(Continued from page 108.)
The sacred scriptures afford almost the only materials from which any
knowledge of the Hebrew music can be drawn. In the rapid sketch,
therefore of ancient music which I mean to exhibit, very few
observations are all that can properly be given to that department of
the subject.
Moses was educated by Pharoah’s daughter in all the literature and
elegant arts cultivated in Egypt. It is probable, therefore, that the
taste and style of Egyptian music would be infused in some degree into
that of the Hebrews. Music appears to have been interwoven thro’ the
whole tissue of religious ceremony in Palestine. The priesthood seem to
have been musicians hereditarily and by office. The prophets appear to
have accompanied their inspired effusions with music; and every prophet
like the present Improvisatori of Italy, seems to have been accompanied
by a musical instrument.
Music, vocal and instrumental, constituted a great part of the funeral
ceremonies of the Jews. The pomp and expence used on those occasions
advanced by degrees to an excessive extent. The number of flute-players
in the procession amounted sometimes to several hundreds, and the
attendance of the guests continued frequently for thirty days.
The Hebrew language abounds with consonants, and has so few vowels, that
in the original alphabet they had no characters, it must, therefore,
have been harsh and unfavourable to music. Their instruments of music
were chiefly those of percussion, so that the music must have been
coarse and noisy: The vast numbers of performers too, whom it was the
taste of the Hebrews to collect together, could not with such language
and instruments produce any thing but clamour and jargon. According to
Josephus, there were 200,000 musicians at the dedication of the temple
of Solomon.
The history of King David furnishes us with very striking proofs of his
attachment to music. Saul being troubled in his mind, and melancholy,
was advised to apply to music as a remedy for his disorder: “David took
his harp, and played tunes of sweet melody, and Saul was comforted.”
The Psalms of David, which glow with ardour of genius, of an elevation
of the most becoming sentiments, were, it is more than probable, set to
the most sublime and expressive music, such was the attachment of the
Hebrews to this art, and such was the proficiency they made in it; and
when they were in captivity in Babylon, they regretted the loss of those
songs which they had sung with rapture in the temple of Jerusalem. Such
are the circumstances from which only an idea of the Hebrew music can be
formed, for the Jews neither ancient nor modern have ever had any
characters peculiar to music; and the melodies used in their religious
ceremonies have at all times been entirely traditional.