Learn How To Play Ancient Lyres - Lesson #10 !
4This is my 10th lesson on how to play the Kinnor...the ancient Jewish Lyre, once played by King David, & by my very own, very ancient, VERY cool, Levite ancestors, over 2000 years ago - IN THE TEMPLE OF JERUSALEM!
All of my 9 albums of mystical, ancient lyre music are now available from iTunes...
1)"An Ancient Lyre": http://bit.ly/dhCozi
2)"King David's Lyre; Echoes of Ancient Israel":
http://bit.ly/9PCIua
3)"The Ancient Biblical Lyre": http://bit.ly/9hTDje
4)"Lyre of the Levites": http://bit.ly/9baWuM
5)"Apollo's Lyre": http://bit.ly/dhCozi
6)"Ancient Times -- Music of The Ancient World":
http://bit.ly/aRF5PD
7)"The Ancient Greek Modes": http://bit.ly/cZks0o
8)"The Ancient Greek Lyre": http://bit.ly/bxO7Ra
9)"Ancient Visions -- New Compositions for an Ancient Lyre": http://bit.ly/dCPmRN
Physical CDs are also available anywhere in the world from CD Baby, for 3 of my best selling albums:
"An Ancient Lyre": http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/mlevy4
"King David's Lyre; Echoes of Ancient Israel":
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/mlevy
"Lyre of the Levites": http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/mlevy2
For full details about my albums of lyre music, and the fascinating ancient historical background, please visit my official website:
http://www.ancientlyre.com
In this lesson, I will demonstrate how to play on the lyre, the traditional melody usually sang to "Adon Olam"(Lord of the World); one of the beautiful closing hymns sang at the end of a traditional Shabbat Service.
The melody is in the melodic minor scale, starting on D, so the 10 strings of the Kinnor are tuned:
DEFGABbCDEF
I also demonstrate how it is possible to play sharps and flats on a replica of an ancient lyre...without the benefit of having sharpening levers, which are usually found on harps today!
The notes of the melody are:
AABbA, GFED, AA high E high D C
B natural A G# A, A
A B natural C# high D, AAGF, F
GCBbA, GFED
The translation, transiteration and the Hebrew text of this timeless Hymn is as follows:
Eternal Master, who reigned supreme/ Adon olam, asher malakh, אֲדוֹן עוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר מָלַךְ
Before all of creation was drawn/ b'terem kal y'tzir niv'ra בְּטֶרֶם כָּל יְצִיר נִבְרָא
When it was finished according to His will/ L'et naasa b'chefzo kol, לְעֵת נַעֲשָׂה בְחֶפְצוֹ כֹּל
Then the King's Name was proclaimed/Azai melekh sh'mo nikra אֲזַי מֶלֶךְ שְׁמוֹ נִקְרָא
When this our world shall be no more/ V'acharei kikh'lot kol וְאַחֲרֵי כִּכְלוֹת הַכֹּל
In majesty He still shall reign/L'vado y'imlokh nora לְבַדּוֹ יִמְלוֹךְ נוֹרָא
And he was, and he is/V'hu hayah v'hu hoveh וְהוּא הָיָה וְהוּא הֹוֶה
And he will be in glory/V'hu yah'yeh b'tif'arah וְהוּא יִהְיֶה בְּתִפְאָרָה
Alone is He, beyond compare/V'hu echad v'ein sheni וְהוּא אֶחָד וְאֵין שֵׁנִי
Without division or ally/L'ham'shi y'lo ul'hach'vi y'rah לְהַמְשִׁילוֹ וּלְהַחְבִּירָה
Without beginning, without end/B'li reshit b'li takh'lit בְּלִי רֵאשִׁית בְּלִי תַכְלִית
to Him is the power and sovereignty/V'lo haoz v'hamis'rah וְלוֹ הָעֹז וְהַמִּשְׂרָה
unfathomable and unimaginable/B'li erekh b'li dim'yon בְּלִי עֵרֶךְ בְּלִי דִמְיוֹן
unchanging and irreplaceable/B'li shinui ut'morah בְּלִי שִׁנּוּי וּתְמוּרָה
He is without connections or separations/ B'li chibor b'li pirod בְּלִי חִבּוּר בְּלִי פִּרוּד
His strength and valor are great/G'dol koach ug'vurah גְּדוֹל כֹּחַ וּגְבוּרָה
He is my God, my Living Redeemer/V'hu Eli v'chai go'ali וְהוּא אֵלִי וְחַי גּוֹאֲלִי
rock of my affliction in the enemy day/ v'tsur chevli bayom tsarah וְצוּר חֶבְלִי בְּיוֹם צָרָה
He is my banner and refuge/V'hu nisi umanosi וְהוּא נִסִּי וּמָנוּסִי
filling my cup the day I call/m'nat kosi b'yom ekra מְנָת כּוֹסִי בְּיוֹם אֶקְרָא
He is a healer and a remedy/v'hu rofe v'hu marpe וְהוּא רוֹפֵא וְהוּא מַרְפֵּא
He watches and He helps/v'hu tzofeh v'hu ezrah וְהוּא צוֹפֶה וְהוּא עֶזְרָה
Into His hand I commit my spirit/B'yado af'kid rochi בְּיָדוֹ אַפְקִיד רוּחִי
when I sleep, and I wake/ba'et 'ishan v'a'ira בְּעֵת אִישָׁן וְאָעִירָה
and with my spirit, my body/v'im ruchi g'viyati וְעִם רוּחִי גְוִיָּתִי
The Lord is with me, I will not fear/Adonai li v'lo ira אֲדֹנָי לִי וְלֹא אִירָא