La Musique De La Bible Révélée (1976)

" The Psalms and songs of the Bible are of course well-known to all Bible students. What is not so commonly known is that all of Hebrew Scripture was originally meant to be sung -- and that to instrumental accompaniment. "Your statutes have been my *zemirot* (songs accompanied by harp or lyre) in the house of my pilgrimage" (Psalm 119:54). The vocal melodies are said to be contained in the "musical accents" (*te`amim*) of the Hebrew Masoretic Text. Suzanne Haik-Vantoura (d. September 22, 2000) sought to rediscover the original musical meaning of the *te`amim*, which have been given many different musical interpretations by the synagogue communities. Modern instruments are used; the instrumental arrangements and choral harmonies are meant to evoke, not to reconstruct, the original settings. The marvelous renditions of Pss. 23, 24 and 122, plus the Elegy of David, alone make the purchase worthwhile. (John Wheeler)