[HANASHIR:10320] Re: Chironomy

[Jeff Klepper <jeffklepper...>]

There are some wonderful and extensive articles on Jewish music in the
Encyclopedia Judaica which explain the origins and practice of cantillation
and trope.  There is a brief but interesting discussion of chironomy under
the heading MUSIC HISTORY->The Roots of Synagogue Song in the Near Eastern
Communities->Bible Reading by Chant.  Much more detailed information on
trope is found under the heading MASORETIC ACCENTS.  The CD-rom version (for
IBM only) makes searching the cross references quite easy.

Regarding the practice of hand signs, while I agree with Judah Cohen's
recent post about how little we do know about how such a system developed
and was used in ancient times, there are long-standing traditions of hand
signs in different communities throughout the world.  The thing is, each
tradition is somewhat different.  I originally learned one system from a
cantor in Chicago who learned it in cheider more than 50 years ago, but then
I met other cantors and ba'alei koreh (torah readers) who used different
signs, so I ended up evolving my own system (which kept changing through the
years).  What makes it confusing is that some traditions reflect the SHAPE
of the sign, while others signal the rising and falling PITCH, but I found
that a combination of the two worked best for me.  I also found that using
one hand is far easier than using two.  The other hand points to the text.
When I was called for an aliyah at the Great Synagogue in Rome many years
ago I was amazed at how the reader and gabbai (both of them hazzanim)
communicated using such hand signs (and their tradition of trope melodies
bears no resemblance to ours!)

I do not memorize things easily but I find that when I am learning a portion
myself, if I use the hand signs while learning it cuts the preparation time
considerably. I heard a reference on the radio to a (recent?) news story
about a study that found that people who gesture while talking have better
memories.  If this is so it proves the point about the importance of
chironomy.  If anyone can site that news story I'd appreciate hearing about
it.

Finally, for those attending Hava Nashira, I'll be happy to demonstrate how
such a system would work in practice.

Jeff Klepper


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