Poetry without poetic te'amim in the Torah

 Based on this list from @charles_loder, I thought I should look at the text and music per the deciphering key of Suzanne Haïk-Vantoura. 

Any disagreements or something missed? pic.twitter.com/u7ljseG7WM

— Charles Loder (@charles_loder) September 30, 2024

So here is the first one - I admit I hadn't seen this particular one in a list before as an example of poetry.

Genesis 2:23 -- Adam re Eve

The verse certainly fits some of the characteristics of poetry if we allow the zaqef-qatan to represent a line feed. The syllables can be counted from the lyrics omitting bar 1 which has 5 syllables: 10, 6 // 7, 7. In the poetry of the psalms, the lines are measured by the verses. Here, we must break the verses down using other accents for separation.

23 And the human said, This pulse is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh. This one will be called woman. For from man this one was taken.
כג ויאמר֮ הֽאדם֒ ז֣את הפ֗עם ע֚צם מֽעצמ֔י ובש֖ר מבשר֑י לזאת֙ יקר֣א אש֔ה כ֥י מא֖יש לֽקחה־זֽאת	22 14		cg viamr hadm zat hpym yxm myxmii ubwr mbwri lzat iiqra aiwh ci maiw luqkh-zat

I do not use the usual terms (disjunctive and conjunctive) because most accents when you look at many instances do not always fall into a single category. They may or may not have a pausal value. In all 24 books we can rely on the atnah to be a separator of the verse into two (not necessarily equal) parts.

Zaqef-qatan in the 21 books also usually implies pausal value -- my software now inserts a breath mark under some conditions.

In the 3 books, we can rely on the ole-veyored (if it is used) to separate the first part of or even a whole verse. If both these these cadence accents are used in a verse, then they reliably separate the verse into 3 parts (again not necessarily equal). The zaqef-qatan is not used in the 3 books. Sometimes, a singer might breathe at a revia in the poetry. Look at psalm 1 here for instance. On how many of the revia's would you take a breath? Perhaps the one in bar 21. The others don't invite a pause at all.

Example 2: Lamech to his wives:

Genesis 4:23-24

In the following, the revia invites a pause - but only after you have read the whole verse and observed the parallelism. With verse 23, you have to work the lines down to poetic lengths. The pause is more obvious from the rise to the C in bar 2. This is better than a long look-ahead requirement. A breath is needed at the revia. With verse 24, the work is done by the atnah.

23 and Lamech said to his wives Adah and Zillah, Hear my voice, wives of Lamech, give ear to what I say, for I have slain someone for inflicting wounds on me, a juvenile for my stripes.
כג וי֨אמר ל֜מך לנש֗יו עד֤ה וצלה֙ שמ֣ען קול֔י נש֣י ל֔מך האז֖נה אמרת֑י כ֣י א֤יש הר֙גתי֙ לפצע֔י וי֖לד לחברתֽי	(8) 10 10 =28 8 8 =16		cg viamr lmç lnwiv ydh vxilh wmyn qoli nwi lmç haznh amrti ci aiw hrgti lpxyi vild lkburti
24 ♪f For seven times vengeance for Cain, and Lamech seventy and seven.
כד כ֥י שבעת֖ים יקם־ק֑ין ול֖מך שבע֥ים ושבעֽה	8 8		cd ci wbytiim iuqm-qin vlmç wbyim vwbyh

Enough for the first post in response to Charles' tweet.

Book 5 - Psalms 137 to 150

This is the last data dump for the moment. It's a lot of data to analyse and yet it is insufficient.

We have been pointed to a few clues in this long set of posts: 

• one is that the interval e to B and B to e are more frequent in the music of the poetry than in the music of the prose books. We could possibly ask about other intervals.
• Another is that the tenor hasn't told us much yet. The pair of words, tenor and ambitus, which apply nicely to a single reciting note for plainsong, do not apply so simply to a musical framework with 6 or 7 commonly used reciting pitches in each psalm.

