We have record of the
fact that the ancient Hebrew nation used instrumental accompaniments with their songs because they
were referred to as singer-players. We
have record of this practice as far back as the Genesis record. However, the
prosodic system of the te’amim was used to notate these songs instead of the
psalmodic system of the te’amim which was used in the book of Psalms, Proverbs,
and part of Job. Therefore, there are
some questions concerning whether or not the prosodic system was truly monodic
music.
Susanne Haik-Vantoura,
who successfully deciphered the biblical te’amim and established that the
notation of the entire OT text consisted of two notational systems, believed
that the psalmodic music was choral music.
Although this is true concerning many of the psalms, it is doubtful of
others since some of them were intimate prayers like the fifty first
Psalm. It would seem that, although this
Psalm was delivered to the Chief musician, it would have best been performed as
a solo rather than as a choral work. However, at this point in time we do not
know for sure. There is also serious question as to whether the fifty first Psalm
was ever intended to be performed publically at all since its intimate nature
could indicate that it was left to posterity to be sung privately to God as a
penitent prayer.
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