| Chosen Voices: The Story of the American Cantorate Contributor(s): Slobin, Mark (Author) |
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ISBN: 0252070895 ISBN-13: 9780252070891 Publisher: University of Illinois Press OUR PRICE: $24.75 Product Type: Paperback - Other Formats Published: August 2002 Annotation: Chosen Voices is the definitive survey of an often overlooked aspect of American Jewish history and ethnomusicology and an insider's look at a profession that is also a vocation. Week after week, year after year, Jews turn to sacred singers for spiritual and emotional support. The job of the hazzan -- much more than the traditional "messenger to God" -- is deeply embedded in cultural, social, and religious symbolism, negotiated between the congregation and its chosen voices. Drawing on archival sources, interviews with cantors, and photographs, Slobin traces the development of the American cantorate from the nebulous beginnings of the hazzan as a recognizable figure through the heyday of the superstar sacred singer in the early twentieth century to a diverse portrait of today's cantorate, which now includes women as well as men. Slobin's focus on the current nature of the profession includes careful consideration of the sacred singer's part in creating and maintaining the worship service, the recent relationship between the rabbi and the hazzan within the synagogue, and the music that contemporary cantors sing. A thirty-five-minute cassette for use with Chosen Voices is available separately from the University of Illinois Press. This first paperback edition inclused a new preface by the author. |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - Music | Instruction & Study - Voice - Music | History & Criticism - General - Religion | Christian Rituals & Practice - General |
| Dewey: 782.36 |
| LCCN: 2002284122 |
| Series: Music in American Life (Paperback) |
| Physical Information: 0.78" H x 5.94" W x 9.1" (1.09 lbs) 368 pages |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: Week after week, year after year, Jews turn to sacred singers for spiritual and emotional support. At the same time, the job of the hazzan, or cantor, is deeply embedded in the cultural, social, and religious symbolism negotiated between a congregation and its sacred singers. Chosen Voices is a definitive look at a profession that is also a vocation. Drawing on archival sources, interviews with cantors, and photographs, Mark Slobin traces the development of the cantorate in the United States. Slobin delves into the nebulous beginnings of the hazzan as a recognizable figure and charts the cantor's changing role through the heyday of the superstar sacred singer in the early twentieth century to women's inclusion in the contemporary cantorate. Slobin's insightful analysis offers careful consideration of the sacred singer's part in creating and maintaining the worship service, a look at the relationship between the rabbi and the hazzan within the synagogue, and a discussion of the music sung by contemporary cantors. |