R'nanah was founded in October of 1996 by a freshman at the University of Pennsylvania, Jesse Rodin. It was Penn's first Jewish singing group, which came as quite a shock to people who knew about Penn's large and vibrant Jewish community. The idea was so new that people didn't even know what to call the group. Shemless? Shir Madness? The Api Chorus? Most of these names didn't go over too well...
After months of fierce deliberation, the group chose R'nanah,
meaning "Joyful Song."
Now, while we are available for very occasional performances, we are best known for our CD, "Rhythms of Israel" which is ON SALE RIGHT HERE!
R'nanah is committed to exploring many genres of Jewish music. A large portion of our repertoire consists of varying types of a cappella choral music, ranging from works by Salamone Rossi, an early 17th century composer, to pieces by Yehezkel Braun and Tzvi Avni, two contemporary Israeli composers. We also perform pieces from the Sephardic tradition using a tof (Arab drum). Finally, we perform a cappella arrangements of Israeli folk and pop songs. Our repertoire currently consists of over 35 pieces from these varying genres.
List of our current repertoire by genre:
Choral Repertoire
Works by Yehezkel Braun
(1922-present):
| Shlosha Pirkei Halel:
Psalm 111 Psalm 112 Psalm 113  |
|
| Mizmor L'David | from "Nigunim" |
| Tzena Ur'ena | from Shir Hashirim; Cantici Canticorum Caput III |
Works by Salamone Rossi
(c.1570-c.1630):
| Bar'chu | for 3 voices |
| Haleluyah | for 4 voices |
| Elohim Hashivenu | for 4 voices |
| Kaddish | for 5 voices (performed by solo quintet) |
Lamnatseach Al Hagitit Mizmor L'David |
for 5 voices (performed by solo quintet) |
Works by Tzvi Avni:
| Mizmorei T'hilim
Kol Ha'amim Tik'u Kaf Y'feh Nof M'sos Kol Ha'aretz Haleluyah Halelu El B'kodsho |
.
Psalm 47 Psalm 48 Psalm 150 |
Songs of the Sabbath:
| L'cha Dodi | arr. Yehezkel Braun |
| Magen Avot | Cantor Charles Osborne |
| Shalom Aleichem | Traditional, arr. Gil Aldema |
Other Choral Pieces:
| Arba Midot Ha'adam | Andre Haydu |
| Go Down, Moses | Spiritual, arr. Robert Harris |
| Y'rushalayim Shel Zahav | Naomi Shemer, arr. Gil Aldema |
| Hafle Vafeleh | Y. Admon |
| Hal'lu/Hodu | Cantor Charles Osborne |
| Hilula |
Ethnix, arr. J. Rodin |
| Ozi V'zimrat Yah | Yemenite War Chant |
| Keren Or | Noa, arr. J. Rodin |
| Mi Zeh Y'Malel | arr. Josh Jacobson |
A Cappella / Miscellaneous
| Anim Z'mirot | arr. Edelman |
| Chad Gadya | |
| D'ror Yikra Medley | arr. J. Rodin |
| El Eretz Tzvi | arr. Pizmon |
| Geographical Fugue | Ernst Toch |
| Hora |
Israeli Folksong, arr. J. Rodin |
| The Irish Ballad | Tom Lehrer, arr. J. Rodin |
| King of Spain | Moxy Fruvous, arr. J. Rodin |
| Na'ar Hayiti | Kol Achai |
| Mitachat Lashamaim |
David Broza, arr. J. Rodin |
| Sinner Man | Spiritual, arr. The Weavers, adpt. J. Rodin |
| Tzena | Israeli Folksong, arr. J. Rodin |
| Yihiyeh Tov | David Broza, arr. J. Rodin |
Chanukah Songs
| Chanukah Madrigal | Herbert Fromm |
| Chanukah Variations | arr. Josh Jacobson |
| (Mi Zeh Y'malel) -
see "Sephardic Melodies" |
|
| Maoz Tsur | Traditional |
| Maoz Tsur | Benedetto Marcello |
|
| Photo: Henrietta Jones |
Rachel Steinberg - Soprano 1
Jesse Rodin - Co-President and Musical Director- Tenor/Bass
Uri Cohen - Co-President -Bass
Dan Carp - Tenor/Bass/Tof Player
Joel Siegel -Tenor
Henrietta Jones -Soprano 2
Deborah Sager -Alto
Daphna Davidson -Alto
Akiva Fox -BassPast Members and Alumni:
Rebecca Anhang, Reuven Bell, Michelle Glickman, Alex Joseph, Ami Joseph, Lou Kolman, Melanie Liebner, Emily Lieff, Adina Loeb, Amanda Moses, Hannah Sassaman, Lee'at Sharoni, Marc Simon, and Georgia Weisberg.
