Nusach - Traditional Music Used For Reciting Jewish Prayers

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Cantorial Music Page
A Guide to Nusach HaTefillah (נוּסח התּפילה)

Friday Night (Kaballat Shabbat)	Saturday Night - Havdalah	Passover Seder (The Haggadah)
		Maariv L'Shalosh R'galim
Saturday AM - Birkhot HaShakhar		Musaf L'Shalosh R'galim
Saturday AM - El Adon	Purim - Reading of the Megillah	Selichot
Saturday AM - Musaf		Rosh HaShanah - Shacharit
		Rosh HaShanah - Torah Reading
		Rosh HaShanah - Musaf
		Yom Kippur
To read article entitled "History of Chazznut and Congregational Singing," click here. (opens in new window)	Recitatives / Cantorial Solos - For Use Mainly at Cantorial Concerts	For links below to other sites pertaining to Chazanut, click here (or scroll down).

From the excellent Dutch website Chazzanut.com, we have taken the following definition:

What is Nusach?

An important part of the cantorial repertoire consists of Nusach: the basic collection of traditional, melodic motives used to recite Jewish prayers. The specific pattern to be used for a prayer depends both on the holiday on which it is to be sung, and on the type of service (e.g. morning or evening service). In this way Nusach sets the mood for the entire service.

Each Jewish community traditionally had it's own local variation of Nusach. Today, in a globalizing world, much of that variety is getting lost. Within the Ashkenazi (i.e. occidental) branch of Judaism, there can be distinguished two main types of Nusach: the Western European and the Eastern European tradition. <end of quote from Chazzanut.com>

Whereas, the aforecited webpage concentrates on Nusach of the Western European tradition, here we shall concentrate on the Eastern European tradition. (In truth, other pages on the Chazzanut.com website DO contain a wealth of Eastern European Nusach, but not the page that we cited above.)

I got the idea for this web page from the following two links, which both have some good material, but which also have much wrongful information. These are Kehilat Hadar and The Virtual Cantor

Kehilat Hadar: When you click on the above link, scroll down to the bottom of that web page.

The Virtual Cantor: To read my tentative evaluation of this website, click here.

Following the patterns on the above two websites, I have presented hereinbelow some Nusach in the authentic Eastern European tradition.

קבּלת שבּת - Friday Night:

Virtual Cantor Website	Chelsea Shul Website
L'khu N'Ra-n'nah	L'chu N'Ra-n'no

לכה דוֹדי - Lecha Dodi through מזמוֹר שׁיר ליוֹם השׁבּת - Mizmor Shir L'Yom HaShabbat
Here is a Nusach for the Lecha Dodi that I learned many years ago in our local synagogue (Cong. Beth Abraham) in Auburn, Maine. There we had a Rabbi from 1945 to 1965 who was a superb chazzan, and meticulous baal nusach and baal dikduk (and baal koreh). His Nusach is in the real Eastern European tradition. His name is Rabbi Norman Zdanowitz. He is a musmach of Reb Moshe Feinstein זצ"ל of Mesivtha Tifereth Jerusalem (MTJ). His late father, from whom he'd learned his Nusach, had been a Rebbe (teacher) in the MTJ yeshiva. Both Rabbi Zdanowitz and his late father were born in Lomza, Poland. He came to the USA at the age of 8. Now Rabbi Zdanowitz lives in Canarsie, Brooklyn, and suffers from Parkinson's disease. Please have him in mind for a refuah shleymah, if you chant his classic Lecha Dodi nusach. In this Nusach, only the Lecha Dodi refrain itself is sung congregationally (i.e., with rhythm). The intervening stanzas are chanted cantorially. This is in the classic (arrhythmic) tradition. To hear it, click on the following two links: Lecha Dodi_Part1 and Lecha Dodi_Part2.
If you prefer a Nusach that involves active Congregational participation, with no cantorial chanting, then I recommend the following two Lecha Dodi tracks on the Virtual Cantor website: Lecha Dodi v1.mp3 and Lecha Dodi v2.mp3. These melodies are beautiful, and are highly suitable for "singing along" -- which is so much in vogue nowadays. If you use this Nusach, I nevertheless still recommend that you chant (without rhythm) the very last Lecha Dodi refrain (the one after Bo-i V'Shalom), using for it the melody of Mizmor Shir L'Yom Ha-Shabbat. This creates an artistic transition from the rhythmic Lecha Dodi melody (where everybody sings along), back to the regular (arrhythmic) Friday night cantorial Nusach. To hear this traditional classic Nusach for the concluding Lecha Dodi, click on: Ashkenazit Pronunciation or Sephardit Pronunciation
Note: On the Friday night immediately preceding Tisha B'Av, the entire Lecha Dodi (all stanzas and the Lecha Dodi refrain) are sung in the melody of Eli Tsiyon, which is the last (concluding) kinah recited on Tisha B'Av morning. See the Avodah mailing list for a halachic discussion of this custom.

