Aaron Alter

Lo Lanu Ha-Shem is a setting of Psalm 115 for Women’s Chorus, Flute, Two Horns, Harp, Double-Bass and Tambourine. The Psalm text shows how unique the Jews were in the ancient world, with a faith in an invisible God. Ancient Israel’s enemies made fun of the Jews’ faith, and when they didn't see any image of a god anywhere to defend the Jews, the enemies asked “Where is their God now?” The Psalm shows how the idols that were worshipped by the enemies of ancient Israel were powerless, man-made objects, while the Jews’ God exists in the heavens and is all powerful.

The instrumentation of Lo Lanu Ha-Shem was inspired by the Brahms Four Songs for Women's Chorus, Two Horns and Harp, Op.17.  Because of the similarity in instrumentation to the Brahms Four Songs, Lo Lanu Ha-Shem would be a great addition to a program that includes the Brahms work.  Lo Lanu Ha-Shem has more in common with Brahms than the instrumentation, though.  While Brahms' influence may be heard throughout Lo Lanu Ha-Shem in an understated way, in the middle of the work  there is a slow section where Aaron lets his "Inner Brahms" fully express itself.

Just as J.S. Bach fused a Lutheran chorale melody into a secular-styled concerto form in many of his Chorale cantatas, Lo Lanu Ha-Shem inserts a chorale-styled melody into a Middle-Eastern popular-styled song form. As in Bach's Chorale cantatas, the chorale-styled melody is used in different ways in Lo Lanu Ha-Shem. Most of the text of Lo Lanu Ha-Shem is in a modern English translation, but to capture a little of the spirit of the original Psalm, the first line is sung in Hebrew and is used as a refrain.

Lo Lanu Ha-Shem is published by Universal Edition. Please Click Here for more information on how to get scores and parts.

The text is reproduced from “Large-Type Tehillim" by Rabbi Hillel Danziger, Rabbi Nosson Scherman and Rabbi Sheah Brander; with permission of the copyright holders, ArtScroll / Mesorah Publications, Ltd.

Lo Lanu Ha-Shem has received three awards.  It received a Silver Medal at the March 2019 Global Music Awards, an Honorable Mention in the 2019-2020 American Prize in the Major Choral Works division and won 3rd Prize in the 2020-2021 American Prize in the Pops Composition division.  Aaron has written two other works that are based on Lo Lanu Ha-Shem. Please click on Variation on Lo Lanu Ha-Shem for solo Alto Flute and Variations on Lo Lanu Ha-Shem for 'Cello and Piano for information and to hear performances of those works.
Below is the video of the World Premiere performance of Lo Lanu Ha-Shem by The New Mexico Bach Society Chorale and Players and Santa Fe Women's Ensemble, Franz Vote, Conductor (pictured below.)