The CD liner notes include an introductory letter by Norma Brooks, "Impressions of the Composer's Work" by Ramón Tasat, background and liturgical context for each song and Hebrew text with line-by-line English translation by Professor Everett Fox.

Hear the CD Your Bountiful Light (Mituv Nehorakh), which is expanding the boundaries of Jewish liturgical music in congregations across the county. This new music invites you to become part of prayer.

"The music has vitality and limpid simplicity and invites even the most unmusical bystander to sing along. That invitation was made clear in the excellent performances . . . and a standing-room audience clearly enjoyed joining in. …Her [Brooks'] melodies, sung without accompaniment, have a separate and vigorous life of their own."
-- Joseph McLellan,
    Music Critic, The Washington Post
    March 14, 2002


At Fabrangen in Washington, DC, Norma's music has been a staple in Sabbath and High Holiday services for the past 18 years. In these participatory services, the entire congregation sings all 14 prayers (even those recorded as solos on the CD) in unison-loudly and passionately. And now, as her music travels, these melodies are finding their own place in more and more congregations.

These 14 songs, composed as gifts to friends and family, are inspired by texts from the siddur (daily and Sabbath prayer book) and mahzor (High Holiday prayer book):

"In these original liturgical works, Norma Brooks has created a bridge that weaves the ancient words of Jewish liturgy with compelling melodies in a variety of musical styles. The result is both unique and unerringly right. Brooks' music, along with the stunning arrangements of cantors Ramón Tasat and Natasha J. Hirschhorn, helps us to see possibilities in Jewish liturgy that we didn't know were there."
-- Dr. Everett Fox,
    Professor of Judaic and Biblical Studies,
    Clark University