The elements of music in traditional Jewish and Israeli music
The song Arb’a Veshnayim Shelosha by the Effi Netzer Singers will be examined because it contains some of the features most associated with the style of music.
Melody
If asked to discuss the melodic devices, remember the following points:
- phraseA short section of music, normally a melody, that could be thought of as a musical sentence. Phrases are like building blocks in music. are usually balanced and two bars long
- most of the phrases follow a conjunctA melody that moves by step. melodic shape
- ornamentsNotes added to decorate a melody. and decoration is added to the melody when it is repeated
Audio of the vocalist singing in balanced two-bar phrases
Rhythm, metre and tempo
These elements are heard in the song through the following features:
- offbeat chords are played by the guitar
- the syncopationRhythm patterns where stressed notes are placed off the beat. of a snare drum part
- metreRegular pattern of beats and is indicated by a time signature. include 2/4 or 4/4
- the tempo can vary from steady, as in Arb’a Veshnayim Shelosha, or can be fast with the frequent use of accelerandos rallentandos
The ensemble accelerates and decelerates the music
Structure and texture
Common texture and structures include:
- verse-chorus structures
- the texture melody and accompanimentA type of texture where there is only one clear melody and an accompaniment that plays different notes and rhythms but is supporting the melody. is popular
Instrumentation and timbre
The instruments heard in this song include:
- lead male vocalThe voice as a musical instrument.
- clarinet
- accordion
- trumpet
- guitar
- bass guitar
- tambourine
- snare drum
Tonality and harmony
The points to take note of are:
- Arb’a Veshnayim Shelosha is in the minor key signatureA pattern of sharps or flats at the beginning of a piece of music indicating which are to be played.
- The bass part plays the tonicThe first degree of a scale and the central key of music. In Roman numerals this is I. and dominantThe fifth tone or degree of any of the major or minor scales. of the chord in a crotchet rhythm throughout
