How easy can I make this?
I will work from output back to input. Here's the required output for the first four notes of Genesis.
This is two transcriptions in one, because we have to get the syllable with
the right note(s) - so we have to transcribe the rtl Hebrew to ltr Latin and interpret the vowels as we go. Yes there are melismas, but they are simple - never more
than three notes relative to the current reciting note. The original spec for
the deciphering key is
here (translated from the original
French). It is important to have this for examples of her resolution of ornaments
when there is some ambiguity as to whether to return to the reciting note or
not. (Her spec is unclear and her actual practice is varied). Performers also
take liberty with the ornaments and modes since they are 'unspecified', i.e.
subject to musical judgment based on the text and the melody - itself
determined by the signs under the text.
[Actually there are multiple transcriptions going on: Hebrew to pronounceable Latin characters that can be read by a singer (not a linguist), words broken up by syllable, and cantilation transcribed to MusicXML.]
Here's the output for the first few measures of Genesis 1:1 given this input:
בְּרֵאשִׁ֖ית בָּרָ֣א אֱלֹהִ֑ים
The music is e g# B ^A. The opening e is defaulted since it is not specified. The default applies for each verse if and only if there is no accent above or below the text on the first syllable.
The tifha ֭ always sets the reciting note to the third note of the mode, in this case, g#.
The munah ֣ to the fifth, B. The atnah ֑ to the fourth, A.
The accents under the text define the current reciting note. This is the missing clue in every other interpretation of the accents - also called te-amim, marks of taste, or cantilation marks, or hand-signals.
First the file definition :
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="no"?>
<!DOCTYPE score-partwise PUBLIC "-//Recordare//DTD MusicXML 3.0
Partwise//EN" "http://www.musicxml.org/dtds/partwise.dtd">
<score-partwise
version="3.1"><identification><encoding><supports
element="accidental"
type="no"/></encoding></identification>
<defaults> -- see the full file at the link below for the hard coded defaults
- defining the paper size etc.
<credit
page="1"><credit-words
default-x="595.238"
default-y="1626.98"
font-size="16"
justify="center"
valign="top">Genesis 1</credit-words> -- title is input
</credit><credit
page="1">
<credit-words
default-x="56.6893"
default-y="1559.98"
font-size="10"
justify="left"
valign="top">[Mode 1] -- mode is input
based on the work of Suzanne Haik-Vantoura
</credit-words>
</credit>
<credit
page="1">
<credit-words
default-x="1133.79"
default-y="1559.98"
font-size="10"
justify="right"
valign="top">Transcription automated
http://meafar.blogspot.com</credit-words>
</credit><credit
page="1"><credit-words
default-x="595.238"
default-y="113.379"
justify="center"
valign="bottom">
source data www.tanach.us/Tanach.xml. Transcription software (v3.3) by Bob
MacDonald via GX-LEAF (www.gx.ca). Victoria BC 2016.01.25
Range: C4 -E5 verses 31 measures 257 words 434 syllables 1025 max recitation
34 </credit-words>
</credit> <part-list><score-part
id="P1"><part-name/><score-instrument
id="P1-I3"><instrument-name/></score-instrument></score-part></part-list>
<part id="P1">
The part is defined by measure. For every reciting-note there is a measure - The program must limit the
size and extend the measure to two if the recitation is very long. I have found that a
maximum of 24 beats in a bar works for all the Bible and in my music program (Musescore). There are only a few recitations of such length.
<measure number="1"> -- calculate measure number as the text is read
<attributes> <divisions>6</divisions> -- hard coded to allow for triplets & duplets
see (e.g.) https://www.w3.org/2021/06/musicxml40/musicxml-reference/elements/divisions/
<key><fifths>0</fifths> -- number of flats or sharps - this is calculated as follows:
case when l_poetry = '1' and pl_mode = '2' then '4'
when pl_mode = '8' then '2' -- locrian - experimental
when pl_mode = '3' then '4'
when l_poetry = '1' then '1'
when pl_mode = '5' or pl_mode = '6' then '0'
when pl_mode <> '1' then '1'
else '0' end
l_poetry is '1' if the chapter is poetry (Psalms, Proverbs and
most of the book of Job except chapters 1, 2, 42, and the narrator's
verses),
pl_mode is the input parameter stating the mode
for the chapter. See
this post for the mode scales.
