Music is Palestine

The Hebrews probably derived their music from Egypt, Babylon, and Assyria; but thought they adopted the instruments of those nations, and themselves contributed little to muisc on its artistic side, they yet exalted it infinitely, regarding it as a direct means of communication with God. After the foundling of the monarcy, cir. 1050 B.C., music wasmuch used by the prophets, who regarded it as necessary to inspiration, uttering their words of wisdom to the sound of "cithars, harps, and timbrels"; and music acquired a prmonent place in the tmeple, where it was performed by large choirs which were accompanied by instruments of a harch and shrill character. At first men alone were allowed in these choirs, but afterwards women also were admitted, and sometimes dancing was joined to the music. Under Solomon the height of magnificence was reached, and the enormous number of four thousand musicians was provided by the Levites to assist in the service. In the reign of the succeeding kinds, however, music lost much of its lofty character through the introductions of secular bands.

It is probably that the melodies were of linited compass much embellished, and sung in unison. The most interesting feature of the Hebrew singing, however, came from the rendition of the parallel couplets into which most of the Hebrew poetry is grouped, and which form a series of balancing phrases. This is Psalm 24:

• a. The eath is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof;
• b. The world, and they that dwell therein.
• a. For he hath founded it upon the seas,
• b. And established it upon the floods.
• a. Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord?
• b. Or who shall stand in his holy place? etc.

These responsive verses were probably sung in turn by the two sides of the choir, or by the choir answering a leader; and this antiphonal singing afterwards took a prominent place in Christian worship.

There are many records in the bible of the use of music. Its invention is ascribed, in Genesis, chapter 4, verse 21, to Jubal, inventor of stringed and wind instruments. Trumpets, made of silver or horn, figure prominently in religious functions, and are headed by the Shofar, a horn directed the manufacture of two immense silver trumpets to be used as signals; and in Joshua, chapter 6, verse 20, the walls of the enemy's city fall at the sound of the trumpets blown by seven priests.

Of stringed instruments the principal were the Kinnor, translated Harp but probably a form lyre, upon which David played before Saul; the Nebel or psaltery, a square table instrument, the strings of which were plucked by the fingers; and the Asor, an oblong psaltery. Besides these, Egyptian instruments of rhythm, and flutes were employed, although it is a notable fact that drums were wholly absent.