Hatikvah tune

[Barry Cohon <bjcohon...>]

Move over, Mr. Smetana.  The Hatikvah melody, and the Smetana theme,
are both part of a folk tradition that spans centuries and several
national boundaries.  Pioneer Jewish Musicologist (and my teacher of
blessed memory) A. Z. Idelsohn once published a table of comparative
folksongs, including Basque, Russian, Polish, German, the Smetana
theme, etc.  All bear strong relationship to the Hatikvah melody; in
fact he included it too.  The oldest is probably the Sephardic melody
for Hallel (the psalms of celebration sung on festivals.)  It is also
sung to a Hebrew poem recited specifically on Passover.  The Hebrew
words -- which fit exactly to the opening lines of Hatikvah -- are:
LEKH LESHALOM GESHEM
U-VO LESHALOM TAL
(Rain, go in peace,
And dew, come in peace)

The Encyclopedia Judaica, I believe, credits it differently.  But even
they can be wrong.
Baruch Cohon
Los Angeles