Books
Book review: The Shofar - its History and Use
All you want to know about shofars
October 27, 2016 12:09
All you want to know about shofars
October 27, 2016 12:09Jeremy Montagu
Rowman & Littlefield, hardback, £54.95
The shofar is the oldest musical instrument in continuous use, says Oxford musicologist and shofar-collector Jeremy Montagu in his fascinating study of the definitive ritual object of Rosh Hashanah.
Despite its antiquity, however, archaeologists have yet to find a specimen earlier than mid 17th-century Europe. A shofar doesn't simply arrive straight from the animal to synagogue. It has to be cleaned and prepared, the narrower blowing end may have to be flattened over heat and the surface smoothed.
Montagu provides a detailed account of the history and the different styles of shofar as well as practical tips on how to blow it and what to look for when buying one, especially if you want it to use rather than simply put on a mantlepiece.
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