Is it possible that with the destruction of the temples in Jerusalem, the complexity of their musical system was too much to carry on with only aural transmission and without a school.

The deciphering of the notation certainly allows for us to recreate a tradition -- would it be beautiful? Would it really be time-travel or just something new - with a set of restrictions that few musicians would want to experiment with?

f#
PSALM	Syllables	d	e	f#	g	A	B	C
137	181	5.52	19.34	28.73	9.39	17.68	5.52	13.81	By the rivers of Babel - there we sat, yea we wept, when we remembered Zion.
g
138	181	4.97	18.23	20.99	22.10	12.71	14.92	6.08	Of David. I will give you thanks with all my heart. Before gods I will sing you a psalm.
A
139	429	1.17	18.18	20.98	13.29	25.64	18.65	2.10	For the leader, of David, a psalm. Yahweh you have examined me and you know.
f#
140	274	.73	22.63	23.36	13.50	16.42	19.34	4.01	For the leader. A psalm of David.
e
141	228	2.19	23.68	21.93	6.58	15.79	21.05	8.77	A psalm of David, Yahweh, I call to you. Hurry to me. Give ear to my voice when I call to you.
e
142	173	7.51	21.97	17.92	11.56	13.87	17.34	9.83	An insight Of David, when he was in the cave. A prayer.
f#
143	302	2.98	20.20	21.52	10.60	16.23	14.24	14.24	A psalm of David. Yahweh hear my prayer. Give ear to my supplication. In your faithfulness answer me, in your righteousness.
f#
144	331	.91	22.05	25.68	19.34	12.69	14.20	5.14	Of David. Blessed is Yahweh my rock, the teacher of my hands to close combat, my fingers to war.
A - the last acrostic - why celebrate psalm 144? Compare psalm 8.
145	406	.00	20.44	18.72	16.01	24.38	18.47	1.97	A praise of David. I will exalt you my God the king, and I will bless your name forever and ever.
C - the Psalter definitely ends on a high!
146	195	.00	14.87	18.97	11.28	14.36	19.49	21.03	Hallelu Yah. Praise Yahweh, O my being.
B
147	341	.00	19.06	15.54	13.20	17.89	30.50	3.81	Hallelu Yah, for it is good to sing a psalm to our God, for it is pleasant. Praise is lovely.
A
148	254	.00	19.29	19.69	13.39	25.59	13.78	8.27	Hallelu Yah. Praise Yahweh from the heavens. Praise him on the high ground.
B
149	157	.00	22.29	15.92	12.10	20.38	24.20	5.10	Hallelu Yah. Sing to Yahweh a new song. His praise in the congregation of the-many who are under mercy.
A
150	95	.00	12.63	29.47	13.68	30.53	13.68	.00	Hallelu Yah. Praise God in his holiness. Praise him in the expanse of his strength.

Book 5 - Psalms 120 to 136 -- The Psalms of Ascent and their doubled summary.

Notice how all these psalms except 136 are all tied together. Each incipit begins on a note other than the tonic, e. This suggests that the psalms recall something prior. Mitchell (2014, The Songs of Ascent) suggests that these blessing psalms hearken back to the Priestly benediction. This follows from the language used. It's clear too that they are all tied to each other.

Psalm 135 is not a psalm of the ascents but it is tied to them by its opening note. Psalm 136 uses 30 of the same roots as 135, 20 of them in the same sequence. Verse 1 of psalm 136 is the same as verse 1 of psalms 106, 107, and 118. It is also found in Jeremiah 33, 1 Chronicles 16 and 2 Chronicles 5, 7, and 20. These words and the celebration of these poems refer to the kindness of God as noted in Exodus 34:6 -- the same keywords we encountered in psalm 85, one of what I called the shofar psalms.

The Psalter is a commentary on Torah - a central revelation is this verse.

