There is nothing in the world without a melody.
- Rabbi Nachman of Breslav
Thought, Speech, Action
Alan Goldberg’s third release, “Chasing Stray Flames”, takes modern American Jewish Diaspora music in new directions. The challenge of creating instrumental music that communicates a deep spiritual connection led Alan naturally to the Jewish musical tradition of the niggun – the wordless tune. Instead of the traditional wordless singing of melodies, he employs the lyre, an instrument deeply rooted in the Jewish tradition and associated with holiness and spirituality from antiquity, as well as piano. “Bringing the sound of the lyre back into the consciousness of people in order to create spiritual movement is one of the driving forces behind my music,” Alan says from his Austin, Texas home. While the wellspring of the music is from a Jewish perspective, the sense of yearning in the music is accessible to ”seekers” of all faiths. The result is relaxing, meditative, and focused music which seems ancient yet contemporary at the same time.
A piano and keyboard player for many years, including a stint in Austin Pop-Rock band The Damage Project, Alan released his solo piano CD “Small Acts” in 2001 as music to prepare the mind and soul for the Sabbath. Music that helps to relax people and get them in touch with their spiritual side is important, especially in these tense times. "It’s not uncommon for my music to be used in ways that allow it to find it’s way into a person’s consciousness when their guard is down,“ Alan explains. “That’s the most effective time to do soul work.” So it’s not surprising that Alan’s music has been used by therapy, massage, and healing groups to help in relaxation and meditation exercises, made its way into soundtracks for student films, in radio advertisements, and onto Jewish-oriented radio stations. "A song from my first album "Fuel For the Fire" ended up as background music for some TV college basketball highlights." Alan muses. "Now that's a novel approach to spirituality."
"Ultimately it's about a connection to the divine", Alan says. "Many people define their day, and their lives, by the things that distract them from what really makes them happy. If a little bit of music can help to center someone, to remind them of what their true source of meaning is, and I can contribute to that, then I've done what I'm supposed to do."
Send Alan an email.
A piano and keyboard player for many years, including a stint in Austin Pop-Rock band The Damage Project, Alan released his solo piano CD “Small Acts” in 2001 as music to prepare the mind and soul for the Sabbath. Music that helps to relax people and get them in touch with their spiritual side is important, especially in these tense times. "It’s not uncommon for my music to be used in ways that allow it to find it’s way into a person’s consciousness when their guard is down,“ Alan explains. “That’s the most effective time to do soul work.” So it’s not surprising that Alan’s music has been used by therapy, massage, and healing groups to help in relaxation and meditation exercises, made its way into soundtracks for student films, in radio advertisements, and onto Jewish-oriented radio stations. "A song from my first album "Fuel For the Fire" ended up as background music for some TV college basketball highlights." Alan muses. "Now that's a novel approach to spirituality."
"Ultimately it's about a connection to the divine", Alan says. "Many people define their day, and their lives, by the things that distract them from what really makes them happy. If a little bit of music can help to center someone, to remind them of what their true source of meaning is, and I can contribute to that, then I've done what I'm supposed to do."
Send Alan an email.
The Modern Lyre
The story of lyre music in Jewish history is a continuing one. I hope to offer my humble contribution to this history. It is well known that King David played the lyre (kinnor David) as he composed his Psalms:
The lyre is a very intimate instrument, that lends itself very well to Psalmody. The lyre I play is a 30-string lyre from the Rose Lyre Workshop.
I had a harp too, and hung it on the willows
of a stream where I once sat;
and I wept much weeping and in the rivers of my tears
the harp I let go from my hand.
Oh harp of Yeshurun, sweetest of the songs of Israel,
this was the harp of Solomon and David;
in you David saw G-d, and Solomon in holiness
saw in you a dream of Shulamit.
And from then till now there's no king in Yeshurun,
no king - no harp and no music.
My lyre is the sound of weeping, my harp like a dove
sighs on the riverbeds of Babylon.
But there once were great spirits in Babylon
who knew the art of playing,
knew the harp's tongue, its murmur and weeping,
understood the song and listened;
who knew the heart of their people, what its speech said,
its thought in joy and trembling--
and they let loose the voices that came from the strings of the harp
--and there was the Legend!
And from then till now when I think sad thoughts
the Legend as a harp I raise up--
in it I weep the lowliness of my race, in it I sing consolations--
I play and I have relief.
Then I see my people's head is held so high, so strong,
the height of its strength and might is in heaven;
I understand, finally, that though this race is worms
it will yet cope with and bring down giants.
--Hayim Nahman Bialik - from "To the Legend"
Translated from the Hebrew by Atar Hadari
"Saul sent to Jesse, saying, "Let David stand before me, for he has found favor in my eyes. And it happened that whenever the spirit [of melancholy] from God was upon Saul, David would take the lyre and play [it] with his hand; and Saul would feel relieved, and it would be well with him, and the spirit of melancholy would depart from him."
(1 Samuel 16:22-23 Rubin Edition)
The lyre is a very intimate instrument, that lends itself very well to Psalmody. The lyre I play is a 30-string lyre from the Rose Lyre Workshop.
I had a harp too, and hung it on the willows
of a stream where I once sat;
and I wept much weeping and in the rivers of my tears
the harp I let go from my hand.
Oh harp of Yeshurun, sweetest of the songs of Israel,
this was the harp of Solomon and David;
in you David saw G-d, and Solomon in holiness
saw in you a dream of Shulamit.
And from then till now there's no king in Yeshurun,
no king - no harp and no music.
My lyre is the sound of weeping, my harp like a dove
sighs on the riverbeds of Babylon.
But there once were great spirits in Babylon
who knew the art of playing,
knew the harp's tongue, its murmur and weeping,
understood the song and listened;
who knew the heart of their people, what its speech said,
its thought in joy and trembling--
and they let loose the voices that came from the strings of the harp
--and there was the Legend!
And from then till now when I think sad thoughts
the Legend as a harp I raise up--
in it I weep the lowliness of my race, in it I sing consolations--
I play and I have relief.
Then I see my people's head is held so high, so strong,
the height of its strength and might is in heaven;
I understand, finally, that though this race is worms
it will yet cope with and bring down giants.
--Hayim Nahman Bialik - from "To the Legend"
Translated from the Hebrew by Atar Hadari
