Savae Ancient Echoes

Ancient Echoes - Savae- (San Antonio Vocal Arts Ensemble)   Music From The Time of Jesus and Jerusalem's Second Temple

Savae takes a landmark step toward recreating ancient music of the Holy Land- including original prayer of Jesus, sung in his native Aramaic language, sacred Levitical music from Jerusalem's Second Temple, and Essence chant from the Dead Sea Scrolls

1.Ashir shirim (I will sing songs to God) Wedding Song

Traditional, from Thesaurus of Oriental Hebrew Melodies, Vol. II: Songs of the Babylonian Jews, no. 164

2. Rannanu (Sing with Joy) Chant from the Dead Sea Scrolls

Text from the Dead Sea Scrolls: Qumran cave 4 (4Q403: 36-37)

3. Abwoon (Father-Mother of the Cosmos)

The Aramaic Lord's Prayer, Matthew 6:9-13 and Luke 11:2-4
Chant composed in the ancient Dorian mode by Christopher Moroney  Improvised solo by Covita Moroney
Aramaic is a Middle Eastern language that was the native tongue of Jesus of Nazareth, and common to the Israel/Palestine region during the first century c.e. This musical setting of the prayer of Jesus sometimes called the Lord's Prayer includes traditional Middle Eastern percussion, rhythms, and improvisational modal chanting. All the Semitic languages  including Hebrew, Aramaic, and Arabic  use a root system which allows one word to hold multiple meanings. Thus, a tradition of translation arose in the Middle East that led to each word of a prophet being considered on many different levels of meaning.

4. Arabian Dance

Traditional: from Thesaurus of Oriental Hebrew Melodies, Vol. IV, Chap. IV: Arabic Music, Nos. 14 & 15 

5. Song of Seikilos

Ancient Greek song, 1st century c.e.

6. Tubwayhun Lahbvday Shlama (Blessed are the Peacemakers) Text from the Aramaic Peshitta, Matthew 5:9

Melody composed of Hebrew motives in the ancient Dorian mode by Christopher Moroney
This saying of Jesus, one of a group of sayings referred to as the Beatitudes, was translated in the King James Version of the Bible from the Greek as: Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.

7. Sounding of the Shofar and Shema Israel (Hear, O Israel), Deuteronomy 6:4-9

Traditional: from Thesaurus of Oriental Hebrew Melodies, Vol. II: Songs of the Babylonian Jews, no. 4
Collected by Abraham Z. Idelsohn

8. Bircath Cohenim (Priestly Blessing) Numbers 6:22-27

Melody deciphered from the Masoretic canti llation symbols of the Bible by Suzanne Hak-Vantoura

9. Wa y'daber Elohim (The Ten Commandments) Exodus 20:1-11

Traditional: from Thesaurus of Oriental Hebrew Melodies, Vol. II: Songs of the Babylonian Jews, no. 177

10. Tubwayhun Layleyn / Blessed are those who hunger and thirst
Text from the Aramaic Peshitta, Matthew 5:6
Melody composed of Hebrew motives in the ancient Dorian mode by Covita Moroney

11. Ze Eli Meode (This Is My Supreme God)

Traditional: from Thesaurus of Oriental Hebrew Melodies, Vol. II: Songs of the Babylonian Jews, no. 163 Collected by Abraham Z. Idelsohn

Like Ashir shirim, this wedding song compares the love and joy that is shared by the groom and bride to the relationship between God and the Jewish people.

12. Tubwayhun L'miskeneh'eh B'ruh (Blessed are those who hold fast to the Spirit of Life)

Text from the Aramaic Peshitta, Matthew 5:3 Melody composed of Hebrew motives in the ancient Dorian tetrachord by Christopher Moroney

This Beatitude has been translated: Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

13. B'tseth Israel, Psalm 114 (When Israel went forth from Egypt)

Text from The Bible: Psalm 114
(Fanfare trumpet played by David Smith.)
Melody: Sephardic Psalmody & Gregorian Chant (Liber Usualis: In Exitu Israel, Tonus Peregrinus)

14. Tubwayhun Lawileh (Blessed are they that mourn) Text from the Aramaic Peshitta, Matthew 5:4 Melody composed of Hebrew motives in the ancient Phrygian tetrachord by Christopher Moroney

This Beatitude has been translated, Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

15. Abwoon Spoken Prayer

16. Bircath Cohenim (reprise) Numbers 6:24-26

Melody deciphered from the Masoretic canti llation symbols of the Bible by Suzanne Ha'k-Vantoura ©Choudens Edition, Paris, France

Y'varekh-kha adonai w'yish-m'rekha yah'r adonai panaw eley-kha wihun-neka. Yis-sa adonai pahnaw eley-kha w'yas'm l'kha shalom.

May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord shine His face upon you and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift up His face upon you and give you peace.