Biblical Studies carnival 225

Phillip Long has posted the carnival #225 at Reading Acts. He mentions my project to produce the music line by line. Last month it was at 22%. Today it is at 35%. I hope to have finished Isaiah by the time you read this. More to come as it progresses. Not much blogging though. Too busy.

A process for maintenance of the music once it is extracted from the database

At some point I hope to have EPUB's for every chapter of the Bible, one verse at a time with the music. I designed what is likely to be my final product to help people learn the music of the Hebrew Bible. 

Here is a quick look at Isaiah 40 verse 1.

The music embedded in the text of Isaiah 40, verse 1

And here's the text:

Isaiah 40: (Verses 1 to 1) Syllables: 14; Longest recitation: 4; Tenor: g 42.86%;
Ornament density: 0%; Average phrase length: 7.

1 Comfort, comfort, my people, says your God. (1-4-1)
א נחמ֥ו נחמ֖ו עמ֑י יאמ֖ר אלהיכֽם	8 6		a nkmu nkmu ymi iamr alohicm

Notice how the music moves based on the accents under the text. Count them (5) and observe the five movements from the starting note to the mid point and back.

Everything is in the database. I am just beginning to work on this chapter and it fits my purpose in this blog post. It took a few short minutes for me to produce that music and text directly from the database. I didn't type or scribe any of it. I had to use a png image instead of svg on this platform since blogger doesn't (yet) support svg. 

We wrote data-driven programs. If the data was well-designed, it was easy to get the required output from it.

Over the last few months, I have been getting the data out of the database and into epubs where normal people could maintain it if necessary. It is becoming simpler.

For those sections that I have finished, the music and the data surrounding it can be maintained by anyone who can use Musescore and Calibre. No other dependencies needed - except to be able to rename files. No database knowledge required.

Finally I figured out a way to generate the html and .bat files so that they have the best chance of corresponding to individual lines of music. Roughly 30 or 31 syllables will fit on a page width depending on the ornament density of the verse. Most verses fit within three lines of music on an iPhone, making it possible to have the Bible in Hebrew and English with its embedded music in your pocket.

Music Files

I will deliver all the necessary music files and verified batch rename files to my publisher if we have success, so that if people wanted, for instance, the base music for a chapter, it would be available in an mscz (music zip) file. Load the mscz file, change the page length to the length you want, remove the line feeds as desired, and you have the full score for a chapter. Arrange and perform as you wish. The music itself is not copyright. It is part of the Bible and derived by a key that is discoverable from the way the te'amim are used in the Hebrew text.

Possibly some day, Calibre or some other program or avatar will be able to sing the music for the reader, but that was not possible the last time I checked. And I won't be checking any time soon if I am going to get all the data out and ready for study. I'm sorry that more people don't follow Wm Byrd's injunction to learn to sing. And by the way, learn to read music also.

I have given away the music xml and pdfs many years ago, (see the music page) but I had not created and sculpted the music images into scalar vector graphics (svg) form, one verse at a time. Nor had I fixed the WLC data to conform to Aleppo as much as I have this time round. It is still not perfect but it is closer to the original, and I am not convinced that even Aleppo is clear of the kinds of error I have encountered.

Maintaining the data is trickier than just using the music to prepare an arrangement. The music images are directly dependent on the Hebrew text. The four versions of the Hebrew text seen above in the image and text should remain consistent if the epub needs to be updated.

This is my process for getting the data out of the database into the e-pub:

1. Fix premature descents to the tonic – compare WLC verse by verse with MG Crown Aleppo codex. Check all internal descents to the tonic against mgketer site. I do this before generating the music. This step can be done for multiple chapters -- I keep going until I get tired. (Code to compare the two versions would be difficult to write. WLC uses a different level of Unicode from mgketer, coding sequences of diacritics differ even within the WLC, and there are a host of irrelevant notes and other comments that need to be ignored.) So far in about 300 chapters and about 6500 verses, I have corrected about 700 errors in the WLC. That's just over a 10% error rate. In what -- just over 100 years of copying? (Copyists get tired too!) The database remembers my changes so I can tell what I have done and when. I use three windows: 
• my proprietary update screen for the database, 
• the mgketer chapter, (in Hebrew only).
• a filter on my shortcut work file showing the notes to isolate the verses I suspect are in error. 
2. Generate music XML using my music generation page. This can be done for multiple chapters that have been verified. Takes a few seconds per chapter.
3. Run the data and the batch file for the chapter to html format. This program is one of many I have written for extracting data in various formats.
4. Open the music with Musescore, load the style file for one line per page. Open the bat file with a text editor and check the music 'pages' against the batch file. Page size is in the image:

1. Load the one-line style. [Saved in my Google Drive here]
2. Mark all beams as disconnected -- they will disappear (use multi-select). Make all triplets invisible – note stems are already invisible from program that generates xml.
3. Force returns on all verses – one verse per 'page'. (Every verse ends with a rest and a barline.) Fix alignment of text and check for slurs that displace text or make the lyrics line too low, adjust to under or over as needed. (Change all slurs to above - correct the few that get in the way of text rather than the many that get in the way of lyrics.)
4. (Poetry only -- add breath for ole-veyored – should automate this but tricky).
5. Adjust margins if needed.
6. Save to mscz file.
7. Verify the batch file against the music. Must agree on pages. Possible to insert a blank page and delete it later -- mark the bar as not included. (I have only had to do this once -- my techniques seem to be improving.)
8. Export svg to work area.
9. Use saved .bat file in cmd window or equivalent to rename the files.
10. Load svg files and html into e-pub.
11. Verify. (Calibre verify function will find errors in renaming if you miss them).
12. Delete the svg files in the work area.