6 And Yahweh, passed over before him, and he called, Yahweh, Yahweh, a God compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abundant in kindness and truth,
ו ויעב֨ר יהו֥ה על־פניו֮ ויקרא֒ יהו֣ה יהו֔ה א֥ל רח֖ום וחנ֑ון א֥רך אפ֖ים ורב־ח֥סד ואמֽת	22 11		v viybor ihvh yl-pniv viqra ihvh ihvh al rkum vknun arç apiim vrb-ksd vamt

Truth is in short supply these days...

e - incipit recurs 9 times in this group of psalms.
PSALM	Syllables	d	e	f#	g	A	B	C
120	111	.00	27.03	16.22	18.02	23.42	15.32	.00	A song of the ascents. To Yahweh when I am trouble bound, I call and he answers me.
e
121	124	.00	33.06	21.77	8.87	28.23	8.06	.00	A song to the ascents. I will lift up my eyes to the hills. From where comes my help?
A - incipit recurs 5 times
122	150	4.00	13.33	10.67	18.67	30.67	20.00	2.67	A song of the ascents, Of David. I was glad when they said to me, Up to the house of Yahweh we will walk.
e
123	97	10.31	28.87	15.46	9.28	17.53	17.53	1.03	A song of the ascents. To you I lift up my eyes, the one sitting in the heavens.
f#
124	141	1.42	18.44	29.79	16.31	18.44	15.60	.00	A song of the ascents, of David. Unless Yahweh had been for us, May Israel say,
e
125	125	7.20	23.20	17.60	19.20	13.60	6.40	12.80	A song of the ascents. Those trusting in Yahweh, are like mount Zion. It will not be moved. Forever it will persist.
f#
126	120	9.17	19.17	28.33	12.50	15.83	6.67	8.33	A song of the ascents. When Yahweh turned the captivity of Zion, we became like dreamers.
C - 127:1 is one of 37 verses in the poetry (28 in the psalms) whose musical phrase ends 'C e '
127	121	3.31	22.31	18.18	4.96	10.74	17.36	23.14	A song of the ascents, of Solomon. If Yahweh does not build a house, in vain its builders toil in it. If Yahweh does not keep a city, in vain the vigilant keeps watch.
A
128	114	1.75	19.30	21.93	14.91	23.68	16.67	1.75	A song of the ascents. Happy all who fear Yahweh, who walk in his ways.
129	126	.00	18.25	18.25	19.05	19.84	17.46	7.14	A song of the ascents. Exceedingly they troubled me from my youth, may Israel say.
A - unique incipit to rest on A rather than f#
130	133	2.26	18.80	24.81	12.03	28.57	13.53	.00	A song of the ascents. From the valleys I call to you Yahweh.
g
131	76	.00	15.79	13.16	26.32	15.79	13.16	15.79	A song of the ascents, Of David. Yahweh not haughty is my heart nor exalted my eyes, nor do I walk in great things or in wonders beyond me.
A
132	322	1.55	23.91	22.67	9.94	30.43	10.87	.62	A song of the ascents. Yahweh, remember David, with all his afflictions.
e
133	78	2.56	25.64	19.23	15.38	15.38	6.41	15.38	A song of the ascents, of David. Here! How fine and how pleasant it is, for kin to sit as one.
e = A
134	59	.00	25.42	22.03	13.56	25.42	8.47	5.08	A song of the ascents. Here! bless Yahweh, all servants of Yahweh, those standing in the house of Yahweh in the nights.
A - psalms beginning with halleluiah: 106, 111, 112, 113, 146-150
135	385	.52	14.29	15.58	15.32	26.23	21.04	7.01	Hallelu Yah. Praise the name of Yahweh. Praise O servants of Yahweh,
g
136	400	.00	14.25	1.00	42.25	7.75	33.50	1.25	Give thanks to Yahweh because it is good, because forever is his kindness.

Book 5 - Psalms 107 to 119

One more book to go and the data for analysis will be 'out there' for the wisdom of someone to examine it in more detail and see the clues if there are any to the tone of each psalm as depicted by the music. I hope to ask some more questions of the data in due course. I have divided Book 5 into 3 sections -- 107 to 119, then the psalms of ascents and the response 120-136. Then the remainder.

