CANTOR GIDEON ZELERMYER & THE SHAAR HASHOMAYIM SYNAGOGUE CHOIR: The Music of Congregation Shaar Hashomayim Volume III: The High Holy Day Experience
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1 -	Introduction / Bar’chu
2 -	Uvtzeil K’nafecha
3 -	Tiku
4 -	Kiddush
5 -	Ein Kamocha
6 -	L’cha Adonai
7 -	Hin’ni
8 -	Chatzi Kaddish (Musaf)
9 -	Avot (Musaf)
10 -	Zochreinu L’chayim
11 -	M’chalkeil Chayim
12 -	Eil Dar Bamarom
13 -	Untaneh Tokef
14 -	B’rosh Hashanah
15 -	Utshuvah
16 -	Ein Kitzvah
17 -	K’dushah
18 -	V’ye’etayu
19 -	Aleinu
20 -	S’u Sh’arim
21 -	V’al Y’dei Avadecha
22 -	M’loch
23 -	V’al Y’dei Avadecha (Zacharti Lach)
24 -	Uvyom Simchatchem
25 -	Ki Vi Yirbu
26 -	Hayom T’amtzeinu
27 -	Kol Nidrei
28 -	Shehecheyanu
29 -	Ya’aleh
30 -	Adonai, Adonai
31 -	Ki Hinei Kachomer
32 -	Sh’ma Koleinu
33 -	Ki Anu Amecha
34 -	V’al Kulam/V’al Chata’im
35 -	Rachamana
36 -	Adon Olam
37 -	Eil Malei Rachamim I
38 -	Eil Malei Rachamim II
39 -	Uvchein Yitkadash
40 -	Marei Chohein
41 -	Chatzi Kaddish (N’ilah)
42 -	Avot (N’ilah)
43 -	Sh’ma Na
44 -	P’tach Lanu Sha’ar
45 -	Ezk’ra Elohim
46 -	Y’hi Ratzon (From Ezk’ra Elohim)
47 -	Racheim Na
48 -	Kaddish Shaleim

The History

Congregation Shaar Hashomayim, established in 1846 and the oldest and largest traditional Ashkenazic congregation in Canada, is one of the last vestiges of the European Choral Synagogue tradition. Music has always played a key role in the life and identity of the Congregation. Indeed, one of the major reasons for establishing Congregation Shaar Hashomayim was the yearning of its founding members – a group of English, German and Polish Jews – for an Ashkenazic service that included the melodies with which they were familiar. The Congregation established an all-male a cappella choir in 1887. Today, Congregation Shaar Hashomayim is one of only a few synagogues left in the world whose services are led every week by cantor and male-choir.

The Philosophy

At Congregation Shaar Hashomayim, music is seen as an extremely powerful force in the act of prayer. It is considered the cornerstone of the service, and not a luxury. e music dignifies and beautifies the prayers and imbues the liturgy with appropriate meaning and reverence. A special environment and ambience is created that is conducive to a refined and elegant prayer experience.
The goal is to deliver the words in order to convey their meaning, and in a manner aligned with their mood and character. To this end, the Shaar’s printed music even includes a translation of the text being sung. The goal is also to provide variety, to imbue the liturgy with a sense of freshness and make special effort to prevent the same text from being mechanically reproduced from week to week. Congregational participation is encouraged, but is not measured only in the conventional sense. It also includes intellectual, emotional and spiritual participation. There are moments during the services where the congregation is intensely engaged, yet is completely silent. This level of concentration on the part of the congregation is both palpable and visible.

A number of elements are intrinsic to the music of Congregation Shaar Hashomayim:

The Cantor

The foundation of the cantor’s singing is Nusach Hat’filah, the traditional prayer modes which are associated with a particular time of day and whether the service is being held on a weekday, Shabbat, Festival or High Holy Day. Special care is taken regarding correct pronunciation and consistent, proper accentuation of the Hebrew text. In addition, the delivery of the words, their volume and character, is dictated by their meaning.

The Choir

Much attention is paid to blend and balance, creating an especially elegant choral sound. In addition, all the vocal arrangements are crafted specifically for the male-voice group. The method of arrangement and broad harmonic palette, combined with the style of singing, produces a very distinctive sound. While the choir does sing compositions on its own, much of the time it provides a sophisticated a cappella harmonic accompaniment to the cantor’s vocal line.

The Repertoire

The repertoire of Congregation Shaar Hashomayim reflects its long and distinguished history. It includes traditional melodies sung the world over, classic pieces for cantor and choir, signature choral pieces, and compositions by former cantors and choir directors. The choice of music is strongly driven by a desire to bring beauty and dignity to the service.
This recording takes the listener through the many musical highlights of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur Services at Congregation Shaar Hashomayim, covering a broad range of music from the most traditional to the more contemporary.
At Shaar Hashomayim, much of the music is sophisticated in nature. Although the repertoire does include so-called “toe-tapping” congregational melodies, the challenge is the fact that much of the text does not call for these more simple tunes. The texts of the prayers on this recording are a case in point. At Shaar Hashomayim, experience has shown that melodies do not necessarily have to be simple for people to learn them, love them, and join in with them.
This recording captures the aura and majesty of the Shaar Hashomayim High Holy Day experience.

