Musical structure and "expressive motion" in East-Ashkenazi liturgical chant

The Fifteenth World Congress Of Jewish Studies Jerusalem

Session: Ashkenazi traditions: the Synagogue and Beyond, 3.8.09
Chair: Amalia Kedem

Summary:

This paper will focus on the connection between musical structure and 'expressive motion' in East- Ashkenazi liturgical chant. Its central thesis is that melody, tempo, rhythm, vocal quality and other parameters of music should be interpreted not merely within the framework of an abstract musical system but also as the direct outcome of expressive impulses, which could be best conceived as motions ('expressive motion'), and as such, are reflected also in other aspect of behavior, like facial expression, gestures and body movement. The topic is much too broad to be discussed in a short lecture, and hence this presentation will discuss only a few sample cases with the aid of pictures and film clips.