What sort of music is this? Is it just recitative? It depends. Some psalms are natural hymns. Some are natural arias, sometimes with refrain. One has to look at each in turn. I have generated the music (in XML, PDF and other forms) for the entire Bible, but I certainly have not heard every part of it. In this section of the psalms, I have set in English translation all the series from 110 to 117. I used them or parts of them as conclusions to each part of an oratorio I wrote some time ago. All this was experimental and it certainly taught me about the content of the psalms I set.

It was 12 years ago that I published my first book on the psalms. It is called Seeing the Psalter. At the time, I had only begun to hear the music. In retrospect, I think that writing without the music was a necessary mistake. One has to start somewhere, and the Hebrew Bible is neither a slam dunk nor a speed read. Nor is it a formula for salvation. It is rather a literary record of a people. And every type of genre is available in the library that chronicles this record. The Psalter is a microcosm of the Hebrew Bible. If the whole is meant to teach us how to govern ourselves, the psalms particularly are for the formation of a people of mercy, a task that needs accomplishing in every generation.

If you are setting the music and are fluent in Hebrew, you will know the rhythms intuitively. If you are setting lyrics to music in your own tongue, you will equally know the rhythms of your language and the musical form may suggest itself to you. The shape and tone of the Hebrew melodies will provide an equivalent shape for the new lyrics - and will often surprise you. There is a book to be written perhaps called Hearing the Psalter.