The classic Nusach Ashkenaz minhag is not to chant the tzadik katamar ending at all. Rather, the cantor begins from miqolot mayim rabim (מקוֹלוֹת מים רבּים), as sung at the end of aforecited Lecha Dodi_Traditional_Part2

Virtual Cantor Website	Chelsea Shul Website
Uf'ros Aleinu	Uf'ros Oleynu
VaY'chulu	VaY'chulu
Baruch Ata - Magen Avot thru M'Kadesh HaShabat	Baruch Ata (Birkat Mei-ein Sheva)

Friday Night, Continued ....

Kiddush for Friday night
Virtual Cantor Website	Chelsea Shul Website
Kiddush - Note: This traditional kiddush is recited with nice nusach. (But it's the first time I've ever heard the term "Savri Chaveirai.")	Kiddush - Cantorial (מיט חזנוּת)

שחרית לשבּת וליום־טוב - Saturday and Festival Mornings:

בּרכות השחר - The Morning Berachot

The Nusach for the Berachot recited at the very beginning of the prayer-services is the same for the Shabbat and for the Shalosh Regalim. This Nusach is totally different from that used on weekday mornings. It is, in fact, closer in motive to the Nusach used for the Berachot chanted at the beginning of the High Holiday services.

Click on either of the following links to hear this Nusach:

Ashkenazit Pronunciation - Mixed Motives

Ashkenazit Pronunciation - Single Motive

שחרית לשבּת וליום־טוב - Saturday and Festival Mornings, continued:

El Adon

This extraordinarily beautiful melody was also learned from Rabbi Zdanowitz, mentioned above. Again, please have him in mind for a refuah shleymah, if you chant this composition. To hear it, click here.

Note that the last stanza (Shevach Nos'nim Lo) presented at the aforesaid link is not from Rabbi Zdanowitz. Rather it is from Yeshiva University's Cantorial Training Institute (now the Belz School of Jewish Music). It may be from Cantor Macy Nulman's book "Sabbath Chants." I don't remember.

Unlike the preceding El Adon -- which is more Cantorial (arrhythmic), the following El Adon lends itself to Congregational Singing. To hear it directly from the Virtual Cantor Website, click here.

מוסף לשבּת - Musaf L'Shabbos

Virtual Cantor Website

Chelsea Shul Website

Y'kum Purkan - Mishebeirach L'Os'kei Tsor'chei Tsibur

Mishebeirach L'Os'kei Tsor'chei Tsibur -- based on Nusach used by our former Rabbi Meyer Leifer, and includes a special closing of the Mishebeirach for use on Shabbat-Mevar'chim.

Click here to hear Cantor Moshe Bazian recite the Rosh Chodesh Bentching

.(בּרכּת החוֹדש)

Cantor Bazian is one of the world's greatest cantors. Click here for his biography, and to hear his other recordings.

מוצאי שבּת קודש - Saturday Night:

Virtual Cantor Website	Chelsea Shul Website
הבדלה - Havdalah	הבדלה - Havdalah This extraordinarily beautiful melody was also learned from Rabbi Zdanowitz (above). The vocal rendition is accompanied with a musical keyboard. Technical: This Havdalah is recorded in the key of G-minor. At the conclusion, it modulates into G-major.

