History Cantillation

1 history

1.1 babylonian system
1.2 palestinian system
1.3 tiberian system

history

three systems of hebrew punctuation (including vowels , cantillation symbols) have been used: babylonian, palestinian , tiberian, last of used today.

babylonian system

babylonian biblical manuscripts geonic period contain no cantillation marks in current sense, small hebrew letters used mark significant divisions within verse. 8 different letters found, depending on importance of break , occurs in verse: these correspond disjunctives of tiberian system. example, in manuscripts letter tav, tevir (break), duty both tiberian tevir , zaqef. in general there no symbols conjunctives, though late manuscripts use tiberian symbols these. there no equivalent low-grade disjunctives such telishah gedolah: these replaced equivalent of zaqef or revia.

nothing known of musical realization of these marks, seems represent breaks or variations in set melody applied each verse. (a similar system used in manuscripts of qur guide reader in fitting chant verse: see qur reading.)

this system reflected in cantillation practices of yemenite jews, use tiberian symbols, tend have musical motifs disjunctives , render conjunctives in monotone. notable yemenite jews have 8 disjunctive motifs, reflecting babylonian notation. same true of karaite mode haftarah; while in sephardi haftarah modes different disjunctives have same or closely similar motifs, reducing total number of effective motifs same number.

palestinian system

the babylonian system, mentioned above, concerned showing breaks in verse. palestinian manuscripts, contrast, concerned showing phrases: example tifcha-etnachta, zarqa-segolta , pashta-zaqef sequences, or without intervening unaccented words. these sequences linked series of dots, beginning or ending dash or dot in different place show sequence meant. unaccented words (which in tiberian system carry conjunctives) shown dot following word, if link following word. there separate symbols more elaborate tropes pazer , telisha gedolah.

the manuscripts extremely fragmentary, no 2 of them following quite same conventions, , these marks may represent individual reader s aide-memoire rather formal system of punctuation (for example, vowel signs used word otherwise ambiguous). in 1 manuscript, presumably of later date others, there separate marks different conjunctives, outnumbering in tiberian system (for example, munach before etnachta has different sign munach before zaqef), , overall system approaches tiberian in comprehensiveness. in other manuscripts, in particular containing targumim rather original text, tiberian symbols have been added later hand. in general, may observed palestinian , tiberian systems far more closely related each other either babylonian.

this system of phrasing reflected in sephardic cantillation modes, in conjunctives (and extent near companions such tifcha, pashta , zarqa) rendered flourishes leading motif of following disjunctive rather motifs in own right.

the inconsistent use of dots above , below words disjunctives closely similar found in syriac texts. kahle notes similarity punctuation of samaritan hebrew.

tiberian system

by tenth century c.e., chant in use in palestine had become more complex, both because of existence of pazer, geresh , telisha motifs in longer verses , because realization of phrase ending given type of break varied according number of words , syllables in phrase. tiberian masoretes therefore decided invent comprehensive notation symbol on each word, replace fragmentary systems in use. in particular, necessary invent range of different conjunctive accents show how introduce , elaborate main motif in longer phrases. (for example, tevir preceded mercha, short flourish, in shorter phrases darga, more elaborate run of notes, in longer phrases.) system devised 1 in use today, , found in biblical manuscripts such aleppo codex. masoretic treatise called diqduqe ha-te amim (precise rules of accents) aaron ben moses ben asher survives, though both names , classification of accents differ of present day.

as accents (and are) not shown on torah scroll, found necessary have person making hand signals reader show tune, in byzantine system of neumes. system of cheironomy survives in communities present day, notably in italy. speculated both shapes , names of of accents (e.g. tifcha, literally hand-breadth ) may refer hand signals rather syntactical functions or melodies denoted them. today in communities there no system of hand signals , reader learns melody of each reading in advance.

the tiberian system spread , accepted in communities 13th century. each community re-interpreted reading tradition allocate 1 short musical motif each symbol: process has gone furthest in western ashkenazi , ottoman (jerusalem-sephardi, syrian etc.) traditions. learning accents , musical rendition important part of preparations bar mitzvah, first occasion on person reads torah in public.

in period of reform movement there move abandon system of cantillation , give scriptural readings in normal speech (in hebrew or in vernacular). in recent decades, however, traditional cantillation has been restored in many communities.