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Monday, March 20, 2023
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Cantor's Pick of the Week
by Arlene Frank


Mi Chamocha (Who is Like You, Adonai)
Sung by Cantor Ari Litvak and Giselle Arditti
As we approach the time of Passover, we appreciate all texts and music related to the topic of freedom; These writings and songs serve to remind us of the Hebrews' redemption from slavery in ancient Egypt. Our Mi Chamocha prayer is a direct quote from Moses’ Song of the Sea in the Book of Exodus of The Five Books of Moses, the Torah. It is a beautiful moment when the long awaited redemption of our people is finally realized and the Hebrews erupt into song and dance, lead by Moses and Miriam, on the other side of the sea.
 
Here is how the epic poetry of The Song of the Sea appears in our Torah scroll, in a brick on brick formation.
Last week we explored some interesting information about Sol Zim and his 1984 performance of his Shalom Aleichem. In continuing with the topic of Sol Zim, the Performer/Cantor/Composer/Choral Director/ Arranger/Teacher, I share with you that just today I was having a discussion with a Cantorial friend about Sol Zim’s use of nigunim, wordless melodies.
 
Cantor Zim usually writes these sing-along wordless melodies with simple syllables like lai, lai lai into most of his compositions; It’s a way of allowing everyone to get involved in singing. I guess that I took them for granted as just being a part of their original settings for the prayers.
 
However, she reminded me that Sol Zim is a great nigun (wordless melody) writer, in and of itself. She extracts these wordless melodies from his liturgical pieces to use on their own when she needs a nigun to introduce a mood. How lovely that she uses them for other purposes! Personally, I find it hard not to venture forward and start singing the prayer they were written for! Oy! It’s something automatic for me!
 
I remember how excited Sol was when he wrote this Mi Chamocha with it’s nigun that weaves through it. He introduced the melody at an evening service for students and faculty at a school retreat and threaded the lai lai lai part of this Mi Chamocha throughout the rest of the service. It was really effective for setting a mood for the evening prayers.
 
I have selected a beautiful recording of it by Cantor Ari Litvak who was born in Buenos Aires and is now the Cantor at Comunidad Bet El of Mexico. He is a fine musician and arranger and is gifted with a lovely voice.
 
It is a classy video with excerpts from the unforgettable 1956 Paramount production of Cecil B. DeMille’s, The Ten Commandments, starring Charlton Heston amongst a galaxy of stars. The video also features clips from the 1998 animated musical drama film, The Prince of Egypt, produced by Dreamworks Animation and directed by Brenda Chapman.
You might recognize this melody, as I have sung it quite a few times in our sanctuary. Our new accompanist, Nic Steltzer, learned it a few months back and does an amazing job with it on our baby grand piano, giving it the light, lilting quality that it deserves.
 
Mi Chamocha appears in our Friday Evening Service on page 158 in the Mishkan T’filah prayerbook.

Thank you so much for spending this time with me as we take our Monday musical journeys together. This time we landed in Mexico to hear a setting written in Queens, NY.
Cantor Arlene Frank
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