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30 sty 2023 · Hebrew music is an integral part of Jewish culture and history, reflecting the unique experiences and identities of the Jewish people. From traditional prayers and liturgical songs to contemporary pop and rock, Hebrew music encompasses a wide range of genres and styles.
From the earliest days of Zionist settlement, Jewish immigrants wrote popular folk music. At first, songs were based on borrowed melodies from German, Russian, or traditional Jewish folk music with new lyrics written in Hebrew.
Music in Israel is an integral part of national identity. Beginning in the days of the pioneers, Hebrew songs and public singalongs (Shira beTsibur) were encouraged and supported by the establishment.
Music saturates the biblical life of the Jews. From the beginning, "singers," the biblical term that encompasses all forms of musical expression, vocal and instrumental, are integral to Jewish life and activity.
It was with the piyyutim (liturgical poems) that Jewish music began to crystallize into definite form. The cantor sang the piyyutim to melodies selected by their writer or by himself, thus introducing fixed melodies into synagogal music.
The Yiddish name for it is Freygish, the Hebrew name is Ahava Rabbah, and Western music theory labels include “Phrygian Dominant,” “Harmonic Minor Mode 5,” and more.
The music of Eastern Jews, from the Eastern Mediterranean and eastward into Asia can be designated as the Mizrahi stream of Jewish Music. 'Mizrahi' literally means 'Eastern'; this music is the child of the interaction between Jewish people and the cultures of Arabia, Turkey, and Persia.