This process takes from 10 minutes to an hour for longer prose chapters.

All Musescore files and batch rename files are saved in case steps 1 to 12 need repeating. Spot corrections are possible but tricky since the text and music are so integrated. E.g. a change in a word affects the music, the staff text, the Hebrew words with te’amim also and potentially, bar numbering. 

If a change is required, load the mscz file, make the changes and repeat the process from step 6.

I've documented this for my use -- but if anyone takes over what I am doing, who knows, it might give them some ideas.

What would motivate someone to do this task when nearly four-score years? Well, it's fascinating and it changes how you read. I hope that we (humanity) might start to read the Biblical text with love rather than our own fear and petty prejudices. So that we might learn to comfort each other, the people that Isaiah is referring to -- indirectly of course. 

Swan Song

 Hi Friends,

I am not in any immediate danger apart from falling on the ice or in the snow, but I am beginning my good-byes; my swan song is taking shape.

My swan song is a visual presentation of the Music of the Bible, verse by verse with Scalar Vector Graphic images -- and zero commentary from me. This is a job that I was prepared for by the zigzag pattern of my learning (or not) over the first 60 years of my life. Nineteen years on out of this somewhat formless and in some areas undisciplined period, there has emerged a presentation of the jots and tittles of the Hebrew Bible, the like of which has not been seen on this earth to date. That's largely because it is detailed work requiring a host of different kinds of software and some theoretical discoveries that had not existed till the late 20th century. I express my dependency and gratitude to the many software engineers who have created the base tools I required for this final effort. 

I am indebted to many software engineers:

1. Kovid Goyal, who created the Calibre e-book software,
2. and the Musescore team,
3. also to the late David Driver, dearly missed, chief programmer who assisted so much in internationalizing my database interface,
4. and to the creators of tanach.us, the online version of the Westminster Leningrad codex and its web service,
5. and to the creators of mgketer.org for the availability of a readable Aleppo codex.
6. and to the creators of Oracle and MusicXML, tools that have been essential to me for this work.
7. Not to mention -- and I should have -- W3Cschools and their encouragement of the creation of high quality SVG graphics.

The presentation will be in (well maybe) 19 volumes, 0 to 18 -- like this: My status report as of today.

Proposed volumes, nothing like starting at volume 0, a precursor that is required for each of the others.

You can see that I am 22% through the process. It's longish and tiring but most of the presentation is automated. I verified book 3 of the Psalter since yesterday comparing the two editions, WLC and Aleppo for premature or confused silluqs - only 17 errors. I expect the prose sections to take a bit longer.

I am hoping to finish by the end of this year. The most difficult part is comparing tanach.us with mgketer. It would be possible to do software for this step rather than a filter on internal tonics in the musical phrase, then a visual scan of the Hebrew to compare the pointing to the Aleppo codex. But such a program would be more complex than the manual process which takes a minute per verse perhaps, but is also a good practice for reading the Hebrew.

You will see from the table this is an estimated 3 gigs of e-books -- I wonder who will read and study them and do a more complete analysis of the music than I have done these past 10 years. The introductory paragraphs to this series are available in draft form in e-book form me -- just ask for the link. I would welcome critical readers for each volume and feedback. My working title for the series is God's Tone of Voice. Message me if you are interested. See my 'about' page for contact info.

Each verse is like this:

Sample verse, not SVG since blogger doesn't support it;

Those of you learning Hebrew can see four ways of looking at the text: the pointed text, an eclectic WLC corrected from the Aleppo codex, a simple transcription for singing, the Hebrew without vowels so you can see and learn the cantillation signs alone, and the SimHebrew based on the full modern spelling of the words in a left to right simulation of Hebrew in the Latin character set. Above that is my English guide, and the type of verse by cadence. 

Translations

This post on translation has had quite a life behind my back. Over 3500 views. I am embarking on a new project these days. The hard work of the past 8 months is resulting in a presentation of the Scripture in a new form - verse by verse with the music:

•  4 versions of the same Hebrew, 
• square text fully pointed word by word over the musical staff,
• the music with its underlay derived from the Hebrew, 
• the square text with the cantillation only, for learning to sight read the music, 
• the SimHebrew text to allow those who don't read the square text to see it,  
• and my English guide with all its accumulated changes over the past 5+ years.

My working title for the series is God's Tone of Voice. I am struggling to get the Scripture out of the prison of my software into the hands and minds of those who might love it as I do. I have done about 100 chapters so far. The remaining 700 or so I hope to do over the next year. Here's an image of a page of the Song with my favorite email tag line 20 odd years ago.

Song 2:15

I can't demonstrate image clarity in a blog post because blogger doesn't support SVG images. The clarity on an iPhone, iPad or PC is excellent. The e-book is pleasant to read even on a small screen. The iPhone particularly handles images well in landscape mode.

Here's a sampler of the book(s) - the frame with a half-dozen chapters Bible Music by Example - A Sampler. You will need an epub reader to see it.

Deuteronomy 12

The advantage of stemless notes is that the only pulse available to the reader is the syllabic pulse or speech rhythm. Blogging these results is painful even with automation. The verse lengths are wildly variable. The automation is marginally easier and less prone to error, using svg images for an e-book. It is fully automated except for trimming the images since I do one verse at a time and trying to handle them individually in the music would be cumbersome. Deuteronomy 12 is a substantial chapter.  I have changed the program to prevent bars from being longer than 8 beats to avoid spacing problems and to force a bar line between all verses.

