Share page | Visit Us On FB |
34 |
CURIOSITIES OF MUSIC. |
||
familiar to the people, and improvised, while the people kept the rhythm, or sang refrains.
Of course the element of poetry was immeasurably greater among the Israelites than among the Negroes, but the similarity of improvisation and religious fervor is noticeable.
"When Miriam sang, there was as yet no distinctive style of Hebrew music; we must remember that she had obtained an Egyptian education, and that up to David's time the music was an imitation of the Egyptian school.
The raptures of some commentators as to the exceeding beauty of the music of David, are quite safe, for it is easy to affirm where no one can bring rebutting evidence, but if it partook of the loudness of most ancient and barbarous music,—"Play Bkillfully, and with a loud noise," Psalms xxxiii: 2 —our modern music may after all be some com-ensation for its utter loss and oblivion. |
|||
|
|||