Reply To: Abandonment of Nussach

Mariner, I while abck, on a different forum I had a long debate with several “mevinim” of chazzanut about the distinction between a “chazzan” and a “baal tefillah” Each participant had a different point of demarcation. I maintained that there is no difference, other than the fact that the word “cantor” or “Chazzan” is now, sadly, a pejorative, while the terms “baal tefillah” is a compliment. Thus cantors we like are called baalei tefiloh and baalei tefiloh we dislike are called cantors. Seriously though, all there is, in proper davening, is the klalei hanusach. Some individual applications of them are more florid than others. But it’s all “chazzanut” when you take the word at its purest meaning.