Notes from Cantor Avima

arThis coming week we will be observing Tisha B'Av, the Ninth of Av commemorating the destruction of both the first Temple in 586 BCE and the second Temple in the year 70 CE. Among the observances is a 25 hour fast and the reading of the book of Lamentations and the chanting of poetry called "kinnot".

Lamentations is chanted to a haunting melody which is of course notated by trope symbols. 

You can here the chanting of Eichah beginning just before the 4' mark: Eichah

Here is another complete recording: Eichah - The SongShul

Leonard Bernstein incorporated the melody of Eichah in his Jeremiah Symphony. Here it is sung by Israeli Mezzo-Soprano Mira Zakai: Leonard Bernstein - Jeremiah Symphony

In addition to the chanting of Eichah, poems called Kinnot are also chanted. These "elegies" were written at different times in Jewish history in response to tragedy such as the crusades and the inquisition. The most commonly known is "Eli Tziyon", an alphabetical acrostic describing the destruction of Jersualem. Eili Tziyon - Hazamir Chamber Choir

Here is another very popular song on Tisha B'Av: By The Waters of Babylon, made famous by Don McLean in 1975: Don McLean - By The Waters of Babylon

Many of you might be familiar with the traditional melody (the first melody in the following youtube) sung in Hebrew: Al Naharot Bavel - traditional ashkenazi melody

And, I cannot skip  the oldest settings we have which is the 4 part setting by Salomon Rossi (ca 1570- ca 1628), the Jewish Italian Renaissance musician. Rossi published his "Shirim Asher Le'Shlomo" in 1623. It was a collection of 33 Psalms and Hymns in the style of his day. I  will definitely have to devote an article to Rossi in the future. Here is "Al Naharot Bavel/By The Waters of Babylon" Psalm 137. There are many recordings which you might enjoy exploring on your own, but i have chosen this one: Rossi - Al Naharot Bavel