Sacred Music of the Moroccan Jews

Various Artists (Artist)

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 25, 2000)
• Original Release Date: April 18, 2000
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Rounder Select
• ASIN: B00004S5E7
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #289,007 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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  Music > World Music > Africa > Morocco

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Yitgadal Ve-Yitqadash

2. Zakhur le-Tov Ya' Ir Neri

3. Uri Ayyumah Nirdama

4. Ya'ala, Ya'ala Bo'i le-Ganni

5. Akhzar Hehemar Li Mishkan Ehrivo

6. Barekhu et Adonay Ha-Mevorakh/Birkat Ma'ariv'aravim/Birkat Ahvah

7. Ahvat 'Olam

8. Ki Hem Hayyenu/Shema'yisrael/Birkat Ge'ulah

9. Rau Vanim et Gevurato

10. Ashkivenu

See all 24 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Ashir Be-Mesharim

2. Lekha Essa 'Eyanai Be-Khol 'Et Ve-'Ona

3. Shir le-Aelet Ahavim

4. Paniti Be-Rov Oni

5. Kokhav 'Uzzkha Hen 'Alah

6. Yonah Tammah Sorerekh Aggan

7. Sut Ga 'Avah Yah/Podeh Adonay Nefesh 'Avadav

8. Shokhen Shamayyim

9. Hohil la-El Be-Khol Yom

10. Melekh Meromam

See all 43 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

From Rhythm Magazine

Rounder has begun to release the field recordings made by the late author/composer Paul Bowles during his many decades in Morocco. The cover photo of a group of men singing to oud and tambourine accompaniment implies the presence of instrumental music, but what one hears on this 2-CD set is strictly vocal-liturgical music and adaptations of popular songs. A Moroccan synagogue service is quite unlike the better-known European Jewish rites and makes for a fascinating comparison as to how prayers are approached and intoned. Nevertheless, this is ritual worship, not music as such, and it's of lesser appeal than the songs, which are performed informally and reflect the influence of popular Egyptian and Algerian styles.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Sacred Music of Moroccan Jews from the Paul Bowles collectio, June 24, 2000

By A Customer

Sacred Music of Moroccan Jews from the Paul Bowles collection

An impressive recording which will be of interest to anyone who has a taste for or curiosity in the music of the Jews, and also of Arabs and/or North Africa. The all vocal pieces represent religious music including a Sabbath service as well as individual songs from more than one North African location. Words in Hebrew are sung to melodies whose characteristics can be traced to Arabic and North African traditions. Fluid, highly affective melodies are sung by the leading voices of cantors and answered by a chorus of those attending the service; shorter.

Highly spiritual and also extremely spirited, even forceful though always in a serious tone, this already then "antique" style of material was recorded by composer/writer Paul Bowles in the late 1950s just prior to a final exodus of Jews from Morocco in the following decade, and it makes come alive the history of crosstalk and acculturation which Jewish culture underwent in the varying shifts of the Andalusian in the early and Middle Ages when first Islam conquered Spain and then when Muslim forces were forced to withdraw in the face of Christian recapturing. The Jews absorbed much from their Moorish governors in the centuries of Arabic influence and then more in the Diaspora into North Africa following Queen Isabella's final expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1492.

Copious notes are not overly technical, but do reference multiple sources from Arabic and Andalusian forms drawn upon the in the creation of the original Jewish material, as well as recounting the context and immediate history of Bowles' project, including references to the two still-living cantors who were involved in and expert regarding the music recorded.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Authentic and Beautiful, January 25, 2004

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This CD presents the authentic synagogue music of Moroccan Jews as sung and performed by some of its finest exponents. Very few Jewish music recordings are as free of commercialism and at the same time as of such high musical quality as this. If you like it, I also strongly recomend the recordings (unfortunately most of them are on casette, not CD) of Rabbi Chaim Louk -- especially his three "Musika Andalusit" sessions. The latter represent a unique style of Jewish mystical music that goes back to the time of Maimonides or earlier in Spain. (Islamic Moroccans use basically the same style in their sacred music, too. This probably reflects the social harmony that existed between Jews and non-Jews through much of Morocco's history.)