On Saturday morning I took the opportunity of introducing Anne to some Jewish music, with the Kol Nidrei starting us out. The Kol Nidrei is probably the most evil religious text ever written but it is sung in Aramaic so people can just enjoy the music without bothering about what it all means. And it is so powerful musically that it could have been written by the Devil himself.
But the big surprise was when I went on to some other pieces of music from the Central Synagogue in New York.
With no prior knowledge of her at all, I came across the singing of Cantor Julia Cadrain on the bimah. I was transfixed. She had probably the most powerful female voice I have ever heard. And yet it was completely sweet singing as well. And you can feel the love in her singing.
See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpAcLZs97dA
I was tearful and incoherent after hearing it all. It was so wonderful. Fortunately Anne was there to sympathize with me.
The song itself is just another mish mash from Leonard Cohen called "Who live by Fire". It probably means something but it is not clear what. But it sounds good. Like the Kol Nidre, it is best not to bother with what the words mean
Update: There is a good version of the Kol Nidrei from the Central Synagogue sung by Cantor Mo Glazman. See:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyMWiGvhndY
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