I chose to read this book because of the chapter ‘HEBREW CANTILLATION AS AN INFLUENCE ON COMPOSITION (1982)’, in which Steve Reich talks about the culture and structure of chant. The word anthem derived from songs with the meaning of praise. Today, chant is often used to describe religious singing or simply any type of singing that is done in a group. I find the history of chanting and its place in various religions and cultures fascinating, and I am eager to learn more about the mechanics of how chanting works. The chant is religious and mystical to me, and I hope to gain some structure and knowledge of occult music from within this chapter. Ultimately, I hope I can write music with religious overtones.
Steve Reich has been called “the most original musical thinker of our time” (The New Yorker) and “among the great composers of the century” (The New York Times). Starting in the 1960s, his pieces It’s Gonna Rain, Drumming, Music for 18 Musicians, Tehillim, Different Trains, and many others helped shift the aesthetic center of musical composition worldwide away from extreme complexity and towards rethinking pulsation and tonal attraction in new ways. He continues to influence younger generations of composers and mainstream musicians and artists all over the world.
Reich, S. (2022). Biography. [online] Steve Reich. Available at: https://stevereich.com/biography/ [Accessed 20 Nov. 2022].
Writings on Music 1965–2000
ta’amim
In technical terms, the ta’amim are classified as “ecphonetic notation” or “early neumes.” They are defined as follows: Ecphonetic notation: Originally they were simply signs added to the text in order to clarify its sentence structure, comparable to present-day punctuation marks. Later these signs adopted a musical significance. . . . Ecphonetic signs occur in Syrian, Jewish, Byzantine and Coptic manuscripts from c. 600 to 1000 and later. In Jewish chant they developed into fuller musical notation, the ta’amim which is used to the present day. (Reich, 2022)
Major and minor keys
While the melodic structure of Torah accentuation is basically in major, the Prophets are basically in minor. In the case of the Song of Songs, some of the accents are in major, others in minor, and some in the Phrygian mode. (Reich, 2022 )There is no definitive answer to this question. However, there are certain characteristics that are often associated with carols. These include a focus on the Nativity, a joyful or triumphant mood, and a simple melody that is easy to sing. There are a variety of factors that contribute to a piece of music being considered a carol. The key may have an influence, but it is not the primary reason. Other elements, such as the melody, lyrics, and overall tone of the piece, are typically more important in determining whether a piece of music is a carol.
pan-Asiatic
Dr. Avigdor Herzog, in his article on the biblical accents in the Encyclopedia Judaica, (1972) observes as follows: A comparison with practices of scriptural reading in other religious traditions such as Vedic recitation in India or Buddhist recitation in Japan and other countries reveals that none is spoken or sung but they are cantillated; that this cantillation is based upon strict conventions handed down by oral tradition (which were described explicitly only in the respective Middle Ages of each culture): and, most important, that a basic similarity of constructive principles, not of melodic content, 13 can still be recognized in all such practices throughout the Asian continent, including all Jewish traditions throughout the Diaspora. This “pan-Asiatic” style must already have been present in cantillated Bible reading in the synagogue preceding the period in which the system of written accents began to be developed. (Reich, 2022 ) I found the religious chanting both intriguing and moving. Many people singing in unison is powerful and moving. I found myself drawn to explore further the structure of the chanting, the melodies and the instruments. As I do not know much about Jewish chanting, I cannot go into the specifics of this practice. I do, however, have some knowledge of Buddhist cantillation, influenced by Asian culture. I can start by analysing Buddhist cantillation.
Eight Lines
This is Steve Reich’s music based on HEBREW CANTILLATION particularly of the flute and piccolo melodies (Reich, 2022, 113–14, 118).
Reference
Reich, S., Hillier, P. and Oxford University Press (2018). Writings on music : 1965-2000. New York: Oxford University Press, Druk.