I don't care what your plans are for the rest of the day. Include "Watch this video" in them. You'll just feel better as you go about doing whatever else is on your schedule. What we have here is a bat mitzvah service in temple for a young girl Zoe Cosgrove. As part of that service, the cantor Azi Schwartz sings Adon Olam, an important and sacred prayer in praise of God that's sung on the Sabbath and at many other services. A famous whimsy of the prayer is that the words are written in a meter that fits a great deal of other music and so it is occasionally sung to other tunes, including those of popular songs Let me reiterate what I noted above -- I love this video. And as good as it is, and as glorious a voice as Cantor Schwartz has, which gives this such warm, joy and texture, it's taken to another level by the surprise the young girl -- sorry, since this is her Bat Mitzvah, now young woman -- shows when she realizes what he's singing, and her utter joy through the whole prayer, with an ear-to-ear smiile throughout, and eventually singing along. Perhaps only topped by the two little girls who later start exuberantly dancing in the aisles. I wouldn't be surprised if you all might want to join them. I love this video, not just for the joy and fun of it, but for how touching and adorably moving it is, mixed all together, and sung so wonderfully.. Posting it now fits perfectly, as well, since -- as you can see by the title -- it's a piece of music from the stage musical Hamilton, which of course had its movie premiere last week. A big thanks to Adam Belanoff for sending this to me. And stick around after for a fun sort-of bonus I've included after. But first -- the bat mitzvah. And again, this is not a Hebrew translation of a song from Hamilton. This is the sacred Jewish prayer Adon Olam set to the music of a song from Hamilton.
If you look closely at the end as she leans over to Cantor Schwartz, the now young woman softly and joyfully mouths the words "Thank you so much." I can only imagine her joy. The bonus is that here below is the English translation of Adon Olam -- alongside the Hebrew transliteration. (And the Hebrew itself, for those who can read it and want to show off.) So, crank up the video once again, and this time with the music playing and cantor singing in the background and all joining in, you can sing along, as well, and see that this is no Hebrew version of "I'll Be Back," but how the words of Adon Olam actually really truly do fit perfectly. I didn't post this above, since it's best first to watch the thing itself, but this is a treat, on its own.
3 Comments
Donald Elisburg
7/13/2020 07:32:14 pm
Amazing performance. The video led me to this rock star Cantor's many other performance videos. So now I have another collection to watch in my covid 19 leisure time.
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Robert Elisberg
7/14/2020 08:26:33 pm
Don, yes, it's a pretty remarkable performance -- and the beaming girl makes it shine all the more.
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Robert Elisberg
7/15/2020 11:14:40 am
Correction -- Cantor Azi Schwartz has *13* albums -- not the three I mentioned above.
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AuthorRobert J. Elisberg is a political commentator, screenwriter, novelist, tech writer and also some other things that I just tend to keep forgetting. Feedspot Badge of Honor
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