Intro

This album contains traditional Jewish prayers sung by Alan Friedman, who served as a cantor and rabbi in New York and prominent cities in Eastern Europe. He was known for his amazing singing voice, his passion for scripture, and his compassion towards others. He passed away in February 2015. This album was published in honor of his memory.

The album contains a collection of cantorial synagogue prayers sung in a capella. All songs are in Hebrew, except for the final one in Aramaic. The music is accompanied by a booklet with lyrics both in Hebrew and English.

Bio

American Jewish Cantor Alan Friedman grew up in New York City where he attended Yeshiva schools. He is a descendant of an esteemed family of cantors from Satumare, Hungary, now a town in western Romania in the area called Transylvania.

Alan's father, Abraham, moved to America before the deportations of Jews during the Holocaust. His parents followed after him. Abraham served as a cantor in New York City. Alan's grandfather was known for his wisdom, as he was often consulted for advice by the members of the Jewish community.

Alan was ordained as a rabbi and cantor in New York City, and he served in these capacities for several years. Later on in his life, Alan relocated to Israel and central- and eastern Europe, where he was known in Jewish communities for his excellent singing voice. He led synagogue services, served as a cantor on High Holidays and performed other services, such as weddings and funerals. He was a good-natured person and a respected cantor among the religious communities.

Alan learned the Ashkenazi melodies from his father, who taught him a special "drilling technique" to use for his voice in singing cantorial music.

Album Details

This album introduces to its listeners some of the well-known synagogue prayers including popular melodies for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Alan’s profound interpretation of the texts and unique voice evoke a deeply emotional response and result in an atmosphere of complete awe.

Below are the songs on this album.

Listen to a song here

Testimonials

"When Alan sings, it is as if heaven descends onto earth."
-Ilana, Israel

"I was deeply moved by the intensity and timbre of Alan’s voice. I have never heard anyone have such a deep connection with G-d."
-Nohav, cantor

"Alan was a skillful cantor who mastered singing Hebrew prayers in Ashkenazi style."
-Hillel, musician

"I took my car to a German mechanic. While he fixed the car, he asked me to check the CD player, so I put on ‘The Temple of Life.’ Surprisingly, he recognized one of the melodies from his childhood. I returned a couple months later, and he shared how that song inspired him to look into his family history, and as a result, he discovered his Jewish heritage."
-Yisrael, USA

"Alan was a dear friend and often sang to us when we were with him. One memory we cherish is once when Alan sang in our living room and a peace filled the room and touched us deeply. We truly appreciate that Alan’s songs have been compiled into a CD for all of us to enjoy."
-Cantor family

"I remember when Cantor Alan Friedman sang Hebrew melodies live a capella, and I felt how the heavens descended. My soul was refreshed. I feel the same listening to the CD afterwards."
-Maggie, speaker

Contact

Elements

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