When we study the te'amim (which
is the musical notation found above and below the texts of the entire Old
Testament), we find that both the psalmodic and prosodic systems of notation
have a tonic note. (See chapter 8 of my
book, Music of the Bible in Christian
Perspective and The Music
of the Bible Revealed. by Suzanne Haik-Vantoura, Berkley: Bibal Press, 1991.).
This tonic note is called "silluq". This term means "end" and has the
same function as the tonic note of our "modern" diatonic scale. God
created and rested in seven days and God made a seven note scale with a resting
note. After the seventh day the sequence
of days re-begins and after the seventh note the musical scale re-begins--all
this is more than a coincidence! It is
the work of an omniscient creator.
Outside of our knowledge of the te'amim, the Pentateuch is relatively
silent as to the specifics of the beginnings of music. However, we do know that God imparted musical
knowledge to man before the flood.
Genesis 4:21 explains that Lamech’s son Jubal “was the father of all
such as handle the harp and organ."
We also know that Adam was given domain over the erets (776) so he no doubt had wisdom concerning music. The more we
learn about God’s seven note creation the more we are drawn to the conclusion
that a God this wise is capable of guiding us in developing a unified
Christocentric music philosophy in the twenty-first century. Praise God!
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