Ancient hebrew music found in the bible
YOu can hear some of the ancient hebrew music on the front page of this site in the MP3 player.
The "classical" music of the Temple (which existed side-by-side with the "folk" music of the Synagogue in Jesus' day) has been preserved in the Hebrew Bible (Masoretic Text) used today, and revived in modern arrangements after nearly two millennia of obscurity and speculation.
This music is preserved in special "musical accents" (te`amim), written above and below the Hebrew consonants. They are interspersed among the "vowel-points", which likewise are found above and below the Hebrew consonants.
The following rows contain the first line of Psalm 29 from the Letteris Edition (including the title: mizmor ledavid or "A Psalm of David"), first given with the accents and vowel-points, then with the accents only:
Example
Notice the markings above and below the hebrew letters. Those are the musical notations preserves in the scripture. A woman by the name of Suzanne Haïk-Vantoura decoded these markings and has been able to duplicate the music of the ancient scripture.
The te`amim used in the above examples are taken from the "psalmodic system", which is found in Psalms, Proverbs and the body of Job. The related "prosodic system" is found in the prologue and epilogue of Job and in all the other books of the Hebrew Bible. All the verses of Hebrew Scripture (including the Psalm titles and words such as "selah") are annotated with these musical accents. Altogether, there are nineteen graphemes (graphic accent forms) used in printed editions of the Hebrew Bible, some of which are found both above and below the words (and therefore represent more than one musical value each).
The written signs themselves are but transcriptions of gestures made by the hands and/or fingers. The sublinear signs (those found below the words) apparently transcribe gestures made by the left hand; the superlinear signs (those found above the words), gestures made by the right hand. In most synagogue communities, however, only one hand is used to make gestures -- a point to which we shall return...
Both the gestures and the written signs are called te`amim (from ta`am, to taste, discern, appreciate), because they are meant to help the reader or hearer of Hebrew Scripture discern and appreciate the sense of the often-ambiguous Hebrew words. In effect, the melody defined by the te`amim conveys and even magnifies the vocal inflection, rhythm, grammar, etc. of the words, thus making clear "how the Bible says what it says".
The "classical" music of the Temple (which existed side-by-side with the "folk" music of the Synagogue in Jesus' day) has been preserved in the Hebrew Bible (Masoretic Text) used today, and revived in modern arrangements after nearly two millennia of obscurity and speculation.
This music is preserved in special "musical accents" (te`amim), written above and below the Hebrew consonants. They are interspersed among the "vowel-points", which likewise are found above and below the Hebrew consonants.
The following rows contain the first line of Psalm 29 from the Letteris Edition (including the title: mizmor ledavid or "A Psalm of David"), first given with the accents and vowel-points, then with the accents only:
Example
Notice the markings above and below the hebrew letters. Those are the musical notations preserves in the scripture. A woman by the name of Suzanne Haïk-Vantoura decoded these markings and has been able to duplicate the music of the ancient scripture.
The te`amim used in the above examples are taken from the "psalmodic system", which is found in Psalms, Proverbs and the body of Job. The related "prosodic system" is found in the prologue and epilogue of Job and in all the other books of the Hebrew Bible. All the verses of Hebrew Scripture (including the Psalm titles and words such as "selah") are annotated with these musical accents. Altogether, there are nineteen graphemes (graphic accent forms) used in printed editions of the Hebrew Bible, some of which are found both above and below the words (and therefore represent more than one musical value each).
The written signs themselves are but transcriptions of gestures made by the hands and/or fingers. The sublinear signs (those found below the words) apparently transcribe gestures made by the left hand; the superlinear signs (those found above the words), gestures made by the right hand. In most synagogue communities, however, only one hand is used to make gestures -- a point to which we shall return...
Both the gestures and the written signs are called te`amim (from ta`am, to taste, discern, appreciate), because they are meant to help the reader or hearer of Hebrew Scripture discern and appreciate the sense of the often-ambiguous Hebrew words. In effect, the melody defined by the te`amim conveys and even magnifies the vocal inflection, rhythm, grammar, etc. of the words, thus making clear "how the Bible says what it says".
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Kennie Cagle on
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This is a very interesting topic. I have been nterested in te' amin for about 3 years. I have the same recordings you have and I love listening to them. I also am interested in cymatics.
All words that have ever been spoken are still out there somewhere. Traveling through space. Someday they will come back to us and we will here what we said rather they were good or evil.
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The study of the effects of sound on other objects, and the purpose or function of sound within our universe. Do a little Google search on it and you will be blown away.
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Permalink Reply by Wondell on -
Oh heck yeah!!! I'm a musician and I wanted to make music that is more conscious. I wanted to use the science of sound to create music that induces certain moods on people. I need to check into this.
I know the government is aware of this science and uses it against us. So I want to counter their affects.
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If you don't already know, Dr Leonard Horowitz is also really into this concept. Do a little Googling for him and you will see/hear some of the stuff already out there. However, this doesn't free you from the burden Yah has placed on your lev. LOL
Shalom.
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Permalink Reply by Wondell on
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on my lev? Dr. Leonard Horowitz. I'll have to check into this. Thanks bro
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On your heart. The musical gift He has given you and the desire to make music in this Biblical way should be sought out. There are some artists who have made music like this, but you should follow the leading of Yah and pursue this with your Yah given talents.
Sorry for the confusing statement. LOL
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Permalink Reply by Shekinah Cohen on
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Shalom Wondell,
Thanks so much for sharing this. I look forward to hearing and learning more.
Star of David
Shknh
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Permalink Reply by Wondell on
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Not a problem! I'll share some of the links and add more music to the music box on the front page.
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Permalink Reply by Azayahl AYaHSharAL on -
My IBRI YSRAYL muzik! Todah for sharing 1Dell.
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