History of Zionism, 1600-1918, Vol. 2 (of 2)Sokolow, Nahum
History
History of Zionism, 1600-1918, Vol. 2 (of 2)
Sokolow, Nahum
Jews -- Restoration; Zionism -- History
“... Isaac Nathan, a fashionable singing master of London ... conceived
the idea of imitating the ‘Irish Melodies’ of Thomas Moore (batches
of which had been published since 1807, with the greatest success)....
Less fortunate than Moore, Byron’s verses were not wedded to melodies
of the national type they professed, because even before Nathan had
thus exhausted his choice, he had made a most superficial search
through the repertory of the Anglo-Jewish synagogues of his day, which,
by the way, had not yet experienced the inspiringly melodious influence
of ‘Polish’ _Chazanuth_.... The opening poem, ‘She walks in beauty,’
for example, he set to a tawdry _Lecha Dodi_.... But among the six
actually ‘Hebrew’ melodies, there were one or two exceptions to the
general inferiority of the music; and prominent among these was the
tender and expressive air to which, by a happy inspiration, Nathan set
the verses:――
‘O weep for those that wept by Babel’s stream.’
Here, at least,
‘Music and sweet poetry agreed,
As well they should, the sister and the brother’;
and the result became world famous as a type of what Hebrew melody
might be. It has often been republished; and has also appeared in other
settings, as by the Rev. M. Hast to Ibn Gabirol’s hymn:――
‘At morn I beseech Thee,’
or by Ernst Pauer in his Traditional Hebrew Melodies. But what is
more especially known to and prized by musicians, it forms the only
pianoforte composition of Robert Franz, the great songwriter, under
the title
‘Beweinet, die geweint an Babel’s Strand,’
and as such, it has become famous.... The origin of the melody is ...
simply the old chant of the _Cohanim_ on the Festivals, as it used to
be sung in London synagogues on the Passover a hundred years ago, with
a joyous touch of Pesach tune....”¹
¹ _Jewish Chronicle_, 1st April, 1904, page 21.
LI.
“REMINISCENCES OF LORD BYRON ... POETRY, ETC.,
OF LADY CAROLINE LAMB,” BY ISAAC NATHAN
FUGITIVE Pieces And Reminiscences Of Lord Byron:
Containing An Entire New Edition Of The Hebrew Melodies, With The
Addition Of Several Never Before Published;
The Whole Illustrated With Critical, Historical, Theatrical, Political,
And Theological Remarks, Notes, Anecdotes, Interesting Conversations,
And Observations, Made By That Illustrious Poet: Together With His
Lordship’s Autograph.
Also Some Original Poetry, Letters And Recollections Of Lady Caroline
Lamb.
By I. Nathan, Author Of An Essay On The History And Theory Of Music,
The Hebrew Melodies, &c. &c....
London: ... 1829.
(8º. xxxvi. + 196 + 11 _pp._) [I. S.]
LII.
“SELECTION OF HEBREW MELODIES,” BY JOHN BRAHAM AND ISAAC NATHAN
A Selection of Hebrew Melodies Ancient and Modern with appropriate
Symphonies & accompaniments.
By I. Braham & I. Nathan.
The Poetry written expressly for the work By the Right Hon. Lord
Byron....
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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