Nigun

Jewish and Israeli music
Religious
Contemporary Piyyut Zemirot Nigun Pizmonim Baqashot
Secular
Klezmer Sephardic Mizrahi Mainstream and jazz Classical Jewish art music
Israel
Hatikvah Jerusalem of Gold We Are Both from the Same Village
Dance
Israeli folk dancing Ballet Horah Yemenite dancing
Music for holidays
Shabbat Hanukkah Blessings Oh Chanukah Dreidel song Al Hanisim Mi Y'malel Ner Li Passover (Haggadah) Ma Nishtana Dayenu Adir Hu Chad Gadya Echad Mi Yodea L'Shana Haba'ah Lag BaOmer Bar Yochai
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A nigun (Hebrew: ניגון, 'tune' or 'melody'; pl. nigunim) or niggun (pl. niggunim) is a form of Ashkenazi Jewish vocal music sung in group settings. Nigunim are melodic tunes, often using repetitive non-lexical vocables such as "bim-bim-bam", "lai-lai-lai", "yai-yai-yai", or "ai-ai-ai" rather than with formal lyrics. Sometimes, a nigun is expressed as a mystical musical form of Jewish prayer or glossolalia.^[1] Hebrew Biblical verses or quotes from other classical Jewish texts are sometimes sung repetitively to form a nigun. Some nigunim are sung as prayers of lament, while others may be joyous or victorious in theme.^[2][3]

The Musar movement has also used nigunim, based on the realization of how music affects the inner (i.e., spiritual) life. In the 19th century, the Musar movement developed its own distinctive nigun chanting traditions.^[4] In the 21st century, nigunim may be used at the start and end of Musar study sessions,^[5] potentially fostering an emotional Musar experience.^[6]

Nigunim by:

• Nachman of Breslov
• The Kaliver Rebbe
• Moshe Zvi of Savran

Other Jewish spiritual practices:

• Jewish meditation
• Dveikut

• Pinson, DovBer, Inner Rhythms: The Kabbalah of Music, Jason Aronson, Inc. 2000. Excellent chapters on the history of Jewish music, the various types and uses of Hasidic nigunim, etc.
• Stern, Shmuel, Shirat HaLev (Trans The Song of the Heart) Translated by Gita Levi.

• CMusic - Lyrics & Reviews for Chasidus Music