I would like to do more analysis of the music but I think I need much more data on Deuteronomy. This was Peter Craigie’s favourite book. He called it the book of love. 

Deuteronomy 12: Syllables: 1308; Longest recitation: 27; Tenor: B 32.11%;
Ornament density: 13.8%; Average phrase length: 21.4.

1 ♪~ These are the statutes and the judgments which you will keep watch to do in the land that Yahweh the God of your ancestors has given to you to possess, all the days that you live over the ground. (~1-4-1)
א א֠לה הֽחק֣ים והמשפטים֮ אש֣ר תשמר֣ון לעשות֒ בא֕רץ אשר֩ נת֨ן יהו֜ה אלה֧י אבת֛יך לך֖ לרשת֑ה כל־הימ֔ים אשר־את֥ם חי֖ים על־האדמֽה	39 15		a alh hkuqim vhmwpTim awr twmrun lywot barx awr ntn ihvh alohi abotiç lç lrwth cl-himim awr-atm kiim yl-hadmh
2 You will eliminate all the places where the nations whom you are possessing served their God, over the hills that are high, and on the hillocks, and under every green tree. (1-4-1)
ב אב֣ד ת֠אבדון אֽת־כל־המקמ֞ות אש֧ר עֽבדו־ש֣ם הגוי֗ם אש֥ר את֛ם ירש֥ים את֖ם את־אלהיה֑ם על־ההר֤ים הֽרמים֙ ועל־הגבע֔ות ות֖חת כל־ע֥ץ רענֽן	31 20		b abd tabdun at-cl-hmqomot awr ybdu-wm hgoiim awr atm iorwim aotm at-alohihm yl-hhrim hrmim vyl-hgbyot vtkt cl-yx rynn

3 And you will break down their altars, and break their monuments, and their fetishes you will incinerate in the fire, and the graven images of their God you will chop down, and eliminate their name from that place. (1-4-1)
ג ונתצת֣ם את־מזבחת֗ם ושברתם֙ את־מצ֣בת֔ם ואשֽריהם֙ תשרפ֣ון בא֔ש ופסיל֥י אלהיה֖ם תגדע֑ון ואבדת֣ם את־שמ֔ם מן־המק֖ום ההֽוא	39 13		g vnitxtm at-mzbkotm vwibrtm at-mxbotm vawrihm twrpun baw upsili alohihm tgdyun vaibdtm at-wmm mn-hmqom hhua
4 You will not construct such to Yahweh your God. (1-1)
ד לֽא־תעש֣ון כ֔ן ליהו֖ה אלהיכֽם	10		d la-tywun cn lihvh alohicm
5 ♪~ But rather at the place where Yahweh your God will choose from all your bands to put his name there, to his dwelling you will search, and there you will come. (~1-4-1)
ה כ֠י אֽם־אל־המק֞ום אשר־יבח֨ר יהו֤ה אלֽהיכם֙ מכל־שבטיכ֔ם לש֥ום את־שמ֖ו ש֑ם לשכנ֥ו תדרש֖ו וב֥את שֽמה	27 11		h ci am-al-hmqom awr-ibkr ihvh alohicm mcl-wbTicm lwum at-wmo wm lwcno tdrwu ubat wmh

6 And you will come there with your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, and your tithes, and the contribution of your hand, and your vows, and your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herd and your flock. (1-4-1)
ו והבאת֣ם ש֗מה עלֽתיכם֙ וזבחיכ֔ם ואת֙ מעשר֣תיכ֔ם וא֖ת תרומ֣ת ידכ֑ם ונדריכם֙ ונדב֣תיכ֔ם ובכר֥ת בקרכ֖ם וצאנכֽם	28 18		v vhbatm wmh yoloticm vzbkicm vat mywroticm vat trumt idcm vndricm vndboticm ubcorot bqrcm vxancm
7 And you will eat there before Yahweh your God, and you will be glad in all that you put your hand to do, you and your households, in that Yahweh your God has blessed you. (1-4-1)
ז ואכלתם־ש֗ם לפני֙ יהו֣ה אלהיכ֔ם ושמחת֗ם בכל֙ משל֣ח ידכ֔ם את֖ם ובתיכ֑ם אש֥ר בֽרכך֖ יהו֥ה אלהֽיך	28 11		z vacltm-wm lpni ihvh alohicm uwmktm bcol mwlk idcm atm ubticm awr bircç ihvh alohiç
8 ♪B You will not do as all that we do here today, each person everything that is upright in its own eyes. (B-1-4-1)
ח ל֣א תעש֔ון כ֠כל אש֨ר אנ֧חנו עש֛ים פ֖ה הי֑ום א֖יש כל־היש֥ר בעינֽיו	16 8		k la tywun ccol awr anknu yowim ph hiom aiw cl-hiwr byiniv
9 ♪f For you have not yet arrived at the rest, and to the inheritance that Yahweh your God is giving to you. (f-1-4-1)
ט כ֥י לא־באת֖ם עד־ע֑תה אל־המנוחה֙ ואל־הֽנחל֔ה אשר־יהו֥ה אלה֖יך נת֥ן לֽך	6 21		T ci la-batm yd-yth al-hmnukh val-hnklh awr-ihvh alohiç notn lç