פּוּרים - Purim

To read the rules and customs applicable to the reading of the Megillah, click here.

Virtual Cantor Website	Chelsea Shul Website

In this column we present links directly to music on the Virtual Cantor Website. The Megilla reading on that site is masterful. Both the grammar (dikduk) and the authentic Sephardit pronunciation are flawless. The Megillah reader on that site meticulously differentiates between the alef and the ayin, and between the khaf and the khes. And every mapik hey is properly aspirated! As far as melody is concerned, you may prefer the Blessings Before the Megilla Reading that appear in the right-hand column (from the Chelsea Shul website).	For those prefer the Eastern European tradition, using the Ashkenazit pronunciation, we present the links below. These are to MP3 files right here on this Chelsea Shul Website. You might also find the melodies in this column a bit more harmonious than those from the Virtual Cantor website. Certainly, the melodies for the cantillations (trope) used in the Megilla reading are slightly different here. Yet, from the Virtual Cantor website, I learned a better way of chanting the munach + zakef-katan trope (but I didn't implement it until about Chapter 5 or 6 below). Also, you may not find the Ashkenazic pronunciation here quite as authentic as the Sephardic pronunciation on the Virtual Cantor website.
Blessings Before the Megilla Reading	Blessings Before the Megilla Reading
Esther Chapter 1	Esther Chapter 1
Esther Chapter 2	Esther Chapter 2
Esther Chapter 3	Esther Chapter 3
Esther Chapter 4	Esther Chapter 4
Esther Chapter 5	Esther Chapter 5
Esther Chapter 6	Esther Chapter 6
Esther Chapter 7	Esther Chapter 7
Esther Chapter 8	Esther Chapter 8
Esther Chapters 9-10	Esther Chapters 9-10
Blessings After the Megilla Reading	(Use the link at the left. The melody and pronunciation there are both perfect.)
Song - Shoshanat Ya'akov	Song - Shoshanat Ya'akov
Song - Chag Purim	(Use the link at the left. The melody is perfect. But avoid aping the English R's that you'll hear there!)

שלש רגלים - Shalosh Regalim -
Passover, Shavuot, and Sukkot

Passover - The Seder (Recital of the Haggadah)

Kiddush for a Seder occurring on a weekday night
Virtual Cantor Website	Chelsea Shul Website
Kiddush - Note: This kiddush is good nusach, with the following caveats: 1) Stringently avoid using the Virtual Cantor Website's English "R," and 2) Be careful to pronounce Va-TI-Ten* Lanu* with a segol, and not a tseyre.	Kiddush- Simple, Traditional Kiddush - Cantorial

