A little something from the 15th and 13th Centuries
(Listen, we've been around for a while, okay?)
"Ma'oz Tzur," from the simple (sung by Theodore Bikel with guitar)...
Video posted by Theodore Bikel - Topic
...to the sublime (played by the Israel Philharmonic, Zubin Mehta conducting):
Video posted by IsraelMusicHistory2
***
I wrote about "Ma'oz Tzur" at greater length last year, and of course you can read about it there, but in case that seems like too much work just now:
This melody for "Ma'oz Tzur" (also sometimes known as "Rock of Ages") is thought to date back to a 15th Century German folk song, with some alterations over the centuries and variations from region to region, as one would expect. Unfortunately, none of the alterations have made it easier to sing.
The lyrics are believed to have been written during the 13th Century--hence the post title!--and each stanza is about a separate occasion during which the Jews were miraculously saved from destruction (including the Maccabean revolt), which is very appropriate for singing on one of the definitional "they tried to kill us, they failed, let's eat" holidays. Unusually for something written that long ago, we know the first name of the author, since he wrote it into the song as an acrostic--the initial letters of the first five verses spell out מרדכי ("Mordecai" in Hebrew).
Chag same'ach (happy holiday)!
"Ma'oz Tzur," from the simple (sung by Theodore Bikel with guitar)...
...to the sublime (played by the Israel Philharmonic, Zubin Mehta conducting):
I wrote about "Ma'oz Tzur" at greater length last year, and of course you can read about it there, but in case that seems like too much work just now:
This melody for "Ma'oz Tzur" (also sometimes known as "Rock of Ages") is thought to date back to a 15th Century German folk song, with some alterations over the centuries and variations from region to region, as one would expect. Unfortunately, none of the alterations have made it easier to sing.
The lyrics are believed to have been written during the 13th Century--hence the post title!--and each stanza is about a separate occasion during which the Jews were miraculously saved from destruction (including the Maccabean revolt), which is very appropriate for singing on one of the definitional "they tried to kill us, they failed, let's eat" holidays. Unusually for something written that long ago, we know the first name of the author, since he wrote it into the song as an acrostic--the initial letters of the first five verses spell out מרדכי ("Mordecai" in Hebrew).
Chag same'ach (happy holiday)!
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