This two-volume set presents a historical overview of the rise and decline of the liturgical-musical tradition of the Eastern European synagogue, and a study of its complex component elements through verbal description, musical illustration and analysis. Volume I discusses the heritage from the Middle East and from West Central Europe, the evolution of the musical tradition of the Eastern European synagogue, reciprocal influences between East and West, Chassidic influence, the music at its zenith, and decline in the 20th century. The analyses that require extensive knowledge on the part of the reader are flagged so non-experts can bypass them. Volume II contains musical examples. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)