The Jewish advance., 1881-04-29

forming a perfect or connected view of
the condition of silence among the
ancient Hebrews, for the illusions scat
tered throughout Scripture are brief and
merely incidental in the highest degree.
But tradition and comparison with
what is known of the systems of the
neighboring races afford much assistance
in research. The earliest mention in the
Bible Of music is that Jubal was the
father of all who handle the 'kinnor and
ugab,'" that is; he invented string, and
wind instrument. During his travels
in the East, Cardim observed that a
musician was sometimes called "Kani''
which he took to mean descendant of
Cain" Some, however, from the name
of Mahalaleel (God praising) think that
the study of vocal music existed before
the invention of instruments. Though
this is probable, the connection of the
name with the fact is doubtful. The
next mention of music occurs about 500
years after the deluge, when Laban re-
proaches Jacob with his having given no
opportunity of his departure with
mirth, and with songs, with tabret, and
with harp" Here we meet with an in
strument of percussion. Since Abraham
was Of the same race as Laban, the
music in the tribe of the one would also
exist in the tribe of the other. Mr..
COHEN said he did not think that the
musical system of the Hebrew was in
fuenced to any considerable degree by
that Of the more cultured Egyptian,
classes would not allow of sufficient
:utouoo,,,,o Nbo,,rb - &c b1rb1x,
probable that the Hebrews largely mod
elled their instruments upon those OF
the Egyptians, yet precisely the same is
now done by different races, without a
corresponding modification of their
characteristic musical systems. The
music on the occasion OF the golden calf
was probably an imitation of the similar
Egyptian custom at the feasts OF Apis.
The Hebrew music of the time must
still have been very crude for Joshua
mistook the sounds issuing from the
camp for the din OF battle, Tue acuteT
lsease OF sAiosess aoWeTer, was able to
distinguish the rhythm of the wild
melody. The "Shilte Haggiborim' re-
marks on the absence Of the mention of
any music other than that of horns and
trumpets until the time Of Samuel, and
observes that this period of wandering
and the struggle for the Holy Land
were not likely to have favored the arts
of peace. Yet the tabret dance of the
woman was not forgotten, for with it
they welcomed home the champions
from the wars But it remained for
Samuel to be the great stimulative
source of musical progress in Israel,
both by the building of the Temple being
an effect of his life, and by his constant
support and patronage Of the schools of
the prophets which he probably found
ed. The sons of the prophets, while un-
der monastic discipline, probably
studied chiefly the laws and history of
their race; but there can be little doubt
that they also studied poetry, rhetoric,
and music, which in those days were in
dissolubly connected. The schools of
the prophets seem to have existed till
the Captivity, and did great deal to
spread music throughout the country
David from his youth had wide repu-
tation as musician. On the placing of
the Ark in the Sanctuary, he organized
choir and orchestra for the Divine
Service There were 1000 musicians,
with 28S leaders and instructors. The
"a sons of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun
each conducted one of the "A reliefs into
which the choir was divided. A discus
sion in the Mishna, Erachin, leads to the
conclusion that the instrumentalists as
we'll as the vocalists were invariably
Levites. The orchestra stood on dais
near the altar, and the choir were ranged
lower down in front. The minimum
number of instruments allowed was nine
Tyres, two harps, two trumpets, two
flutes, and one pair of cymbals. AS
many as the director thought necessary
might be added, so long as there were
not more than six harps or twelve flutes.
The cymbals being loud and distinct in
tone, were played by the conductor him
SELF as the use of the baton was then
unknown. Special mention is made of
the really admirable manner in which
the youthful Levites used invariably to
perform their part in singing. They
stood in front of the other choristers,
the tallest being ranged at the back.
During the festivities ON the Feast of
Tabernacles a strong band of Levites
took up position at the entrance to the
court of Israel and there performed a
selection of sacred music. Besides
leading the choirs, the conductors had
also the Office of preparing musicians
for their professional duties, and SO the