Sorrow #Messiah texts Lamentations 1:12

30. Arioso (tenor) – Behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto his sorrow.

Lamentations 1:12

 

ל֣וֹא אֲלֵיכֶם֮ כָּל־עֹ֣בְרֵי דֶרֶךְ֒ הַבִּ֣יטוּ וּרְא֗וּ אִם־יֵ֤שׁ מַכְאוֹב֙ כְּמַכְאֹבִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר עוֹלַ֖ל לִ֑י אֲשֶׁר֙ הוֹגָ֣ה יְהוָ֔ה בְּי֖וֹם חֲר֥וֹן אַפּֽוֹ ס		12 ♪B Look now, (Is it not for you, all you passing this way?) and see if there is sorrow like my sorrow which is prodigal as mine, with which Yahweh saddened in the day of his fierce anger.
ib la alicm cl-yobri drç hbi'tu urau am-iw mcaob cmcaobi awr yoll li awr hogh ihvh biom kron apo s	27 13	lva al\icm cl ybr\i drc h/b't\v v/ra\v am iw m/cab cm/cab\i awr yvll l\i awr hv/gh ihvh b/ivm kr\vn ap\v

In setting Lamentations, I only got as far as verse 4. I love the opening phrase - so utterly simple and poignant. Verse 12 sounds the same solemn proclamatory note on the dominant. You can't make this up. The fact is that the mapping of the te'amim under the text to a modal scale of reciting notes is a brilliant understanding of the ancient design of the music. If it weren't intended, Haïk-Vantoura would not have found it. It is not a subjective move on her part. Sometimes I wonder if musicologists are really musicians.