PROGRAM NOTE
Tzadik KaTamar for Cantor and Piano is a celebratory piece intended to be performed as part of synagogue services, as well as on other ceremonial occasions. Commissioned by Beth Emet—The Free Synagogue in Evanston, Illinois, to honor Rabbi Peter and Elaine Knobel in commemoration of the Rabbi’s 30 years of service to the congregation, the text initially proposed to me, the much beloved Tzadik KaTamar (“The righteous shall flourish like the palm-tree”) from Psalm 92, seemed especially fitting. I constructed my work in a manner allowing also for a “modular” approach, where not all parts are always included. A congregational refrain, Tov L‘hodot la’Adonai (“It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord”), invites the congregation to be a participant, and an optional 4-part choral setting of the refrain was later added as well.
There are, of course, numerous other renditions of Tzadik KaTamar—it is indeed a favored text in the Jewish liturgy, and mine does not aspire to replace any of these. With the exception of the refrain, I did not so much envision my offering as being sung in its entirety by a congregation, being a bit more complex, but I did include some vocal elaborations allowing for the display of a cantor’s vocal virtuosity. Cantor Arik Luck sang the first performance at Beth Emet in June 2010.
—Shulamit Ran
Note on performance options
Composed to be performed in its entirety as part of synagogue services, as well as other ceremonial occasions, Tzadik KaTamar was constructed in a manner allowing also for a “modular” approach, where only some parts may be performed.
Some possible versions are listed below, but various others are possible.
A short, simplified, version would 1) eliminate the optional cantorial elaboration at m. 20 in favor of the simpler version give, and 2) eliminate the piano elaboration of m. 26, 27, 28, connecting m. 25 directly with D (the upbeat to m. 29), concluding at m. 40.
An alternate longer version would follow the above path — with or without one or both of the elaborations — then continue into E (the congregational refrain), concluding at 48, just before F.
A still longer version would continue past the refrain, then connect m. 51 (eliminating the right hand scale that begins in the middle of 51) with the upbeat to 55, skipping G altogether and going directly to H, concluding at m. 76 (before I).
Depending on the circumstances, the cantorial elaborations as well as piano elaborations may be skipped. Also, the cantor may opt to add newly composed, or improvised, elaborations. The congregational refrain may be introduced at different/additional places, as desired. Finally, a different instrument, such a guitar, may replace the piano. In such a case the original piano music, especially the harmonic backbone, should be maintained as closely as practical.
The piano part as written has the left hand doubling the vocal music. Project only as much as necessary to lend support — do not overwhelm the voice part.
Shulamit Ran, May 2010
INFORMATION
Commissioned by Beth Emet congregation in honor of the retirement of Rabbi Peter Knobel
First performance:
June 11, 2010
Cantor Arik Luck
Beth Emet Synagogue,
Evanston, IL