10 And you will cross the Jordan, and you will settle in the land that Yahweh your God makes you inherit, and he will give rest you from all your surrounding enemies, and you will settle in trust. (1-4-1)
י ועברתם֮ את־הירדן֒ וֽישבת֣ם בא֔רץ אשר־יהו֥ה אלהיכ֖ם מנח֣יל אתכ֑ם והנ֨יח לכ֧ם מכל־איביכ֛ם מסב֖יב וֽישבתם־בֽטח	26 19		i vybrtm at-hirdn viwbtm barx awr-ihvh alohicm mnkil atcm vhnik lcm mcl-aoibicm msbib viwbtm-bTk
11 And there will be the place where Yahweh your God will choose for his name to dwell there. Toward there you will come with all that I am commanding you: your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes, and the contribution of your hand, and all chosen your vows which you will vow to Yahweh. (1-4-1)
יא והי֣ה המק֗ום אשר־יבחר֩ יהו֨ה אלהיכ֥ם בו֙ לשכ֤ן שמו֙ ש֔ם ש֣מה תב֔יאו א֛ת כל־אש֥ר אנכ֖י מצו֣ה אתכ֑ם עולתיכ֣ם וזבחיכ֗ם מעשרֽתיכם֙ ותרמ֣ת ידכ֔ם וכל֙ מבח֣ר נדריכ֔ם אש֥ר תדר֖ו לֽיהוֽה	40 31		ia vhih hmqom awr-ibkr ihvh alohicm bo lwcn wmo wm wmh tbiau at cl-awr anoci mxvvh atcm yoloticm vzbkicm mywroticm utrumt idcm vcol mbkr ndricm awr tidru lihvh

12 And you will be glad before Yahweh your God, you and your sons, and your daughters, and your manservants, and your maidservants, and the Levite that is in your gates, for he is without share or inheritance with you. (1-4-1)
יב ושמחת֗ם לפני֮ יהו֣ה אלהיכם֒ את֗ם ובניכם֙ ובנ֣תיכ֔ם ועבדיכ֖ם ואמהתיכ֑ם והלוי֙ אש֣ר בשֽעריכ֔ם כ֣י א֥ין ל֛ו ח֥לק ונחל֖ה אתכֽם	29 22		ib uwmktm lpni ihvh alohicm atm ubnicm ubnoticm vybdicm vamhoticm vhlvi awr bwyricm ci ain lo klq vnklh aitcm
13 Keep watch for yourself lest you offer your burnt offerings, in every place that you will see. (1-4-1)
יג הש֣מר לך֔ פֽן־תעל֖ה עלת֑יך בכל־מק֖ום אש֥ר תראֽה	13 8		ig hiwmr lç pn-tylh yolotiç bcl-mqom awr trah
14 ♪B In contrast, in the place where Yahweh will choose, in one of your bands, there you will offer your burnt offerings, and there will you do all that I am commanding you. (B-1-4-1)
יד כ֣י אם־במק֞ום אשר־יבח֤ר יהוה֙ באח֣ד שבט֔יך ש֖ם תעל֣ה עלת֑יך וש֣ם תעש֔ה כ֛ל אש֥ר אנכ֖י מצוֽך	26 15		id ci am-bmqom awr-ibkr ihvh bakd wbTiç wm tylh yolotiç vwm tywh col awr anoci mxvvç

15 But in every intense desire of your being, you will sacrifice, and you will eat flesh, according to the blessing of Yahweh your God, that he has given to you in all your gates. The unclean and the clean will eat of it, as for gazelle and as for hart. (1-4-1)
טו רק֩ בכל־או֨ת נפשך֜ תזב֣ח ואכלת֣ בש֗ר כברכ֨ת יהו֧ה אלה֛יך אש֥ר נֽתן־לך֖ בכל־שער֑יך הטמ֤א והטהור֙ יאכל֔נו כצב֖י וכאיֽל	37 16		Tv rq bcl-avvt npwç tzbk vaclt bwr cbrct ihvh alohiç awr ntn-lç bcl-wyriç hTma vhThor iaclnu cxbi vcaiil
16 ♪f But the blood you will not eat. Over the earth, you will pour it out like water. (f-1-4-1)
טז ר֥ק הד֖ם ל֣א תאכ֑לו על־הא֥רץ תשפכ֖נו כמֽים	7 11		Tz rq hdm la taclu yl-harx twpcnu cmim
17 You may not eat in your gates the tithe of your grain, and your new wine, and your clarified oil, or the firstborn of your herd or your flock, and all your vows that you have vowed, or your freewill offerings, or the contribution of your hand. (1-4-1)
יז לֽא־תוכ֞ל לאכ֣ל בשער֗יך מעש֤ר דגֽנך֙ ותֽירשך֣ ויצהר֔ך ובכר֥ת בקרך֖ וצאנ֑ך וכל־נדר֙יך֙ אש֣ר תד֔ר ונדבת֖יך ותרומ֥ת ידֽך	33 21		iz la-tucl lacol bwyriç mywr dgnç vtirowç vixhrç ubcorot bqrç vxanç vcl-ndriç awr tidor vndbotiç utrumt idç

