New Song - "Sumerian Moon" Added To The Music Area Using Sounds From The Golden Lyre of UR
I have been working with Andy Lowing from the Lyre of Ur Project. This is a not-for-profit project that involves anyone with an interest and is non-political in its aims. The Lyre of Ur is a 4,550 lyre. Three original lyres of Ur were found in 1929, which are held today in the Museums of Pennsylvania, London and Baghdad as unplayable models. The Lyre of Ur project set out to reconstruct a playable version of the lyre. It took three years, but they completed the project. The project sent me digital recordings of the notes played on the lyre, which I constructed in to a GigaStudio Instrument. You can now hear the first song I created using the sounds of the Lyre of Ur, called "Sumerian Moon".
Ki Haym Chayenu featured on Chakras CD
One of the songs from the Chasing Stray Flames CD - Ki Haym Chayenu is featured on the "Chakras" CD which comes with the latest edition of Medicina Oriental magazine. This is a magazine about meditation and wellness, but since it comes from Brazil and is written in Portuguese, I can only guess what is says about me and it's other topics. The Chakras CD is described as "A trilha sonora ideal para acompanhar a pratica de massagens e outras terapias orientais".
Music added to oysongs
Chasing Stray Flames is now available from the oysongs website - a site for all Jewish oriented music. Check it out!
Happy Passover!
Happy Passover to all. The story of the Exodus from Egypt is a model for redemption, and foreshadows what will be. It is said that Elijah the Prophet will appear as a harbinger of the End of Days, to herald the coming of the Messiah. In Malachi 3:23-24, we read that Elijah will return at the time of the Messiah:
"23: Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the L-RD"
The song Eliyahu Hanavi, which originated around the 11th century, is traditionally sung at the Passover Seder as the door of the home is opened to welcome in Elijah, who takes a sip from the Cup of Elijah set on the Seder table. This song is also sung at the conclusion of the Sabbath, during the Havdalah service. You can hear Eliyahu HaNavi played on the 30-string lyre in honor of the season in the Free Music area of this site, or on Soundclick.
"23: Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the L-RD"
The song Eliyahu Hanavi, which originated around the 11th century, is traditionally sung at the Passover Seder as the door of the home is opened to welcome in Elijah, who takes a sip from the Cup of Elijah set on the Seder table. This song is also sung at the conclusion of the Sabbath, during the Havdalah service. You can hear Eliyahu HaNavi played on the 30-string lyre in honor of the season in the Free Music area of this site, or on Soundclick.
Chag Purim! Happy Purim!
I have posted a traditional song of Purim - Chag Purim, to the Free Music area and also on Soundclick. It's played on the 30-string lyre.
Purim, Festival of Lots, the only time when ribaldry and license were encouraged as examples of proper behavior, arrives on the 14th day of Adar. Adar is the month that precedes Nisan, when Jews celebrate the liberation from slavery in Egypt. The whole story of Purim is that of a miracle in which the hand of G-d was evident only through nature. It requires our investigative qualities to uncover it. King Achasverous's anger and the subsequent execution of his wife, Queen Vashti. The swift rise of Hamen to power. The unexplainable hatred of Hamen towards the Jews and the subsequent decrees to kill all Jews. Then the overturn of the decrees and the execution of Hamen. All of these events, and more, as written in the Megilla Esther, are all seemingly natural events. But that is the lesson of the Megilla Esther. Not all miracles are obvious suspensions of nature. Miracles can be embedded in nature. This is the lesson of Purim. It is for us to investigate into our own lives to see the miracles that have come into our lives.
Purim, Festival of Lots, the only time when ribaldry and license were encouraged as examples of proper behavior, arrives on the 14th day of Adar. Adar is the month that precedes Nisan, when Jews celebrate the liberation from slavery in Egypt. The whole story of Purim is that of a miracle in which the hand of G-d was evident only through nature. It requires our investigative qualities to uncover it. King Achasverous's anger and the subsequent execution of his wife, Queen Vashti. The swift rise of Hamen to power. The unexplainable hatred of Hamen towards the Jews and the subsequent decrees to kill all Jews. Then the overturn of the decrees and the execution of Hamen. All of these events, and more, as written in the Megilla Esther, are all seemingly natural events. But that is the lesson of the Megilla Esther. Not all miracles are obvious suspensions of nature. Miracles can be embedded in nature. This is the lesson of Purim. It is for us to investigate into our own lives to see the miracles that have come into our lives.
Niggun of Devequt
I just finished and posted a Niggun of Devequt to the Music area in the Free Music seciton and to the free download sites at Soundclick and Download.com.
This Hasidic niggun is at least 150 years old. It is sung by several Hasidic communities, but may have originated with the Blozhov Hasidim. Devequt means 'cleave to' or 'attachment' to the divine, during prayer, and throughout life. This melody is used by many Jewish communites, Hasidic, National Religious, and Conservative (among others) as the melody for various Sabbath piyyut/hymns. Achieving a state of devequt is a goal for a Jew during Jewish prayer or when performing the 613 mitzvot (the "commandments"). A person strives to obtain the level devekut meaning "cleaving" or "attachment", and to come very close to the Creator while praying and eventually during all stages of life. It is a spiritual state just short of "mystical union" - where an individual's identiy is completely lost in unity with the divine - hence the sense of "attachment" rather than union. I felt that this melody could be realized through the lyre. Humming along with the lyre assists in achieving the desired state of mind and soul.
This Hasidic niggun is at least 150 years old. It is sung by several Hasidic communities, but may have originated with the Blozhov Hasidim. Devequt means 'cleave to' or 'attachment' to the divine, during prayer, and throughout life. This melody is used by many Jewish communites, Hasidic, National Religious, and Conservative (among others) as the melody for various Sabbath piyyut/hymns. Achieving a state of devequt is a goal for a Jew during Jewish prayer or when performing the 613 mitzvot (the "commandments"). A person strives to obtain the level devekut meaning "cleaving" or "attachment", and to come very close to the Creator while praying and eventually during all stages of life. It is a spiritual state just short of "mystical union" - where an individual's identiy is completely lost in unity with the divine - hence the sense of "attachment" rather than union. I felt that this melody could be realized through the lyre. Humming along with the lyre assists in achieving the desired state of mind and soul.
Next CD In The Works
I've just completed a major upgrade of many of the Still Voice studio components, which started when my main audio workstation failed. I am testing out the new setup by recording some lyre niggun that will be on the Soundclick and Download.com sites soon. I've also worked out the framework for the next CD and will be head's down (or strings up) working on it in earnest.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy New Year 5767!
L'Shana Tova to everyone for the Jewish New Year of 5767. May you have a sweet, happy, healthy, and joyous New Year, and an easy fast.
“The time to go home is coming soon”
This is one of the messages I heard one night, along with the message to get a lyre and play, which led to the "Chasing Stray Flames" CD and the music I'm working on now, which I think of as "music to go home by". As I watch the events unfolding in Israel, I can only think that perhaps it is all coming to pass before our eyes. The story of these messages can be found in the "Writings" section.
Bon Journo!
I just returned from two weeks in Europe - mostly in Italy, a beautiful country. Saw some fine handmade Oud, Mandolins, guitars. I'm re-energized and continuing to work on the next lyre & piano CD.
