More about the seven-note scale

In my last post, I mentioned that there doesn’t seem to be a source for a seven-note scale in traditional Judaism.  A few people mentioned a famous quote from the Talmud (plus a few later sources probably based on it).  As you will see, it is cool, but it isn’t a source for the seven-note scale.

The Talmud in Arachin page 13B presents what you might think is evidence that the Sages had a seven-note scale.

The Mishna states that a Levi, if he is still a child, may sing in the Temple but may not play the kinor or nevel.  (The kinor and nevel are musical instruments.  The kinor is a type of stringed instrument.  The nevel is probably a wind instrument.)

The Talmud presents an argument that Rebbe Yehuda – one of the principle Rabbis from the Mishniac period – considers the kinor and nevel the same instrument.  If that is true, then the Mishna is inconsistent with Rebbe Yehuda’s opinion (and that is a big problem based on the way the Talmud understands its sources).

The possible inconsistency is based on a Baraisa (a contemporary source from the same time period as the Mishna).  The Baraisa states that the kinor had 7 strings in the Temple.  It will have 8 strings in the Messianic era.  And it will have 10 strings in the World to Come.  The Baraisa brings verses to support each level.  The verse supporting the idea of 10 strings calls the instrument a nevel (and hence the reason to consider the kinor and nevel the same instrument).

Before I tell you the Talmud’s answer, there are two ways to learn the Baraisa.

#1 – The 7 strings on the kinor could be the Talmud way of stating that the musical system the Sages favored was based on a seven-note scale.  In the Messianic era our perception of harmony will change and the new scale will be based on 8 notes (the same being true for the 10-note scale in the World to Come).

#2 – Or the Baraisa could be referring to timbre (the acoustical properties of the particular instruments).  The additional strings added to the kinor would reflect a change in the timbre of the instrument.  It would not reflect any change in the harmonic system.

Unfortunately, if you are looking for a reference for a seven-note scale in traditional Jewish sources, you won’t find it here.

The Talmud answers that indeed the Mishna can also work according to the opinion Rebbe Yehuda.  The kinor will have 10 strings in the World to Come.  And because of the rich tone of the 10-string kinor, the verse calls the kinor a nevel.  But it is not a nevel.  It is a kinor (and therefore even Rebbe Yehuda considers them different instruments).

Point #1 – the Baraisa is clearly talking about timbre.  The kinor is called a nevel because of its enhanced acoustical properties.  The name change and additional strings have nothing to do with scales or harmony.

Point #2 – notice that only the kinor is changed (additional strings are added) – the nevel is not.  It is still the same nevel.  The kinor is called a nevel because it has a bigger sound.  But the kinor is compared to the same nevel from nowadays.  Obviously, the sound of the kinor has changed.  But our perception of harmony and sound has not.

And based on this, we still have no idea how many notes were in the scale used in traditional Judaism.

February 25th, 2011 General, Music