18 ♪~ In contrast, in the presence of Yahweh your God you will eat it, in the place which Yahweh your God will choose for it, you and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite that is in your gates, and you will be glad in the presence of Yahweh your God in all that you put your hand to do. (~1-4-1)
יח כ֡י אם־לפני֩ יהו֨ה אלה֜יך תאכל֗נו במקום֙ אש֨ר יבח֜ר יהו֣ה אלהיך֮ בו֒ את֨ה ובנך֤ ובת֙ך֙ ועבדך֣ ואמת֔ך והלו֖י אש֣ר בשער֑יך ושמחת֗ לפני֙ יהו֣ה אלה֔יך בכ֖ל משל֥ח ידֽך	55 19		ik ci am-lpni ihvh alohiç taclnu bmqom awr ibkr ihvh alohiç bo ath ubnç ubtç vybdç vamtç vhlvi awr bwyriç vwmkt lpni ihvh alohiç bcol mwlk idç
19 Keep watch for yourself lest you forsake the Levite, all your days on your ground. (1-4-1)
יט הש֣מר לך֔ פֽן־תעז֖ב את־הלו֑י כל־ימ֖יך על־אדמתֽך ס	13 10		iT hiwmr lç pn-tyzob at-hlvi cl-imiç yl-admtç s

20 For Yahweh your God will enlarge your borders, as he spoke to you. Then you will say, I will eat flesh, because you desire to eat flesh. In every intense desire of your being, you will eat flesh. (1-4-1)
כ כֽי־ירחיב֩ יהו֨ה אלה֥יך אֽת־גבֽולך֮ כאש֣ר דבר־לך֒ ואמרת֙ אכל֣ה בש֔ר כֽי־תאו֥ה נפשך֖ לאכ֣ל בש֑ר בכל־או֥ת נפשך֖ תאכ֥ל בשֽר	39 11		c ci-irkib ihvh alohiç at-gbulç cawr dibr-lç vamrt aoclh bwr ci-tavvh npwç lacol bwr bcl-avvt npwç tacl bwr
21 If the place where Yahweh your God will choose to put his name there is too distant from you, then you will offer from your herd and from your flock that Yahweh has given you, as I have commanded you, and you will eat in your gates with every intense desire of your being. (1-4-1)
כא כֽי־ירח֨ק ממך֜ המק֗ום אש֨ר יבח֜ר יהו֣ה אלהיך֮ לש֣ום שמ֣ו שם֒ וזבחת֞ מבקרך֣ ומצאנך֗ אש֨ר נת֤ן יהוה֙ לך֔ כאש֖ר צוית֑ך ואֽכלת֙ בשער֔יך בכ֖ל או֥ת נפשֽך	49 15		ca ci-irkq mmç hmqom awr ibkr ihvh alohiç lwum wmo wm vzbkt mbqrç umxanç awr ntn ihvh lç cawr xivvitiç vaclt bwyriç bcol avvt npwç
22 ♪~ Surely as the gazelle and the ram will be eaten, such you will eat. The unclean and the clean as one will eat of it. (~1-4-1)
כב א֗ך כאש֨ר יאכ֤ל אֽת־הצבי֙ ואת־ה֣אי֔ל כ֖ן תאכל֑נו הטמא֙ והטה֔ור יחד֖ו יאכלֽנו	19 12		cb aç cawr iiacl at-hxbi vat-haiil cn taclnu hTma vhThor ikdiv iaclnu

23 ♪B But you be resolute not to eat the blood, for the blood, it is the integrity, and you will not eat the integrity with the flesh. (B-1-4-1)
כג ר֣ק חז֗ק לבלתי֙ אכ֣ל הד֔ם כ֥י הד֖ם ה֣וא הנ֑פש ולא־תאכ֥ל הנ֖פש עם־הבשֽר	17 10		cg rq kzq lblti acol hdm ci hdm hua hnpw vla-tacl hnpw ym-hbwr
24 ♪g You will not eat it. Over the earth, you will pour it out like water. (~1-4-1)
כד ל֖א תאכל֑נו על־הא֥רץ תשפכ֖נו כמֽים	4 11		cd la taclnu yl-harx twpcnu cmim
25 ♪g You will not eat it so that it may be good for you and for your children after you, for you will do what is upright in the eyes of Yahweh. (~1-4-1)
כה ל֖א תאכל֑נו למ֨ען ייט֤ב לך֙ ולבנ֣יך אחר֔יך כֽי־תעש֥ה היש֖ר בעינ֥י יהוֽה	4 26		ch la taclnu lmyn iiTb lç ulbniç akriç ci-tywh hiwr byini ihvh
26 ♪c But your holy things which there will be for you, and your vows, you will lift up, and you will come to the place that Yahweh will choose. (c-1-4-1)
כו ר֧ק קֽדש֛יך אשר־יהי֥ו לך֖ ונדר֑יך תש֣א וב֔את אל־המק֖ום אשר־יבח֥ר יהוֽה	15 15		cv rq qodwiç awr-ihiu lç undriç tiwa ubat al-hmqom awr-ibkr ihvh
27 And you will do your burnt offerings, the flesh and the blood, upon the altar of Yahweh your God, and the blood of your offerings will be poured out upon the altar of Yahweh your God, and the flesh you will eat. (1-4-1)
כז ועש֤ית עלת֙יך֙ הבש֣ר והד֔ם על־מזב֖ח יהו֣ה אלה֑יך ודם־זבח֗יך ישפך֙ על־מזבח֙ יהו֣ה אלה֔יך והבש֖ר תאכֽל	23 24		cz vywit yolotiç hbwr vhdm yl-mzbk ihvh alohiç vdm-zbkiç iiwpç yl-mzbk ihvh alohiç vhbwr tacl

