The connection between music and cantorial art is unbreakable. Cantorial music serves as a powerful tool for spiritual bonding, cultural identity, and artistic expression within the Jewish tradition. Over centuries, Jewish prayer services have developed a rich tapestry of melodies, chants, and singing techniques. This connection reveals how music can resonate deeply with the human mind and soul, illustrating the intricate relationship between artistry and neuroscience.

Recently, I listened to two fascinating CBC radio programs that explored music’s influence on our lives. One program focused on Frank Zappa’s groundbreaking compositions, while the other showcased Yo-Yo Ma’s moving performances. This exploration deepened my appreciation for music’s profound impact on our emotions, spirituality, and connection to cultural and religious traditions. It is evident that music is a universal language that connects with our humanity in profound and meaningful ways, from the melodic chants of the Torah to the powerful impact of Jewish music explored in Joey Weisenberg’s “The Torah of Music.”

Zappa’s Challenge

Frank Zappa effectively challenged the idea of strict musical rules. His talent for capturing the sounds of the 20th century in meaningful musical pieces resonated with the core of our existence. Even though I still need to become more familiar with his work, Zappa’s compositions unveiled a deep connection to the fabric of life. He once said, “If you believe there are rules to writing music that can’t be broken… you’re going to be a boring composer.”

Ma’s Melodic Comfort

Meanwhile, Yo-Yo Ma’s live cello performances during the pandemic emphasized music’s comforting and guiding role in navigating life’s transitions. As Ma played, the physical vibrations of sound became a palpable force, deeply resonating within us.

The Torah’s Melodic Chants

Music is a powerful art form that captures the essence of life through sound, emotion, nuance, and meaning. This significance is reflected in the Torah, where each word is accompanied by a specific musical score. When the Torah is chanted during congregational readings, the prescribed notation enhances the text’s meaning in a way that neither melody nor text alone can achieve. This underscores the inseparability of the Oral Torah and the written Torah, emphasizing the need to study and understand them together to gain complete clarity of meaning.

In his book, “The Torah of Music,” Joey Weisenberg comprehensively explores music’s role in Jewish culture.

“I wrote this book as a chizuk or strengthening of the spirit for musicians, community leaders, and others who, like myself, would like to learn more about the story of music as a Jewish spiritual practice and play some part in its unfolding narrative… I’ve found that singing has transcended barriers in the Jewish world, and increasingly outside of the Jewish world as well. Across all lines, music speaks and resonates and connects and deepens our human experience.

Music is a wordless prayer that opens up our imagination of the divine source of all life. Music, the most immaterial and ephemeral and yet most eternal of all the art forms, represents our connection to the Divine, to each other, to everything. We can’t see music, and we can’t grasp it in our hands, but yet we can feel it working through us and in the world. As our musical dreams go to work, we might similarly be able to imagine encountering the Divine “The Holy Blessedness that is over and above all blessings and songs.”¹

Immersing in Cantorial Artistry

My participation in the 2020 European Cantors’ Convention offered a unique opportunity to immerse myself in the rich tapestry of Jewish musical traditions. Organized by the Jewish Music Institute (JMI) in London, this event showcased the exceptional artistry of cantors and celebrated their contributions to the Jewish musical landscape.

During one tutorial led by Cantor Daniel Mutlu from Central Synagogue in Manhattan, he began with the phrase “es amo search shalom” (His nation he will bless with peace). The session seamlessly transitioned into the familiar hymn “l’cha dodi,” a respectful welcome to the Sabbath Queen. The Sabbath Queen is the feminine manifestation of God, Shechinah, and is an integral part of the Friday night service.

In a concert commemorating International Holocaust Remembrance Day on January 26, 2020, Chazzan Asher Heinowitz from Yeshurun Synagogue in Jerusalem performed a Yiddish lullaby with great sensitivity and poignancy:

“Shlof-zhe mir shoyn, Yankele, mayn sheyner,
Sleep already, my Yankele, my pretty,
Di Eygelekh, di shvartsinke makh tsu,
the eyes, those darkish eyes. do close
A yingele vos hot shoyn ale tseyndelekh,
a little boy who already has all his teeth
Muz nokh di mame zingen ay-lyu-lyu?
the mother still has to sing ay-lyu-lyu
A yingele, vos hot shoyn ale tseyndelekh,
a little boy who already has all his teeth
Un vert mit mazl bald in kheyder geyn,
and with any luck will soon be going to heder-school
Un lernen vet er khumesh un gemoro,
and will be learning khumesh-bible and gemoro-talmud
Zol veynen ven di mame vigt im on?
Still cries when mother rocks his cradle
A yingele, vos lernen vet gemoro,
a little boy who will be soon learning  Humash and Gemoro – Bible and Talmud
Ot shteyt der tate, kvelt un hert zikh tsu,
as his father swells with pride listening to him recite
A yingele vos vakst a talmid khokhem
a little boy becoming a talmid khokhem-a clever student 
Lozt gantse nekht der mamen nisht tsuru?
Still does not leave his mother any peace all night.

Vel kosten noch fil Mame’s treeren
It will cost your mother still many a tear
Bis vonen felt a mensch arof fun dir
Before you will become a “mentsch” – an upstanding adult!”

Music is a powerful force that connects us to each other and the divine. It can unite cultural differences and lift our spirits. My experiences with Jewish musical traditions, particularly during the European Cantors’ Convention, have reminded me of this. Music brings together different aspects of our lives, providing comfort, inspiration, and a glimpse into the beauty of existence. Music speaks truths beyond language and logic through its melodies and harmonies, inviting us to listen deeply and embrace the symphony of life with open hearts and receptive souls.

Footnote:

1. Weisenberg, Joey. The Torah of Music: A Guide to Jewish Spiritual Practice Through Music. 2021.