Why this tune?
This week’s tune is a preview of a new songwriting project I’m testing out, writing songs based on prompts drawn from the weekly Torah portion in the Jewish tradition. The idea of using prompts is a popular way to generate ideas for new songs, but I’m not sure if anyone has applied that practice to Torah yet.
I’ve been trying this out for several weeks, and came up with several prompts and a few song drafts of varying quality. This This is the first song I’ve completed, from the first portion in Leviticus “Vayikra.” The prompt comes from Leviticus 1:10, which describes how the priests are to offer a sacrifice by fire that creates “a pleasing odor.” That prompt led to a musical story about a woman burning old letters that remind her of a dark past she wants to put behind her. The song has nothing to do with priests, but does relate to sacrifices.
I’m happy to hear your thoughts on the song and the project.
Oren Levine, jazz pianist and songwriter 