28 Keep, and you will hear, all these words which I am commanding you, so that it may be good for you and for your children after you for evermore, because you will do what is good and what is upright in the eyes of Yahweh your God. (1-4-1)
כח שמ֣ר ושמעת֗ א֚ת כל־הדבר֣ים הא֔לה אש֥ר אנכ֖י מצו֑ך למען֩ ייט֨ב לך֜ ולבנ֤יך אחר֙יך֙ עד־עול֔ם כ֤י תעשה֙ הט֣וב והיש֔ר בעינ֖י יהו֥ה אלהֽיך ס	23 38		ck wmor vwmyt at cl-hdbrim halh awr anoci mxvvç lmyn iiTb lç ulbniç akriç yd-yolm ci tywh hTob vhiwr byini ihvh alohiç s
29 For Yahweh your God will cut off nations, that you are going toward to possess them, from your presence, and you will possess them, and you will settle in their land. (1-4-1)
כט כֽי־יכרית֩ יהו֨ה אלה֜יך את־הגוי֗ם אש֨ר את֥ה בא־ש֛מה לר֥שת אות֖ם מפנ֑יך וירשת֣ את֔ם וישבת֖ בארצֽם	29 13		cT ci-icrit ihvh alohiç at-hgoiim awr ath ba-wmh lrwt aotm mpniç virwt aotm viwbt barxm

30 Keep watch for yourself lest you be trapped following them after they are exterminated from your presence, and lest you search out their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their God? And I will do so, even I. (1-4-1)
ל הש֣מר לך֗ פן־תנקש֙ אחריה֔ם אחר֖י השמד֣ם מפנ֑יך ופן־תדר֨ש לֽאלהיה֜ם לאמ֨ר איכ֨ה יעבד֜ו הגוי֤ם הא֙לה֙ את־אל֣היה֔ם ואעשה־כ֖ן גם־אֽני	23 34		l hiwmr lç pn-tinqw akrihm akri hiwmdm mpniç upn-tdrow lalohihm lamor aich iybdu hgoiim halh at-alohihm vaywh-cn gm-ani
31 You will not do so to Yahweh your God, for every abomination to Yahweh that he hates, they have done to their gods. For even their sons and their daughters, they incinerate in the fire to their God. (1-4-1)
לא לא־תעש֣ה כ֔ן ליהו֖ה אלה֑יך כי֩ כל־תועב֨ת יהו֜ה אש֣ר שנ֗א עשו֙ לאל֣היה֔ם כ֣י ג֤ם את־בניהם֙ ואת־בנ֣תיה֔ם ישרפ֥ו בא֖ש לֽאלהיהֽם	10 38		la la-tywh cn lihvh alohiç ci cl-toybt ihvh awr wna ywu lalohihm ci gm at-bnihm vat-bnotihm iwrpu baw lalohihm

The music in these posts is derived from the accents in the Hebrew Bible. Introductions - letters, music, text and music, and terminology, are here.

Deuteronomy 12 v 18

A curious verse that I noticed because it has so many ornaments in succession. You will note that this one verse takes 4 lines of music. There is a difference between prose and poetry.

Deuteronomy 12 verse 18 - ornaments in the prose example

Syllables: 74; Longest recitation: 21; Tenor: B 37.84%; Ornament density: 23%; Average phrase length: 37.

18 ♪~ In contrast, in the presence of Yahweh your God you will eat it, in the place which Yahweh your God will choose for it, you and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite that is in your gates, and you will be glad in the presence of Yahweh your God in all that you put your hand to do. (~1-4-1)
יח כ֡י אם־לפני֩ יהו֨ה אלה֜יך תאכל֗נו במקום֙ אש֨ר יבח֜ר יהו֣ה אלהיך֮ בו֒ את֨ה ובנך֤ ובת֙ך֙ ועבדך֣ ואמת֔ך והלו֖י אש֣ר בשער֑יך ושמחת֗ לפני֙ יהו֣ה אלה֔יך בכ֖ל משל֥ח ידֽך	55 19		ik ci am-lpni ihvh alohiç taclnu bmqom awr ibkr ihvh alohiç bo ath ubnç ubtç vybdç vamtç vhlvi awr bwyriç vwmkt lpni ihvh alohiç bcol mwlk idç

Perhaps it would be good to see the whole chapter and discover what techniques the composer is using.

But first I will update to Musescore 4 and also redesign my approach. I see there is no solution to the problem of presenting multiple verses at a time, nor is there an easy way to distinguish one composer from another. It is now time to move to a single verse. I am hoping that the textual capabilities of Musescore 4 will allow textual commentary to fill in the blank space (so that I don't have to trim 23000 images) but also allow me to work by chapter and produce long scores where needed. It's possible that Musescore 4 will allow better integration of the presentation problem for such volume. Right now it involves Word 2010 for spot management of the errors in some individual Hebrew words, Musescore 3 for the score, Blogger for html and style sheets, and a bunch of other tools. I suspect that the individual verse in SVG (or PNG format for blogger) will be the whole post. Maybe not though. To be continued. AI did not suggest this solution so maybe I should ask. But I don't think AI is feasible without quantum computing and nuclear power. Words won't get us everywhere.

Job chapter 3, structural analysis of the music

I wonder if the music of the poetry of Job shows the textual structure. I have already noted here nearly 10 years ago how the narrator parts of Job frame each of the interactions.

I claim that the narrator's part is prose, much as the rubrics in a play. Some disagree with me that these snippets should be regarded as prose. I remember distinctly having to code for a prose ornament specifically for the narrator, but my edition at the time may have been defective. Job has always been among the first of my experiments whether in translation or composition.

