Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1894-07-05
MUSIC OF ANCIENT ISRAEL,

/ Splend0r Of tie Services In the Temple Ia
the D1Ys Of King David.
The musical performances in the
temple of Jerusa lem in ancient ages
were of varied character, and, In trying
to get an idea of them in modern times,
it is necessary that account should be
taken mot only of the instruments then
in use, according to the Bible, brt also
OF the choral and orchestral music and
the LevisicaI musicians. There have
been many specuIstions upon the sub
ject, and there are many books about
it, but it would be hard to find nserc;
satisfactory digest of existing knowi-
edge concerning it than that recently
prepared by a musical scholar, Rabbi:
Wolfers. for pa bliestion in British
periodical
The first Biblical refer ence to mu-
steal instrument is in the book of Gene
sis: 'Jubal was the father of all such
as handle the harp and the organ"
The ''khenor" or harp was employed
by the Egyptians and Assyrians as well
as by the Israelites upon joyous occa-
sions. such as conscientious, festive as
semblies, and triumphs. 1t was used
by King David when singing songs of
praise, and he danced as he played upon
it. The Levites also danced to its
music. Though there Is no exact de-
scription of it in ancient records, it is
known that it was small and light, that
the frame of it was Of wood, that it had
ten strings. and that it was played, not
with the fingers, but with a small stick,
plectrum, or quill It is often called
the pleasant harp.
The organ or ''engal" Of antiquity
did not resemble the modern instYu
ment of that name, though the Hebrew
word by which il was known bears evil
dence that it was a wind instrument
According to tradition it was composed
of a number of slender reeds or pipes
strung together and played with tine
mouth. These two musical devices,
the harp and the organ, are al that are
associated with the illustrious name of
Jubal.
Many other musical Instruments came
into use in Israel after Jubal's time,
and were employed in the sacred serv-
ices. The mabel" bore some resem-
blance to the modern guitar: 1t was
an instrument of ten, or twelve. strings.
was made of 6rwood, was played with
a plectrum, was used in sacred music in
the time of David, was exceedingly
popular for ages, and was probably of
Phedician invention. It is spoken of
in the Bible. Its name leads to the
opinion that it bore the shape, of
some of the primitive PhBnician
jars. The instrument known as
the ''thofv' was like the. tambourine
of modern times. 1t was of shallow Or
saucerlike shape, its body of leatheror
parchment, and its rim of wood, in
which jingling disks of metal were I'M
serted. 1t was held in one hand and
beaten with the other. 1t served as an
accompaniment to the Song of Moses
on the shore of the Red sea, and its
sounds were evoked by David in. days
of gladness. The piped instrument,
''chalil," which was blown only upon
twelve days of the year, was made of
bone or of wood, and was heard upon
IS sorrowful as well as upon joyful oc-
casions. The Prophet Isaiah speaks of
it repeatedly Tin the English transla-
ton of the Bible) as the pipe" There
was in the temple service an,instru-
ment called s'metzaltzin," or the. GYM
Balls, a pair of shallow metal plates, !
which, when struck together, produced
a ringing, musical sound, or series of
sounds. david and all the house of
Israel played on cymbals before the
Lord The rams horn, Or ''yobel,"
was the ancient trumpet of Israel, and
its sound proclaimed the jubilee.
There were two other kinds of
trumpet, one of which was ordinarily
used in the musical services of the tenn
pie, to be played, not by the Levites,
but by the priests. Moses was COM
manded to make two trumpets of sill
yer. and the objects of blowing one or |
beth of them at different times, accord I
irg to Divine order, are set forth in |
the tenth chapter of the Book of Mum
bars.
to- in the Bible can not be described, as
their character is wholly unknowna
No knowledge of them is to be obtained |
from the writings of the ancient rabA1
BIS In Israel, however, as may be seen|
by the accounts here given, there was
a sufficient variety Of musical devices
1t does not appear that the musical
art had grown beyoEd its simpler forms |
up to the time of Moses, but it was evil |
IDENTIFY advanced in the days Of Job,
who speaks of the organ, the harp. and |
the timbrel. During the reign of David |
IN Jerusalem there were many stringed |
and wind and CT her instruments OF
high quality. Rabbi Wolfers believes
that the power CT prophesying: was
closely associated: with music, which |
seems, indeed, to. have been am indis- !
pensable feature. Of the prophetic func- |
ton. There ares;ailusions to this pecu- |
Iiarity in the First Book of Chronicles
and the Second Book of Kings
The Instrumental music was perl
formed mainly rag the Levites, one class
of whom forl4aed the temple musicians.
A full choirr aposisted of as many as 1
twenty-four, Thousand mers divided into
three great bands, and separated ona4
from another upon vast platfor,sHss
This enormous body was instructed hy.i
two hundred zzzsd twenty eight masters, !
ton of three: superiors. the names of d
whom--AsapS. Heman md Yeduthula-
are prafxed to some of Dayid's psalms. /
The Levites> appointeGS to sing ortp1ay-
had no, other duties TO perform. md /!
were thus enabled to Sevete the whole /
of tleir. time to this srfection of their
art.
After. seF ing forth athe results CT his
researches into the ancient music; of
Is-ael, Fabbi WolSers speaks sfc it's
spiritual power. NO adequate idea,'
he says, ~can be f.Emed CT the graEE
Influence of the temple music. upom