Volume 7, Number 3 - Cantors Assembly

THE EMERGING IMAGE OF THE CONSERVATIVE CANTOR
17
MAX WOHLBERG
As an adequate discussion of my subject requires a great deal
more time than is at my disposal, I will merely indicate the contours of
the theme and delineate its salient factors.
I will dwell briefly on four areas directly related to my subject.
These are: liturgy, music, congregation and cantor.
As a preface, I wish to point to two trends present throughout our
history. The first, more dominant one, is reverence for tradition. The
second is accommodation to the present.
An observant student of our liturgy cannot help but notice the
frequent recurrence of such words and phrases as: kakatuv, vekhein
katuv, vene-emar, shene-mar, ka-asher amarta and katuv batorah,
shanui banviim, umshulash baketuvim.
These phrases testify to our innate conservatism. While voicing
our prayers we seek affirmation in Scripture. We thus testify to our
link with the past and express our adherence to minhag-tradition,
This powerful trend is responsible for our loyalty to the matbeah
shel tefillah- the liturgical formula of our ancestors, to Biblical cantillation,
to the misinai tunes and to nusah hatefillah.
The conservative movement accepted the principle of religious
continuity and with it the liturgical accretions, some of which, admittedly,
added more bulk than quality to the lofty spirit of our liturgy.
However, it looked with a critical eye on texts which have lost potency
and current applicability.
As a result of such critical considerations, we are gradually beginning
to listen to the words we are about to chant. Perhaps that idea
was implied in the verse (Numbers 7:89): “Uuevo Moshe el haohel
ledaber ito, uayishma et hakol midaber eilav. ” We are to “listen” and
carefully consider the words we are about to utter. We ought not force
the text into a procrustean world of a preconceived melody but rather
permit the text to dictate and to inspire its appropriate musical
setting.