This might seem to be an aside, but the narrator in verse 1 is introducing a structural element. The narrator anticipates with the high C the reciting pitch that will help the listener hear the first speech of Job. Rubrics with a purpose.

Job 3 verses 1-2, sung by the narrator

1 So after this Job opened his mouth and slighted his day. (1-1)
א אחרי־כ֗ן פת֤ח איוב֙ את־פ֔יהו ויקל֖ל את־יומֽו פ	18		a akri-cn ptk aiob at-pihu viqll at-iomo p
2 And Job answered and said, (1-1)
ב וי֥ען אי֗וב ויאמֽר	8		b viyn aiob viamr

The poem begins in verse 3. It starts on the dominant, B, in the thick of human turmoil, clearly referring back to chapters 1 and 2. Job has a slightly greater percentage (29.3%) of its poetic verses starting on a note other than the tonic compared to the Psalms (27.3%), and a lesser percentage of those starting on a high C (including when preceded by an ornament), 22.7% for Job vs 26.0% for the Psalms. Interestingly, of the three books, Proverbs has the highest percentage of verses not starting on the tonic (34.5%).

I look on those verses beginning on the high C as being the verses with the highest level of intensity. I have not analyzed all of them, of course. That's why I am putting these posts into the public domain. It's too much for one analyst. But on the high C recitations, those I have seen and heard express anguish, appeal, grief, or rejoicing among other emotions. Whereas the B, just one degree below the sixth expresses narrative, proclamation, announcement, and moving the story along. The A, subdominant, is the inner verse note of repose (unless you sharpen it). No verse ever begins with A. Most verses begin on the tonic. The poetry has a higher percentage of verses not beginning on the tonic (29.2) compared with the prose (9.3%).

Here's a comparative graph:

Percentage of verses by first note (Poetry)

As I sing through this chapter, the feature that stands out the most is the two consecutive verses, 10 and 11, that begin on the high C. Verse 7 also has a high C and this might allow for splitting the section.

But notice that chapter 3 actually has a tenor of A. Job is an actor who has read the script and is at ease with the role he has to play, though he is no longer at ease. One of the decisions the composer must have made is where to place the inner-verse rest(s) if it is decided to use them. Always take note of the intent at the atnah, the subdominant and not only when it is present, but when it is absent also. What word is it on?

Job 3: Syllables: 474; Longest recitation: 8; Tenor:  A  21.73%;
Ornament density: 10.2%; Average phrase length: 9.1.

Job chapter 3 - verses 3 to 11.

Verses 12 to 20 again have two verses that begin on high C in verses 12 to 20, but they are split. Each of these sections continues the prior section as is seem from the opening notes (g in verse 12 and B in verse 17). 

3 ♪B Perish! day when I was born, and the night promising pregnancy of a valiant child. (B-1-4-1)
ג י֣אבד י֭ום‬ או֣לד ב֑ו והל֥ילה א֝מ֗ר ה֣רה גֽבר	7 10		g iabd iom aivvld bo vhlilh amr horh gbr
4 That day - let it be darkness. Let God not search for it from above, nor let a sunbeam on it shine. (1-2-4-1)
ד הי֥ום הה֗וא יֽה֫י ח֥שך אֽל־ידרש֣הו אל֣וה ממ֑על ואל־תופ֖ע על֣יו נהרֽה	8 11 9		d hiom hhua ihi kowç al-idrwhu aloh mmyl val-topy yliv nhrh
5 Let darkness and shadows sully it. Let dwell on it a cloud. Let eclipses of the day alarm it. (1-4-1)
ה יגאל֡הו ח֣שך ו֭צלמות תשכן־על֣יו עננ֑ה י֝בעת֗הו כֽמר֥ירי יֽום	17 9		h igaluhu kowç vxlmvvt twcon-yliv ynnh ibytuhu cmriri iom
6 The night, that very one, let gloom take it. Let it not be cheered with the days of the year. Into the count of moons let it not come. (1-2-4-1)
ו הל֥ילה ההוא֮ יקח֪ה֫ו א֥פל אל־י֭חד בימ֣י שנ֑ה במספ֥ר י֝רח֗ים אל־יבֽא	11 7 9		v hlilh hhua iiqkhu aopl al-iikd bimi wnh bmspr irkim al-iboa
7 Behold that night, let it be bleak. Let come to it no shout of joy. (1-4-1)
ז הנ֤ה הל֣ילה ה֭הוא יה֣י גלמ֑וד אל־תב֖א רננ֣ה בֽו	11 7		z hnh hlilh hhua ihi glmud al-tboa rnnh bo
8 Let them pierce it that curse the day, those eager to unleash Leviathan. (1-4-1)
ח יקב֥הו אררי־י֑ום ה֝עתיד֗ים ער֥ר לויתֽן	6 9		k iiqbuhu aorri-iom hytidim yorr lvvitn
9 Let the stars of its twilight be dark. Let it expect light but have none. Neither let it see the eyelids of dawn. (1-2-4-1)
ט יחשכו֮ כוכב֪י נ֫שפ֥ו יקו־לא֥ור וא֑ין ואל־י֝רא֗ה בעפעפי־שֽחר	7 6 9		T ikwcu cocbi nwpo iqv-laor vain val-irah bypypi-wkr
10 ♪C For it did not latch the portal to my belly-home, and hide misery from my eyes. (C-1-4-1)
י כ֤י ל֣א ס֭גר דלת֣י בטנ֑י ויסת֥ר ע֝מ֗ל מעינֽי	8 8		i ci la sgr dlti bTni vistr yml myinii
11 ♪C Why did I not from the womb die, from the belly exit and expire? (C-1-4-1)
יא ל֤מה ל֣א מר֣חם אמ֑ות מב֖טן יצ֣אתי ואגוֽע	8 9		ia lmh la mrkm amut mbTn ixati vagvvy

Job chapter 3 - verses 12 to 16.