A - I haven't set this one, but I dimly recall in the days of my diagramming that I wrote it out as a hymn with refrain.
PSALM	Syllables	d	e	f#	g	A	B	C
107	721	.00	23.44	12.48	17.34	23.58	23.16	.00	Give thanks to Yahweh for it is good, for his kindness is forever,
tenor is e - this psalm repeats parts of psalms 57 and 60 - both of which have B as the tenor.
108	242	.00	21.49	21.07	14.46	16.53	20.66	5.79	A song. A psalm of David.
e - some of this looks like solo and some like a nasty chorus
109	572	1.22	21.85	19.23	13.46	20.80	17.83	5.59	For the leader, of David a psalm. God of my praise do not be silent.
f# -- It looks as if I set the whole psalm -- some of it lends itself to chorale treatment.
110	145	1.38	20.69	22.07	13.10	16.55	19.31	6.90	Of David a psalm, an oracle of Yahweh to my Lord. Sit at my right hand, till I set your enemies as your footstool.
A - the first acrostic to celebrate psalm 110 - setting in part here
111	183	.00	13.11	14.21	23.50	24.04	17.49	7.65	Hallelu Yah. I will thank Yahweh with a whole heart, Before the council of the upright, and assembly.
B - the second acrostic for psalm 110 - setting in part with 111 above
112	179	.00	12.85	19.55	19.55	16.76	22.35	8.94	Hallelu Yah. A happy person fears Yahweh. By his commandments he has much delight.
e - This psalm lends itself to chorale treatment. I have used the last verse of 110 to tie all these psalms together.
113	136	.00	27.21	23.53	9.56	24.26	14.71	.74	Hallelu Yah. Praise servants of Yahweh. Praise the name of Yahweh.
A - this psalm is still sung to tonus peregrinus in church tradition. The tune of the 'wandering' 'mode' is very close to this deciphering of the accents.
114	128	.00	14.06	10.16	17.19	35.94	22.66	.00	When Israel came out from Egypt, the house of Jacob from an exotic people,
g - 115 is sung attacca from 114 -- so no one gets the wrong idea about who did what
115	313	1.28	15.34	12.14	23.96	22.68	19.81	4.79	Not to us Yahweh not to us, but to your name give glory, over your kindness, over your truth.
A - This is a solo aria with refrain
116	302	.66	20.53	14.24	16.23	22.85	18.21	7.28	I love, for Yahweh heard, the voice of my supplication.
e - the shortest chapter in Tanach
117	34	.00	26.47	17.65	11.76	20.59	5.88	17.65	Praise Yahweh, all nations. Commend him, all the clans.
e - A and B are close. The psalm holds part of the origin of the Sanctus and Benedictus. I have used the Hebrew melodies in the precursors to set a Missa Brevis and several Canticles. The Hosanna is one of my favorites. I think it would be fun to sing.
118	431	.46	22.27	16.71	14.62	21.58	21.58	2.78	Give thanks to Yahweh for it is good, for his kindness is forever.
This psalm is 22 short poems. The tenor of each poem is different from the tenor of the whole. No part of the psalm uses the reciting note d (galgal).
PSALM	Syllables	d	e	f#	g	A	B	C
119	2837	.00	24.53	17.66	15.83	22.88	18.12	.99
1	113	.00	21.24	38.94	12.39	23.01	4.42	.00	All joy for the complete of the way, who walk in the instruction of Yahweh.
2	120	.00	28.33	18.33	13.33	28.33	11.67	.00	But how will a youth clear his path, to keep it according to your word?
3	129	.00	23.26	18.60	17.83	20.93	17.83	1.55	Grow your servant. I will live and keep your word.
4	124	.00	27.42	17.74	14.52	31.45	8.87	.00	Dust-cleaved is my being. give me life according to your word.
5	130	.00	21.54	16.15	30.77	15.38	16.15	.00	Help me learn Yahweh the way of your statutes and I will observe with foot firmly planted.
6	141	.00	38.30	23.40	14.18	3.55	20.57	.00	Well come to me is your mercy, Yahweh, your salvation as your promise.
7	123	.00	26.83	9.76	18.70	16.26	22.76	5.69	You remember a word to your servant, on which you give me hope.
8	128	.00	23.44	22.66	13.28	22.66	17.97	.00	Chosen share, mine you are, Yahweh. I have promised to keep your word.
9	126	.00	26.19	13.49	7.94	27.78	19.84	4.76	Too well you have dealt with your servant, Yahweh, through your word.
10	149	.00	20.81	7.38	12.75	28.86	30.20	.00	Your hands have made me and established me. Give me understanding and I will teach your commandments.
11	131	.00	24.43	12.21	14.50	27.48	21.37	.00	Faints my being for your salvation. Of your word I have hoped.
12	129	.00	19.38	13.18	27.13	20.93	17.83	1.55	LORD (Yahweh) forever your word, stands firm in heaven.
13	129	.00	27.91	20.16	13.18	16.28	18.60	3.88	My - how I love your instruction. All the day long it is my pondering.
14	127	.00	29.13	22.05	7.09	22.05	19.69	.00	Nigh a lamp to my feet is your word, and light to my pathway.
15	133	.00	22.56	22.56	6.02	30.08	18.80	.00	Schismatics I hate, and your instruction I have loved.
16	125	.00	21.60	17.60	14.40	26.40	17.60	2.40	Insure your servant for good. Do not let the presumptuous oppress me.
17	130	.00	20.00	18.46	21.54	28.46	11.54	.00	Plentiful of wonders are your testimonies, therefore my being will observe them.
18	120	.00	20.83	25.83	10.83	22.50	20.00	.00	So righteous you are, Yahweh, and upright are your judgments.
19	127	.00	18.90	17.32	21.26	25.98	16.54	.00	Queried I with a whole heart, answer me Yahweh. Your statutes I will observe.
20	132	.00	25.76	15.15	15.15	26.52	17.42	.00	Regard my poverty and rescue me, for your instruction I do not forget.
21	130	.00	20.77	11.54	26.92	24.62	16.15	.00	Sultans persecute me for nothing, but from your word my heart stands in dread.
22	141	.00	29.79	10.64	14.18	15.60	27.66	2.13	To your presence let my shout of joy come near, Yahweh. According to your word, give me understanding.

