The
History of Music Education—part 8
Although
the deciphering of the te’amim above and below the OT text shows much evidence
of ancient Israel’s music being aesthetic, there is no evidence in the Bible
that Israel derived aesthetic pleasure from their sacred musicing. However, when one views the musical
embellishments found in the te’amim found above the Hebrew and Aramaic texts of
the OT it is not far-fetched to hypothesize that, in the midst of their sacred
and secular musicing, these ancient musicians could have receive aesthetic pleasure. Furthermore, we do not have any direct
evidence that music education in ancient Israel included the concept of
aesthetics or aesthetic pleasure at least as we understand it today.
Psalm
100:2 explains partially how the ancient Hebrews viewed sacred music
philosophically when it says, “Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his
presence with singing.” To them, music
was a means to an end and that end was coming before the presence of YHVH. Psalm 126:2 explains how they used their
musicing to bring honor and praise to God. “Then was our mouth filled with
laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The
LORD hath done great things for them.” Isaiah
51:11 elucidates how they were educated to understand the Hebrew concept of
what musicing was capable of accomplishing in the life of the redeemed. “Therefore
the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and
everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy;
and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.”
Thought
for the Day
When we look back at the ancient musical paradigm of the
Hebrew musicians we should try to view their joy of sacred musicing as joy of
worshiping YHVH rather than joy produced from personal musical achievement. Sacred music and musicing was about God
rather than self.
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