12 ♪g For what purpose did knees confront me, and why breasts that I should suckle? (g-1-4-1)
יב מ֭דוע קדמ֣וני ברכ֑ים ומה־ש֝ד֗ים כ֣י אינֽק	9 7		ib mduy qidmuni brciim umh-wdiim ci ainq
13 For now I would be lying down and quiet. I would be asleep then. It would be my rest, (1-4-1)
יג כֽי־ע֭תה שכ֣בתי ואשק֑וט י֝ש֗נתי א֤ז ינ֬וחֽ לֽי	8 8		ig ci-yth wcbti vawqoT iwnti az inuk li
14 with kings and counselors of earth, who built their ruins, (1-4-1)
יד עם־מ֭לכים וי֣עצי א֑רץ הבנ֖ים חרב֣ות לֽמו	10 8		id ym-mlcim vioyxi arx hbonim korbot lmo
15 ♪B or with nobility, their gold, their houses filled with silver, (B-1-4-1)
טו א֣ו עם־ש֭רים זה֣ב לה֑ם הֽממלא֖ים בתיה֣ם כֽסף	8 8		Tv ao ym-wrim zhb lhm hmmlaim btihm csf
16 ♪C or as a miscarriage buried I had not been, as infants who did not see light. (C-1-4-1)
טז א֤ו‬ כנ֣פל ט֭מון ל֣א אהי֑ה כ֝עלל֗ים לא־ר֥או אֽור	9 6		Tz ao cnpl Tmun la ahih cyollim la-rau aor

Job chapter 3 - verses 17 to 20.

17 ♪B There the wicked set aside shuddering, and there rest those who are weary of power. (B-1-4-1)
יז ש֣ם ר֭שעים ח֣דלו ר֑גז וש֥ם י֝נ֗וחו יג֣יעי כֽח	8 10		iz wm rwyim kdlu rogz vwm inuku igiyi cok
18 ♪g Together prisoners are tranquil. They do not hear an exacting voice. (g-1-4-1)
יח י֭חד אסיר֣ים שאנ֑נו ל֥א ש֝מע֗ו ק֣ול נגֽש	9 6		ik ikd asirim wannu la wmyu qol nogw
19 Unimportant or great, there it is. And a servant is free from its lords. (1-4-1)
יט קט֣ן ו֭גדול ש֣ם ה֑וא ו֝ע֗בד חפש֥י מאדנֽיו	7 9		iT qTon vgdol wm hua vybd kopwi madoniv
20 ♪C Why give to the miserable light, and life to the bitter self? (C-1-4-1)
כ ל֤מה ית֣ן לעמ֣ל א֑ור ו֝חי֗ים למ֣רי נֽפש	8 8		c lmh iitn lyml aor vkiim lmri npw

Finally each of the last two verses of the chapter begins on a high C. And the last verse is without an inner rest as suits the words.

Job chapter 3 - verses 21 to 26.

21 Those tarrying for death and it is not, and who excavate for it more than buried treasure, (1-4-1)
כא הֽמחכ֣ים למ֣ות ואינ֑נו וֽ֝יחפר֗הו ממטמונֽים	10 9		ca hmkcim lmvvt vainnu vikpruhu mmTmonim
22 who are glad even to rejoicing, for joy that they find a tomb. (1-4-1)
כב השמח֥ים אלי־ג֑יל י֝ש֗ישו כ֣י ימצאו־קֽבר	6 8		cb hwmkim ali-gil iwiwu ci imxau-qbr
23 ♪g ... to the valiant whose way is hidden, from whom God has screened himself. (g-1-4-1)
כג ל֭גבר אשר־דרכ֣ו נסת֑רה וי֖סך אל֣וה בעדֽו	10 9		cg lgbr awr-drco nstrh visç aloh bydo
24 For in the face of my bread, my sighing comes, and poured forth like waters are my roarings. (1-4-1)
כד כֽי־לפנ֣י ל֭חמי אנחת֣י תב֑א וֽיתכ֥ו כ֝מ֗ים שאגתֽי	10 9		cd ci-lpni lkmi ankti tboa viitcu cmim wagotii
25 ♪C For the dread I dreaded has arrived, and what I was afraid of is come to me. (C-1-4-1)
כה כ֤י פ֣חד פ֭חדתי ויאתי֑ני ואש֥ר י֝ג֗רתי י֣בא לֽי	12 9		ch ci pkd pkdti viatiini vawr igorti iboa li
26 ♪C I have no ease nor am I quiet nor am I at rest and shuddering has come. (C-1-1)
כו ל֤א של֨ותי ול֖א שק֥טתי וֽלא־נ֗חתי וי֥בא רֽגז פ	19		cv la wlvvti vla wqTti vla-nkti viboa rogz p

This structure around the high C reminds me of the music of Psalm 96. (Performance here.)

The music in these posts is derived from the accents in the Hebrew Bible. Introductions - letters, music, text and music, and terminology, are here. You will also find them reworked in the emerging e-pub of Job here.