies. People can be deeply moved by listening to beautiful music, even when it is sung by someone with an average voice or musical ability, and when singing together, people who do not have trained voices at all can be inspired by the tunes that they sing.

While the melodies in this volume are not all intended to be sung by the congregation, I hope that people hearing them will find them appealing, and that the songs will enhance the listeners' feelings of devotion. I trust that you will find something in this collection that you can add to your repertoire.

A unique feature of this book is the recording of every piece by the distinguished Chazan

For the first time ever in a book of Synagogue music, it is possible to hear each piece sung together with the beautiful accompaniment of Stephen Glass.

Stephen has included innovative harmonization throughout in the form of chord symbols.