Historical Jewish Music

[JRJ <JRJ...>]

Regarding ancient Jewish music, there are many references to  
performance practice in the Bible, the Talmud, Josephus and the 
Christian Bible. Also archaeologists have uncovered relics of 
ancient instruments as well as statuary and murals and coins 
depicting performers playing and singing. The Haifa Museum of 
Biblical Music has issued a nice pamphlet with photographs of these.

There was a choir in the Bet HaMikdash consisting of at least 
12 male Levites between the ages of 25 and 50. There may have 
also been a children's choir, as well.
For further descriptions, look in:
1 Chronicles, chapters 15 and 23; Ezra, chapter 3; Mishna Arachin 
chapter 2, Mishna Sukkah chapter 5 and Talmud Bavli, Yoma 38:b. 
There are lots of other references, too. I'm in the process of 
assembling an anthology of these ancioent sources about Jewish Music.

A great secondary source is Sendrey's MUSIC IN ANCIENT ISRAEL.

Regarding the first mention of choral singing in the Bible, 
the SHIRAT HAYYAM: Moses led the men in singing and his sister 
Mirian led the women in antiphonal singing as well as the 
playing of percussion instruments.
Joshua R. Jacobson
Northeastern University 
Boston, MA 02115 
JRJ (at) neu(dot)edu