The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-07-05

been many speculations upon the sub
| ject, and there are many books about
| it, but it would be hard to find more
satisfactory digest of existing knowl-
edge concerning it than that recently
| prepared by musical scholar, Rabbi
Wolfers, for pu blication in a British
periodical.
| The first Biblical reference 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 CONSIDERATIONS, 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 1t is often called
the pleasant harp.
The organ or "engal" Of antiquity
did not resemble the modern instru-
ment of that name, though the Hebrew
word by which it was known bears evil
| dence that it was a wind instrument.
According to tradition ii was composed
of a number Of slender reeds or pipes
strung together and played with the
mouth. These two musical devices,
the harp and the organ, are all 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 probab bly, of
Phedician invention. 1t is spoken of
in the Bible. It's name leads to the
opinion that it bore the shape of
some of the primitive Phenician
jars. The instrument known as
the 'thof'' was like the tambourine
of modern times. 1t was of shallow or
saucerlilke shape, its body of leather or
parchment, and it's rim of wood, in
which jingling disks of metal We're in
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 We're 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
as 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 ''metzaltzin," or the GYM
balls, 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 iIsrael, 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
both of them at different times, accord
ing to Divine order, are set forth in
the tenth chapter of the Book of Num-
bers.
Several of the instruments referred
to in the Bible can not be described, as
their character is wholly unknown.
No knowledge of them is to be obtained
from the writings of the ancient rab-
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 beyond 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 other instruments of
high quality. Rabbi Wolfers believes
that the power of prophesying was
closely associated with music, which
seems, indeed, to have been an indis-
pensable feature of the prophetic func-
ton. There are illusions to this pecu-
laritv in the First Book of Chronicles
and the Second Book of Kings.
The instrumental music was per-
formed mainly by the Levites, one class
of whom formed the temple musicians.
A full choir consisted of as many as
twenty-four thousand men, divided into
three great bands, and separated one
from another upon vast platforms
This enormous body was instructed by
two hundred and twenty-eight masters,
who were themselves under the direc-
ton Of three superiors, the names OF
whom-Asaph. Heman and Yeduthun-
are prefxed to some of David's psalms.
The Levites appointed to sing or play
had no other duties TO perform, and
were thus enabled to devote the whole
Of their time TO the perfection Of their
art
After setting forth the results of his
researches into the ancient music OF
Israel, Rabbi Wolfers speaks Of its
spiritual power. No adequate idea,
he says, can be formed Of the grand
influence Of the temple music upon
the yvo-shir,Ders The melodious strains