"This is a prodigious achievement, whose goal seems to be nothing less than documenting the full variety of the lost art of Eastern European chazzanut. Kalib catalogues and analyzes simpler versions suitable for amateurs or less experienced cantors, virtuoso cantorial renditions, and some choral pieces. I am awed by the daring scope of the project and the amount of knowledge and dedication that went into its realization."—Rabbi Dr. Daniel S. Katz, cantor and musicologist, Dusseldorf, Germany
Description
The Sabbath Eve Service, a three-book set, is to date the most comprehensive annotated anthology of authentic musical liturgy of the Eastern European synagogue Friday night Shabbat service. Part of a projected five-volume set, this series is dedicated to the preservation of the legacy of Eastern European synagogue music, a legacy that represents both the spiritual and artistic core of Jewish life and history. Passed down in the form of oral tradition, over time it inspired prodigious musical creativity resulting in a vast repertoire of cantorial and choral compositions. With The Sabbath Eve Service, Kalib is rescuing that segment of this cherished heritage, making it accessible for generations to come.
About the Author
Sholom Kalib is author of The Musical Tradition of the Eastern European Synagogue: Volumes I and II. He is professor emeritus of music theory and literature at Eastern Michigan University and has been a practicing cantor for over sixty years.
December 2017