[2016-04-18] Yigdal
0Originally recorded and posted to Facebook on 2016-04-18.
Original caption on Facebook:
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The Yigdal is one of the prayers in the Jewish service, although in English/Christian terminology, it's probably more accurately called a "hymn" than a "prayer".
Like many of the prayers/hymns in Judaism, there are many different tunes by which they are sung, often some traditional melody has evolved different ways and developed different peculiarities in different communities.
In any case, there are two main melodies for the Yigdal which I have encountered in Perth, and this is one of them. I really really like the song, I like the chanting feel of it, I like to emulate the Jewish cantors by putting on this deep laryngeal voice. Unfortunately, I really should have done some vocal exercises beforehand, because about half way through the song my voice started to hurt a bit 😛. It's still hurting now 😣.
As for the content of the song, it lists the "13 Principles of Faith", basically 13 core tenets of what Jews believe. It does so in a "call-and-response" type fashion, the first principle is to be sung alone by the cantor, the second is to be sung by everyone in the synagogue, the third again by the cantor, the fourth by everyone in the synagogue, and so on, with the thirteenth being sung by both. You'll hear the two alternative melodies for each principle, one for the cantor, and one for the congregation.
Needless to say, I do not believe in Judaism at all, and up until recently I would have just played or sung the tune (which I really love for its beauty) and not the words. But recently I just thought..... fuck it. I can appreciate the beauty of a song and sing a song of the Jewish religion in which I was raised, and it doesn't have to mean shit. It actually is a really beautiful song, both musically *and lyrically*. The *lyrics* of Yigdal are some fine Hebrew poetry. And I can appreciate them for that. And I can sing them in this chazzanic voice and emulate the typical Jewish way of singing these religious songs. The deep and uplifting spiritual music that was a part of my childhood. I can appreciate and enjoy the music and even the poetry without ascribing *truth* or *belief* to it. I mean, if I can't, then am I not just as bound by Judaism as I was before I left?
Also, for the musicians in the audience, note the key of the song.
It's actually in what I call the "Jewish scale", and which wikipedia calls the "Oriental chromatic scale":
1 2♭ 3 4 5 6♭ 7♭ 8
Or in this particular instance:
D Eb F# G A Bb C D
Note how interestingly, this means that the tonic chord is *major*, 1-3-5, even though the scale has a particular "minor feel" to it.
In fact, this "Jewish scale" is actually equivalent (or "isomorphic" as a mathematician would say) to a harmonic minor but starting on the fifth:
Compare the Jewish scale on D:
D Eb F# G A Bb C D
To the harmonic minor on G:
G A Bb C D Eb F# G
The chords I transition between are: D major, G minor and C minor.
i.e. the dominant, tonic and subdominant of G harmonic minor.
🙂
For those interested in a translation or transliteration:
http://zemirotdatabase.org/view_song.php?id=95
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Full playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLr8zAQMT1EkphrHTiTemyqan9-ausbV4g