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Basic Cantillation
CG-CANTR 519 Spring 2014 – 3 credits - 9:00-11:15 Fridays *Office Hours: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday by appointment Phone: 617-559-8647 (Hebrew College); 617-699-8864 (cell in case of emergency only) *Email: [email protected] (best way to reach me)
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This class is an introduction to the basic concepts of Torah cantillation. Emphasis will be placed on
acquiring the skills needed to chant Torah on weekdays, Sabbaths and Festivals using a common
Ashkenazi trope. Topics will also include the rituals surrounding the Torah service, the history of
cantillation/trope, correct contemporary pronunciation of biblical Hebrew, and the underlying syntactic
structure of the system of cantillation.
Prerequisite: Hebrew 4 or permission of the instructor
Cannot count for graduate credit for Cantorial Ordination students
While this course is primarily for rabbinical students, others are welcome (depending on size of the class),
provided they have adequate sense of musical pitch and the ability to read and translate biblical Hebrew.
REQUIREMENTS:
● Attendance: Students are expected to attend each class session and to participate fully. Problems affecting attendance should be brought to the instructors' attention immediately. ● Learning cantillation melodies (with the voice that you have been given): Students are expected to go over chanting from class; prepare texts as required. ● In-class performances will take place on a weekly basis: Singing cantillation patterns together, and then in chevruta and then individually.
EVALUATION: The final grade will be based on:
● Attendance, class participation, weekly preparation and performance of assigned texts 20% ● Quiz (March 14th) 20%; Written final exam (May 2nd) 20% ● Individual oral final exam (by appointments May 9th & 16th) 40% ○ Students are expected to perform smoothly and confidently, demonstrating mastery of formal pronunciation, appropriate phrasing of conjunctives and disjunctives, expressive reading, and a deep understanding of the text. ○ Each student will chant assigned Rosh Hodesh Torah reading from unpunctuated tikkun (also in Beit Midrash Rosh Hodesh Iyyar-April 30/May 1) ○ Each student will prepare to cantillate assigned aliyah of a Torah portion. ○ First three verses (only) will be read from unpunctuated column of a tikkun. ○ Each student will chant (with 10 minutes preparation) several verses of Torah (sight-chanting) This course is primarily "skill-based" in nature, so academic papers are not required.


MATERIALS:

Required:
Chanting the Hebrew Bible - Student Edition by Joshua R. Jacobson 2005, Jewish Publication Society Available to purchase from Cantor Treitman. Please purchase on campus. *(Preferred) Koren edition of the Torah (suggested is The Koren Humash: Hebrew/English Five Books of Moses. Koren Publishers Jerusalem 2010) Or JPS Hebrew-English TaNaKh The New JPS Translation 2000, Jewish Publication Society ISBN 0-8276-0697-4 (vinyl cover) Very Strongly recommended. These should be in your Jewish personal library: Chanting the Hebrew Bible by Joshua R. Jacobson 2002, Jewish Publication Society ISBN 0-827-0693-1 (hardback) Tikkun Kor'im "Simanim" newest edition and largest size is highly recommended Trope Trainer TM (Windows or Macintosh) made by Kinnor Software - www.Kinnor.com (large student discount available - information on how to order available by contacting Cantor Treitman or at first class) Keshet Te-amim Flash Cards published by Cantor Linda Sue Sohn (will be available to use in class or CLASS SCHEDULE: subject to adjustment
CLASS 1: February 7
Why we chant the Torah; time-lines of history, texts and personalities; Jewish migrations. Present Torah
texts without markings; identify "problem-solving" issues; meet the "Toolbox".
Segments Siluk and Etnahta (JJ pages 1-12, 41-43)
CLASS 2: February 14
Preliminary grammar concepts; development of Tiberian notation;
resolving text ambiguity.
Segments Siluk and Etnahta, with Tippeha, with Joiners Munah and Merekha (JJ pages 12-20, 41-45,
charts on 213ff)
CLASS 3: February 21
Segments Tevir and Zakef Katon with Joiner Munah (JJ pages 21-36, 45 and 50-51)
Review of previously learned melodies.
CLASS 4: February 28
Pronunciation issues: syllabification, accentuation, prefixes/suffixes, word-pairs, pre-/postpositives, Four-
step method. Segment Tevir, with Joiners Darga/Merekha/Kadmah, Segments Zakef Katon/Gadol, with
Metigah-Zakef, Pashta / Yetiv, and Joiners Mahpakh/Merekha/Kadmah (JJ pages 45-48, 52-57). Choose
verses for Torah reading assignment for Bet Midrash.
CLASS 5: March 7
Finishing up Tevir segment with up to five words preceding, including Telishah; Finishing up Zakef
Katon with up to five words preceding; Segments Segol, Revia, Zarka, Shalshelet (JJ pages 48-50, 58-59,
59-66). Receive verses for quiz.
CLASS 6: March 14
Cadence/End of Aliyah Procedures for Torah Service; resources for Gabbai roles; Torah blessings and
Kaddish; choreography and hand-signs.
(JJ pages 76-78, 37-40, 87-91 and JJ Complete 532-546 hand-out)
QUIZ (include names of tropes, preparation of a few verses to be given on March 7)
CLASS 7: March 21
Legarmeh, Geresh, and Gereshayim. (JJ pages 66-73)

CLASS 8: March 28
Telishah Gedolah, Pazer and Pazer-Gadol. (JJ pages 73-76)
Review of all patterns learned so far.
Hevruta work on patterns and verses.
CLASS 9: April 4
TAKE A LOOK at these variations: "Jubilation Motif", end of a Book, Creation story on Simhat Torah,
Shirat HaYam motifs, and Ta'amey ha-'elyon and Ta'amey ha-tahton, Journeys and Chiefs motifs, use of
'Ekhah and Yamim Nora-im motifs. (JJ pages 78-87)
CLASS 10: April 11
Review concepts of pronunciation, grammar, parsing;
melodic motifs / variations; history.
Preparation of assigned verses in hevruta. Review for written test.
Schedule times for individual oral final appointments.
PASSOVER BREAK - no class on April 18
CLASS 11: April 25
Work on Rosh Hodesh readings scheduled for services on Rosh Hodesh Iyyar - April 30st and May 1st.
You must be at services both days to support your Torah reading classmates
CLASS 12: May 2
Written test.
Review for oral final test.
CLASS 13: May 9
Oral tests individually scheduled
CLASS 14: May 16
Oral tests individually scheduled

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