The Passover Seder -- continued .....
	Passover Songs on the Aish.com Website In addition to music from the Virtual Cantor website and from our own Chelsea Shul website, we have below provided links to Passover songs on the Aish.com Website. On the Aish site, you will find beautiful renditions of classic melodies that you probably already know. These are presented by Rebbe Michoel of Jerusalem in a manner that is at once authentic, professional, and beautiful. Reb Michoel's "heimishe" Ashkenazit pronunciation is flawless, and his guitar accompaniment is superb. He uses the most original chords and sophisticated picking techniques. If you seek authentic Eastern European Tradition presented in a masterful manner, you'll be more than satisfied
Virtual Cantor Website	Chelsea Shul Website	Aish.com Website
Ha Lachma Anya	Ho Lachmo Anyo
Mah Nishtanah (The Four Questions)	Ma Nishtano (Click here for text of the classic Yiddish version of Ma Nishtano)	Ma Nishtano
Avadim Hayinu	Avodim Hoyinu	Avadim Hayinu This rendition uses the Sephardit pronunciation, again with great guitar accompaniment.
Maase B'Rebbe Eliezer - Amar Rebbe Elazar through the 4 sons: (Chacham, Rasha, Tam, V'she'eino Yodeya Lish-ol)	Mayse B'Rebbe Eliezer-Omar R Elozor Boruch HaMokom Chochom Mo Hu Omer - thru the She-eino Yodeya Lish-ol
Yachol mei-rosh chodesh - Mit'chilah ov'dei avodah-zarah - Baruch shomeir havtachato l'yisrael through v'acharei chein yeitz'u bir'chush gadol. Warning: This MP3 is full of errors in the recitation of the Hebrew text!	Yachol mei-rosh chodesh - Mit'chilah ov'dei avodah-zarah - Baruch shomeir havtachato l'yisrael through v'acharei chein yeitz'u bir'chush gadol.
V'hi She-Am'dah	We recommend this ========>	V'hi She-Om'do This is the classic melody with fine harmony.
Tsei U-L'mad - all the way through the Ten Plagues ending with D'tsach Adash B'achav. Note: Nothing is skipped, but again - this MP3 is full of errors in the reading of the Hebrew text!	Tsei U-L'mad & then skips to Dovor Acheir (right before the 10 plagues) The Ten Plagues (Esser Makot) - ending with D'tsach Adash B'achav.	Click on above image for details
Chasal Sidur Pesach - L'Shanah Haba-ah Biy'rushalayim (combined)	Chasal Sidur Pesach - L'Shono Habo-o Biy'rushalayim (combined) <==The Virtual Cantor & Aish.com both use the same melody for Chasal Sidur Pesach.==>	Chasal Sidur Pesach (Voice, harmony & instrument) L'Shono Habo-o Biy'rusholayim
Chad Gadya	Chad Gadya	Chad Gadyo In this rendition, Rebbe Michoel mimics the sounds of the various animals that are mentioned in the Chad Gadyo. (You can hear the children laughing in the background!) This rendition is a cappella (without instrumental accompaniment).

ערבית לשלש רגלים - Maariv (Arvit) L'Shalosh Regalim
Virtual Cantor Website	Chelsea Shul Website
Bar'chu	Bor'chu
U'ma'avir Yom through HaMa'ariv Aravim	U'ma'avir Yom through HaMa'ariv Arovim
Half-kaddish before Shemone-Essrey of Maariv (NOT same as the Half-kaddish before Musaf Shemone-Essrey)	Half-kaddish before Shemone-Essrey of Maariv (SAME as the Half-kaddish before Shemone-Essrey of Musaf)

Musaf L'Shalosh Regalim
Virtual Cantor Website	Chelsea Shul Website
	Half-kaddish before Shemone-Essrey of Musaf
Birkat Kohanim - בּרכּת כּהנים
V'Te-erav	V'Se-erav - Version 1 V'Se-erav - Version 2 Both of the above are identical -- up to the words "V'sechezeno Eineinu." Then they divurge.

Musaf L'Shalosh Regalim - Geshem and Tal
Virtual Cantor Website	Chelsea Shul Website
Half-kaddish	Half-kaddish - Version 1 (simpler) Half-kaddish - Version 2 (preferable)

Avot -Tal - Beginning through Magen Avraham Avot -Tal - Ata Gibor up to Elokeinu Veilokei Avoteinu	Ovos - Tal - Beginning up to Elokeinu Veilokei Avoseinu
For all Geshem/Tal links on Virtual Cantor site, click here.

ימים נוֹראים - Yamim Nora'im (High Holydays)
Back to Top

Selichos - סליחוֹת
Virtual Cantor Website	Chelsea Shul Website	Page in Birnbaum High Holyday Machsor
	Oseh ts'dokos - Instrumental Oseh ts'dokos - Vocal	527, 957
	Havi'enu el har hodshecho (Zdanowitz)	543
	Sh'ma koleinu (CTI)	545

	Shacharis L'Rosh HaShanah - שחרית לראש השנה
Virtual Cantor Website	Chelsea Shul Website	Page in Birnbaum High Holyday Machsor

K'riyas HaTorah L'Rosh HaShanah

קריאת התּוֹרה לראש השנה (לייענען)

