THE SCORE

     Rather than set the original Greek of I Macabees, or a
Hebrew reconstruction or English translation, the composer has
selected the concluding two sentences of the Hebrew prayer added
on Chanukah to the daily prayers, which neatly describe the
events and meaning of Chanukah.  These two sentences are
comprised of eight phrases which the composer has distributed
amongst the eight vocal groups of a divided full chorus.

     In performance and in the full eight-page score, the piece
is built up section by section, starting with second altos, and
then adding second tenors, second basses, second sopranos, first
altos, first tenors, first basses, and, finally, first sopranos,
in such a way as to simulate the lighting of the eight menorah
candles on the eight nights of Chanukah.  The work is performed
as follows: first, the choral director (or other narrator)
recites the English translation of the added line; second, the
appropriate section sings a cappella the new line (this step is
eliminated the first time); third, someone, using a piano (or
else, pitch pipe), acts as "shamas" (the candle used to light the
other candles in a menorah), giving each section its first pitch,
starting with the new added line and proceeding, in backwards
order, to the first line (second altos); and fourth, all of the
lines presented thus far sing together, a cappella.

     The piece is also a graphic score, and the full eight-page
score may be displayed in the lobby during intermission or even
projected onto a screen, page by page, during performance.  Only
the last page is needed by the performers.  The full score is
also appropriate as a children's gift, and, following tradition,
the child can be given one page each night of the holiday.  Since
the score is in black-and-white, the child can color each page,
like a coloring book, as he or she sees fit.  As a collector's
item, each full score is produced in limited numbered runs,
signed by the composer.

     Each page is headed by a translation of the added line.  A
"shamas" candle is placed next to the appropriate musical line in
the score.  Each line is also illustrated in a meaningful way.

THE TEXT AND ILLUSTRATIONS

1. "Ooh-l'chah ah-see-tah shaym gah-dohl vih-kah-dohsh
bih-oh-lah-meh-cha... (For Yourself, You made a great and holy
Name in Your world...)" --- In the heavens above the Middle East,
G-d is represented by Hebrew letters scattered about in an
unknown fashion.  Only the priests knew G-d's name, and by
uttering it they could perform miracles.  The text praises G-d,
whose presence is affirmed by the events of 164 B.C.E..

2. "Ooh-lih-ah-mih-chah Yee-srah-ayl ah-see-tah tih-shooh-ah
gih-doh-lah ooh-fooh-rih-kahn kih- hah-yohm hah-zeh. (And for
Your people Israel You made a great victory and salvation as this
very day.)" --- As the Greeks flee the city of Jerusalem, the
Macabees lead the Jews in military victory over Greek warriors.
The Jews triumphed despite great odds against them, and the text
states that G-d, therefore, made the victory possible.

3. "Vih-ah-chahr kayn bah-ooh vah-neh-chah lee-d'veer
bay-teh-chah... (Thereafter came Your children to the Holy of
Holies of Your house...)" --- The Jews enter the city, flocking
in joy and peace past the Cardo, or central thoroughfare, and
towards the Temple.

4. "Ooh-fee-nooh eht hay-chah-leh-chah... (And cleansed Thy
Temple...)" --- The Greeks had defiled the Temple with heathen
graffiti and idols.  The Jews are depicted removing and
destroying the idols, washing off the graffiti, and cleansing the
Temple.

5. "Vih-tee-hah-rooh eht mee-k'dah-sheh-chah... (And purified Thy
Sanctuary...)" --- As crowds of Jews gather outside of the
Temple, the priests make burnt offerings and perform rites of
purification so that the Torah can be returned to its place in
the Sanctuary.

6. "Vih-hee-d'lee-kooh nay-roht bih-chah-tz'roht
kah-d'sheh-chah... (And kindled candles in Thy sacred
courtyards...)" --- As the city is enveloped in darkness, Jews
light candles to commemorate the bringing of G-d's light to the
darkened Temple and to their souls.

7. "Vih-kah-v'ooh shih-moh-naht yih-may Chah-nooh-kah ay-looh...
(And established these eight days of Chanukah...)" --- The first
eight letters of the Hebrew alphabet are also the numbers one
through eight, which can be used to count the eight days of
Chanukah, and are used to illustrate this phrase.

8. "Lih-hoh-doht ooh-lih-hah-layl lih-shee-m'chah hah-gah-dohl.
(For thanksgiving and for praise to Your great Name.)" --- The
text stresses that the purpose of Chanukah is to thank and praise
G-d.  On the side of the page are, from top to bottom, current
Chanukah symbols: a menorah, a shamas candle, a dreidel, gelt,
latkes, singers, gifts and tzedakah.

THE HOLIDAY

     In 164 B.C.E., after three years of war, an army of Jews,
led by Judas Macabee and his brothers, drove the Greeks from the
defiled Temple in Jerusalem.  The Jews purified and rededicated
the sanctuary, and established eight days of celebration,
starting on Kislev 25: the "Festival of Dedication", or, in
Hebrew, "Chanukah."  These relatively recent events are related
in I Macabees, a book of the Apocrypha, or "hidden" text, which,
for a few centuries, was banned by Jews as a blasphemous addition
to the revelations of the Prophets in the Holy Scriptures.  The
Prophet Daniel, in fact, prophesies the conflict (Dan. ll:34) but
belittles the celebration of the temporary victory as so much
flattery.  Ironically, this tale of triumph over Greece survives
only in a Greek translation of the lost original Hebrew text.

     There is no mention in the Greek of the traditional story of
the "miracle" of the day's supply of oil burning for eight days.
Then why did Judas and his people celebrate for eight days (by
lighting lights, offering sacrifices and playing music) instead
of the usual festival length of seven days?  One source claims
that Judas was simply following the example of King Hezekiah in
II Chronicles, who also celebrated for eight days after purifying
and rededicating the Temple after it had been defiled by his
father, Ahaz.

     Religious observance of Chanukah is a minor task: an
additional prayer is included in the daily prayers; menorah
candles are lit to mark the eight days; we chant the thirteenth
century poem, Ma'oz Tzur, which describes the plight of the
exiled Jew who has again lost the Temple to non-Jews; and, as in
all festivals, we give gifts to the poor (tzedakah) and to
friends and relatives.  Because the candle-lighting and tuneful
Ma'oz Tzur are performed in the home, because of the traditions
that accompany the holiday (latkes (potato pancakes), gelt
(chocolate money) and the dreidel (spinning top game, which
mentions the "miracle" of the oil)), and for many other reasons,
Chanukah is popular with children.  But Chanukah is not a "Jewish
Christmas," and the menorah in the window does not symbolize good
will towards all men; contrarily, we are celebrating the right of
Jews to practice Judaism and be steadfast against attempts at
conversion or absorption into a "Judeo-Christian tradition."  The
menorah lights proclaim to the outside world, "This is the house
of a Jew."