New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-05-04

, King" 20. glorious, exalted and mighty
God" 20. God, all-rlghteous and holy re-
deemer." 30, merclful. everlasting and
omnipotent Cod" These addresses VIII
recall TO the Roman Catholic liturgists
the alternately Greek and Latin invoca-
lions Holy Godr Holy and strong
| Godr Holy and immortal Cod which
are so impressive a feature Of the cere-
mony Of the Alteration Of the Cross on
Good F'riday-the so-called "lmproperia.'
The melody which was long preserved
by tradition before II was fixed in mu-
steal notation. varies IN different coun-
tries. but the variations are trihing.
Four versions are presented here. one as
II appears IN the Union Haegada,' one
as il Is printed I'm Rabbi Grun's book, one
as II was noted by the father Of Jacques
/ ONcnbach (tho composer Of French operas
bou0cs) I'm his "Hagadah.' printed In 1888.
The elder ONenbach was a chGSdn, or
cantor. Of a synagogue In Cologne. and he
not only printed the traditional melodies
I used in the service With translation or
! the text into German but also composed
music FOR the portions Of the ritual Tor
which no melodies had been preserved. a
fifth version (collated with the two ilrst
mentioned Is noted by the writer OF this
study from memory as he learned II
/ some thirty-nye years ago from copy
! ~ Narcotics settings OF italian para
' phrases OF some OF the Psalms Unfortu-
: nately the copy Of these Psalms In the
writer's library was mutiated long ago,
and his memory OF the melody could not
4
/ Marcello I'm several instances made use
OF traditional melodies sung 10 the Psalms
by the Spanish Jews (Scphdrdim). whose
music and liturgy differ frequently from
those of the AshkcnGsiT. or Jews OF the
Northeastern and Central Europe, Ger
man Jews as they are popularity called.
/ one point 10 be noted is the repetition OF
the first measure In tho American YER
sion. a device. II may be surmised' re-
sorted 10 by some chdSdn, or choir leader
whose sense OF proportion was disturbed
by the fact that the first period Of the
melody contained only three measures
The repetition OF the eighth measure Is
peculiarly the Spanish version.
Concerning the music OF the other
pieces nothing need be said. their literary
history Is interesting enough 10 make the
musical study unnecessary. Moreover. TO
be entirely frank, the writer has not In
vestigated the music
In the case OF these two songs the
literary folklorlst finds himself decidedly
at odds with the modern Jewish common
tator. who apparently has been so eager
10 escape some fancied importation on the
I III . Ha he hppu
more than willing 10 set down what the
folklorist will be inclined, for good rea-
sons, to consider prototypes OF widely
distributed folksongs. for limitations OF
those folksongs. The songs are too long
to be printed IN full, but their contents
and structure can easily be imagined
from description. Both. we fancy, were
originally conceived as mnemonic songs.
that is, songs designed TO aid the memory
by reiteration of words having q
rhythmical lit. The device Is as old as
! the hills. Children in the classical period
OF Greece learned their letters by repeat
ing syllables like our B-a, Ba: Be. Be;
b., Bi. BIO, 30. Just as the children OF
to-day learn them. so rhymes OF the
zone, two, buckle my shoe" order have
also been used from time immemorial The
Hebrew "Who knows one?" belongs to
these compositions. It begins thus:
know one: One is the God OF the World. |
Who knows Two?
know Two: Two are the Tables OF the |
Two Tables Of the Covenant. One God OF
the World.
Who knows Three?
I know Three: Three Patriarchs.
Three Patriarchs, Two Tables OF the Cow |
enant;
one God OF the World.
And so on to thirteen when in reverse
order all the persons and things asso-
ciated with the enumeration are repeated
I'm inverse order: Thirteen attributes OF
God. twelve tribes OF Israel. eleven stars
OF Joseph's dream. Ten Commandments.
nine Jewish festivals, eight lights OF Han
nukkah, seven days OF the week. six days
of creation, five books OF Moses four
mothers Of Israel. three patriarchs, two
tables OF the covenant, one God OF the
world.
On this Jingle Rabbi Green. whose
words are quoted in part with apparent
approval by the American rabbis. says
This composition and its companion
the story OF the Only Kid" are essen
TALLY Hebrew nursery rhymes, and II IL
TO be regretted. first. that they have ever
been regarded as anything else, and, sec
ondly, that they have also been preserved
from what We cannot but assume was
large literature OF the same character
There are children's songs OF this descrlp-
ton in all languages. The first OF these
two Seder sangs, 'Who knows One?" Is
most closely resembled I'm English iitera-
ture by the Scottish Song OF Numbers
I'VE will ALL gaze sing, boys.
Where will we begin. boys?
Wen begin the way we should,
And wen begin at ane. boys.
II then goes on in much the same style
as our Seder song and stops at the num-
Der twelve. One point OF resemblance Is
tens. the Ten Commandments XnA -