Some music samples from last night

I've uploaded two images of music from last night's work. First, the hybrid Tal/Geshem:

( Images belong behind cuts )

And second, I found a melody for Psalm 117. I have always struggled when leading Hallel because I don't want Psalm 117's identity lost; it's so short and has the same verse lengths as the ultra-singable beginning of Psalm 118 that many people use one melody straight through. I was delighted to find this melody in Baer, listed as a Portuguese melody; I then found it in Nathanson, almost note-for-note the same, listed as a traditional Sephardic melody (and noted as transcribed by a different musicologist).

Interestingly, it starts off sounding a bit like Hatikvah, but of course that motif has been around since forever. In any case, it's a lovely bit of through-composed music for the shortest chapter in the bible, and it solves my dilemma quite nicely, so into my siddur it goes:

( Another image )

Some music samples from last night

I've uploaded two images of music from last night's work. First, the hybrid Tal/Geshem:

( Images belong behind cuts )

And second, I found a melody for Psalm 117. I have always struggled when leading Hallel because I don't want Psalm 117's identity lost; it's so short and has the same verse lengths as the ultra-singable beginning of Psalm 118 that many people use one melody straight through. I was delighted to find this melody in Baer, listed as a Portuguese melody; I then found it in Nathanson, almost note-for-note the same, listed as a traditional Sephardic melody (and noted as transcribed by a different musicologist).

Interestingly, it starts off sounding a bit like Hatikvah, but of course that motif has been around since forever. In any case, it's a lovely bit of through-composed music for the shortest chapter in the bible, and it solves my dilemma quite nicely, so into my siddur it goes:

( Another image )

That Facebook meme

[Adapted from a comment on hahathor's journal.]

Today, many of my friends devoted their Facebook status updates to a call for health care reform. Unfortunately, I think the particular wording of the "meme" was counterproductive. What I find frustrating about it is that by positing an unachievable absolute it makes those who support health care reform look like idiots.

( Cut for length )

We can do better. We must do better. But we cannot achieve perfection, and this "meme" makes the best the enemy of the good. And that's why I dislike it.

That Facebook meme

[Adapted from a comment on hahathor's journal.]

Today, many of my friends devoted their Facebook status updates to a call for health care reform. Unfortunately, I think the particular wording of the "meme" was counterproductive. What I find frustrating about it is that by positing an unachievable absolute it makes those who support health care reform look like idiots.

( Cut for length )

We can do better. We must do better. But we cannot achieve perfection, and this "meme" makes the best the enemy of the good. And that's why I dislike it.