Book 4 - Psalms 90 -106

There are 17 psalms in book 4. Over half (10) of them are without inscription or incipit.
Summary: tenor on e: 2, f#: 4, g: 1, A: 7, B: 4, C: 0. Aside - based on syllables, I think the original singers must have sung the Name. By the way, all the scores of the music for the Hebrew Bible are available from the music page.

Of Moses - not unexpectedly, the tenor is A - the mid-verse rest pitch

Of Moses - not unexpectedly, the tenor is A - the mid-verse rest pitch

PSALM

Syllables

d

e

f#

g

A

B

C

90

361

3.88

19.39

17.45

12.74

20.78

19.39

6.37

A prayer of Moses the man of God.
My Lord, a habitation you yourself have become for us, from generation to generation.

A - responding to psalm 90 - without inscription.

91

282

.00

23.76

11.70

16.31

24.47

20.21

3.55

One sitting in the secret of the Most High,
in the shadow of the Sufficient will bide.

Sabbath - B - proclamation

92

275

2.18

17.45

16.73

17.45

18.55

23.64

4.00

A psalm. A song to the day of the Sabbath.

B- no inscription - no incipit

93

102

1.96

22.55

10.78

7.84

14.71

29.41

12.75

Yahweh reigns, pride clothed.
Clothed is Yahweh, strength self-girded.
Indeed the world is established so it will not move.

B- no inscription - no incipit

94

387

.00

19.64

13.44

16.54

21.45

24.03

4.91

God of vengeance, Yahweh,
God of vengeance, shine.

A- no inscription - no incipit - 94, 95, and 96 appear to be a unit

95

209

.00

17.22

14.83

16.75

26.32

14.35

10.53

Walk! Let us shout aloud to Yahweh.
Let us shout in triumph to the rock of our salvation.

f#- no inscription - no incipit - initial note suggests a response to psalm 95

96

258

.78

17.44

29.07

14.73

15.50

14.34

8.14

Sing to Yahweh a new song.
Sing to Yahweh all the earth.

B- no inscription - no incipit

97

231

.00

18.18

16.88

16.88

18.61

24.24

5.19

Yahweh reigns. Let the earth rejoice.
Let the multitude of coasts be glad.

f# and A - very short incipit

98

182

2.75

20.88

21.98

10.99

21.98

14.29

7.14

A psalm. Sing to Yahweh a new song, for wonders he has done.
His right hand brought salvation for him and his holy arm.

f#- no inscription - no incipit

99

201

2.49

19.40

24.38

16.92

9.45

15.92

11.44

Yahweh reigns. Let peoples shudder.
He sits on the cherubim. Let the earth be displaced.

f#

100

98

.00

21.43

29.59

8.16

12.24

14.29

14.29

A psalm of thanksgiving.
Raise a shout to Yahweh all the earth.

e

101

188

4.79

36.17

20.74

8.51

12.23

12.77

4.79

Of David, a Psalm.
Mercy and judgment I will sing.
To you Yahweh I will sing a psalm.

e - connected to 101

102

515

.97

24.47

17.28

16.50

22.33

15.92

2.52

A prayer of the poor when disabled,
and before the face of Yahweh he pours out his pondering.

A

103

407

.00

18.92

20.64

13.51

24.57

19.41

2.95

Of David. Bless Yahweh, O my being,
and all within me his holy name.

g- no inscription - no incipit

104

661

.30

20.12

16.94

20.88

18.61

17.40

5.75

Bless Yahweh, O my being.
Yahweh my God, you are very great.
You are clothed with splendour and honour,

A - no inscription - no incipit

105

697

.00

18.79

7.46

15.64

28.69

28.26

1.15

Give thanks to Yahweh. Call in his name.
Make known among the peoples his prodigality.

A- no inscription - no incipit

106

880

1.25

20.91

15.68

16.14

25.80

13.98

6.25

Hallelu Yah. Give thanks to Yahweh for it is good.
For his kindness is forever.