Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-07-25
Excavations of Explorers Aid the
Archaeological in Old Music Research

the translators had never seen, and
the danger of basing conjectures on
the supposed derivation OF words Ia
shown by the innumerabie mistakes
Of the authorized version
The Jews left behind them no
monuments or sculptures to guide the
moderns, partly because of their wan
derings and wars, partly because. as
Sir John Stainer pointed out. Jeru-
salem was besieged so frequently;
but, mainly, as the Rev. Mr.. Galpin
says. because "the Hebrews were
bound by the laws of their race not
to make any craven image. or the
likeness of anything that is in the
heavens above or in the earth beneath
or in the water under the earth"
The archaeologist must, therefore,
go to the contemporary or earlier
monuments of other nations and
speculate as to the probability or the
reverse of the Jewish instruments be-
ing what they find there depicted.
But many points may be regarded
as finally settled. The forms Of the
harps. flutes, trumpets and other
wind instruments, the cymbals and
timbrels and the various kinds OF
drums. Incidentally, the authors have
proved the evolution of modern in
struments from the oldest in use
amongst the Egyptians. Assyrians.
Babylonians. Greeks, and even the
Chinese.
In these days, accustomed as all are
to the pomp of great organs and or
chestras ON ceremonial occasions.
many who have been In the habit OF
reading modern ideas into the words
Of the Bible may be surprised at the
| LONELINESS of the most solemn service
Of the Jews.
The picture of a few dozen people
tYanging crude harps, blowing bag
pipes and the precursors of the penny
whistle. tapping dulcimers and bang-
ing cymbals beating drums and shak-
ing tambourines. seems 10 lack dig
nifty; but these represented the most
magnificent music of ages long past.
However. there is another side TO
the picture. as a London paper says.
Reading the text of Sir John Stain
er's revised book carefully. and, es-
peciaily studying the illustrations, We
do not need q time machine 70 carry
us back, filed with awe, to civiliza-
tions that persisted thousands Of
years ago, when the people trembled
in dread before the very real pres
ence of their deities, and blew their
| trumpets and tinkled their castanets
in token Of a most real faith.
One or the most interesting Things
| In the book is the explanation Of the
word "Selah." given by the Rev. f
Capel Cure, and quoted by the Rev
Mr. Galpin. According to Mr.. Cure
this word. occurring SO often in the
/ Psalms, and puzzling to many. was a
! signal for the music to Illustrate the
more tremendous meanings OF the
words being sung or chanted, not an
/ idle interruption, as some historians
have imagined.
Tradition is the vehicle by which
Hebrew music comes down to US
mainly, and the musical signs en-
pioyed are directions for the manner
of performing melodies familiar to
/ the musicians; and most of these are
/ adulterated with the secular felix
tunes of the various peoples amongst
whom the Hebrews have dwelt.
OF all the ancient instruments the
/ only one now in use is the shofar. or
ramshorn. In England, at least,
the harps have disappeared and not
for the reason that Mr.. Gaipin gives
I for their being hung up when the
Jews were in bondage. namely. that
they were not allowed to play thenA