Virtual Cantor Website

Chelsea Shul Website

Page in
Birnbaum
High Holyday
Machsor

Sh'losh essrey midos (Hashem Hashem....)
CTI Version 1 CTI Version 2 Zdanowitz Version

277

Gabbai Calling Cohen: V'Ya'azor V'Yogein

Gabbai Calling Cohen: V'Ya'azor V'Yogein (Zdanowitz)

283

Gabbai Reciting Mi Shebeirach L'Oleh

Gabbai Reciting Mi Shebeirach L'Oleh (Zdanowitz)

285

Blessings over the Torah
Prior After

Day 1 - Aliya 1 - Including the Blessings (Zdanowitz)

287

Day 1 - Aliya 2 - Including the Blessings (Zdanowitz)

287

Kaddish After the Torah Reading

Kaddish After the Torah Reading (CTI)

291

Musaf L'Rosh HaShanah - מוסף לראש השנה
Virtual Cantor Website	Chelsea Shul Website Much of the Nusach below is from Yeshiva University's former Cantorial Training Institute ("CTI" - now the Belz School), compiled by Cantor Macy Nulman around 1960. I have lost my personal copies of the original music sheets. Consequently, I had to record these MP3s from memory.	Page in Birnbaum High Holyday Machsor
Avot	Ovos (CTI)	359
	U-V'chein Yiskadeish Shim'cho (right after Kedushah) This short composition provides an excellent example of the various modes used in the High Holiday Musaf service. (CTI)	365
	Od Yizkor Lonu - version 1 Od Yizkor Lonu - version 2 (more elaborate, from CTI)	365
	Heyey im Pifiyos - Voice and Instrument with transliteration of the words together with the accompanying chords (Zdanowitz)	379
	Ato Zocheir - Part 1 -- Ato Zocheir - Part 2 (These are large MP3 files, and may download slowly) This Ato Zocheir, from CTI, is true zogekhts. It is professional, quick paced, masterful, and has practically NO repeated words.	385

	K'vakoras (from the Unesaneh Tokef) -- source: Zdanowitz

Musaf L'Yom Kippur - מוסף ליום כיפור
Virtual Cantor Website	Chelsea Shul Website
Avot (same as for Rosh HaShanah)	Ovos (same as for Rosh HaShanah)

	V'HaKohanim -- as sung by Rabbi Norman Zdanowitz

רעטשטאַטיוון - Recitatives / Cantorial Solos
(For Use Mainly at Cantorial Concerts, Not During Prayer Services)

Cantor Moshe Bazian chanting Ov HoRachamim Hu Yeracheim Am Amusim at a concert in 1983: Audio only.

Links Pertaining to Cantorial Music (חזנוּת)

This Wikipedia article might be the ultimate online essay pertaining to Cantorial Art and the Cantorial Profession.

The text below has been paraphrased from the website Biography of Abraham Baer :

Abraham Baer served as cantor at the Göteborg, Sweden synagogue from 1858 until his death in 1894. Abraham Baer's fame spread far and wide, and he became an internationally renowned figure.

The foremost reason for his fame is his world-renowned book entitled “Baal T’filla – Der Practische Vorbeter.” This mammoth work attracted considerable attention throughout the Jewish and even the Christian world. It has been used for more than a century in the training of cantors around the world, and has seen several reprints, including special editions in the USA.

The text below is from the Transcontinental Music website at URJ.org :

Abraham Baer (1834-1894) was a cantor and the earliest collector of liturgical melodies. Born in Filehne, Posen Province, Prussia, he left his birthplace at an early age to prepare for the cantorate. His first cantorial posts were in Pakosch and Schwetz, West Prussia. In 1857 he was invited to Göteborg, Sweden, by the Jewish community to serve as chief cantor and singing teacher, and remained there for thirty-seven years. It was in Sweden that Baer, using his secular and scientific knowledge of collecting and notating music, compiled a great number of musical variations for almost every liturgical text.

Some Jewish Cantors on 78 rpm records - includes beautiful color images of old cantorial record-album, many form the early 1900's. Click here.