<mode>major</mode></key> -- hard coded - irrelevant but probably needed for the XML
<clef><sign>G</sign><line>2</line></clef></attributes> -- all generated music is single line treble clef suitable for voice(s). The pitch is arbitrary and may be transposed for alto or bass. Generally speaking though, the range is limited e to E and the high D and E are rare.
Text - word by word - Hebrew
<direction placement="above">
<direction-type>
<words font-size="12">
1.1
בְּרֵאשִׁ֖ית
</words></direction-type></direction>
Notes - syllable by syllable - for lyric 1 - split by syllabic begin-middle-end (determines hyphenation)
<note><pitch><step>E</step><octave>4</octave>
</pitch><duration>6</duration><voice>1</voice><type>quarter</type>
<lyric
number="1"><syllabic>begin</syllabic><text>be</text></lyric>
</note>
<note><pitch><step>E</step><octave>4</octave>
</pitch><duration>6</duration><voice>1</voice><type>quarter</type>
<lyric
number="1"><syllabic>middle</syllabic><text>rei</text></lyric>
</note>
<barline
location="right">
<bar-style>dotted</bar-style>
</barline>
</measure>
<measure number="2">
<note><pitch><step>G</step><alter>1</alter><octave>4</octave>
</pitch><duration>6</duration><voice>1</voice><type>quarter</type>
<lyric number="1"><syllabic>end</syllabic><text>shit</text></lyric>
</note>
<direction
placement="above"><direction-type>
<words
font-size="12">
בָּרָ֣א
</words></direction-type></direction>
<note><pitch><step>G</step><alter>1</alter><octave>4</octave>
</pitch><duration>6</duration><voice>1</voice><type>quarter</type>
<lyric
number="1"><syllabic>begin</syllabic><text>ba</text></lyric>
</note>
<barline
location="right">
<bar-style>dotted</bar-style>
</barline>
</measure>
<measure number="3">
<note><pitch><step>B</step><octave>4</octave>
</pitch><duration>6</duration><voice>1</voice><type>quarter</type>
<lyric
number="1"><syllabic>end</syllabic><text>ra</text></lyric>
</note>
<direction
placement="above"><direction-type>
<words
font-size="12">
אֱלֹהִ֑ים
</words></direction-type></direction>
<note><pitch><step>B</step><octave>4</octave>
</pitch><duration>6</duration><voice>1</voice><type>quarter</type>
<lyric
number="1"><syllabic>begin</syllabic><text>e</text></lyric>
</note>
<note><pitch><step>B</step><octave>4</octave>
</pitch><duration>6</duration><voice>1</voice><type>quarter</type>
<lyric
number="1"><syllabic>middle</syllabic><text>lo</text></lyric>
</note>
<barline
location="right">
<bar-style>dotted</bar-style>
</barline>
</measure>
<measure number="4">
<note><pitch><step>A</step><octave>4</octave>
</pitch><duration>6</duration><voice>1</voice><type>quarter</type>
<notations><articulations><caesura
default-x="31"
default-y="-10"/></articulations></notations>
<lyric
number="1"><syllabic>end</syllabic><text>him</text></lyric>
</note>
<barline
location="right">
<bar-style>dotted</bar-style>
</barline>
</measure>
Then keep going till the end of the section you are producing (verse or group
of verses, or chapter etc).
Full score for Genesis 1 is here in
MusicXML. (Indentation varies - whim of the programmer!)
This is the overall shape, though we have stopped in the middle of a verse at the cadence on the atnah. And there are no ornaments in this verse. The measure may continue after the caesura and a rest <note><rest/><duration>6</duration><voice>1</voice>
</note>
if there is no change in the reciting note.
After every verse is done:
<!--C4 -E5 verse 31 measures 257 words 434 syllables 1025 max recit 34-->
</part></score-partwise>
ends the score
And the result is this:
 |
| The music for the XML above |
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