Re: Quartertones in cantorial music

[Sam Weiss <SamWeiss...>]

I'm not familiar with formal studies in this area.  I'll assume that the 
question regards Ashkenazic cantorial music (Mizrahi cantorial music 
obvioulsy employs various microtonal scales).  I too have heard several 
Ashkenazic cantors using quarter-tones, but unlike the original questioner, 
in most instances I assume that they are simply out of tune (or, as it is 
sometimes delicately put, the piano was a quarter-tone sharp).  This 
includes quite a number of recordings by Golden Agers Kwartin (often 
sharp), Rosenblatt (sometimes flat) and Kapov-Kagan (Sinatra-like 
intonation [Oh oh, let's not revisit THAT issue]).

Having said that, and while I believe that there are no formal microtonal 
scales or modes in East-European Hazzanut, this does not mean that a 
particular cantor may not employ microtones in a "deliberate, studied" 
manner for aesthetic effect. This would be analogous to "bending" notes in 
pop or jazz styles or occasional use of Sprechstimme in classical 
styles.  A prime exponent of this style in cantorial music was Leib Glantz, 
who indeed used it in a "deliberate, studied" manner, but it can also be 
heard to a lesser degree for example in the singing of Pinchik and the 
Kousevitskys (especially David).

I have had conversations with people (some on this list) who disagree with 
me, and tend to "formalize" these tonal effects, and perhaps they might 
want to join this discussion.

At 12:30 AM 10/29/03, Yoel Epstein wrote:
>I received this question from another mailing list.  Does anyone know of 
>any
>formal studies of the use of quartertones and alternate scales in Jewish
>liturgical music?
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: elmer eisner [mailto:eee (at) caam(dot)rice(dot)edu]
>
>I have heard cantors using quarter-tones, and assumed that it was
>deliberate, studied, not simply being out of tune. Does that jibe with 
>your
>experience?
>The scale may not have included all 24 intervals, but is there a mode 
>which
>includes at least some, in liturgical music?
>

_____________________________________________________________
Cantor Sam Weiss === Jewish Community Center of Paramus, NJ


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