Composed by: Max Janowski

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Voicing: SATB

Event/Holiday: Yom Kippur, fast day

Key word: penitential

Language: Hebrew

Difficulty: easy

Country: America, Germany

Solos: tenor

Instruments: organ or piano

Lyrics: liturgy

Publisher: Transcontinental

Year Composed/Published: 1967

Timing: 3:20

Tempo: slow

First Line: avinu malkenu chatanu lefanecha

description: Janowski’s affinity for the Eastern European styles of synagogue music is apparent in this setting of the penitential prayer, “Avinu Malkeynu” (“Our Father, Our King”). The soloist’s line, in the Aeolian mode, is replete with melismatic ornaments. In the traditional manner, the choir alternatively gives the cantor harmonic support or repeats the main melodic ideas. The keyboard part (piano or organ) is not technically demanding, but is of great interest in its exploration of various colorful modal harmonies.