Nusach (Jewish music)

Many of the passages in the prayer book, such as the Amidah and the Psalms, are chanted in a recitative rather than either read in normal speech or sung to a rhythmical tune.

Early studies in the history of Jewish Prayer Modes concluded that the musical scales used were based upon ancient Biblical cantillation,[1] but modern scholarship has questioned the validity of these findings.

[citation needed] The Ahavah Rabbah mode – sometimes referred to as Freygish (Phrygian dominant) – is named after the blessing that immediately precedes the Sh'ma in the morning service.

The Magein Avot (literally: Shield of our Fathers) mode takes its name from a paragraph in the Me'ein Sheva prayer, which directly follows the Amidah in the Friday evening service.

It is used in simple davening, or prayer chant, often by means of a single recitation tone, which the cantor uses to cover a large amount of liturgical text in a quickly-flowing style.

When chanting in the Magein Avot mode, it is common for the cantor to pivot into the relative major at certain liturgical points, often to highlight a particular line of text.

In addition to Shabbat evening, the Magein Avot mode is also prominent for the opening blessings of the weekday morning and afternoon services.

The Adonai malach (literally: God Reigns) mode consists of a major scale with a lowered (minor) seventh and tenth.

Adonai Malach mode is also used at various times during the High Holidays when a majestic quality is required, such as the Shofar service, and parts of the Amidah.

In High Holiday contexts, the seventh and tenth degrees are often raised, causing the mode to strongly resemble the classical major scale.

This maneuver helps to highlight the grandeur of the proclamation of God's name that occurs in the final blessing of the Shabbat morning service.