Comments on: On Music: 5 other composers who went deaf

By: Amy

Amy — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 14:37:00 +0000

Also, per Wikipedia, the following on Ha Tikvah:

The anthem was written by Naphtali Herz Imber, a secular Galician Jew, who moved to Palestine in the early 1880s. The anthem’s theme revolves around the nearly 2000-year-old hope of the Jewish people to be a free and sovereign people in the Land of Israel, a national dream that would eventually be realized with the founding of the modern State of Israel in 1948.

By: Liz

Liz — Sat, 06 Oct 2007 03:28:33 +0000

I believe that Smetana’s going insane was more due to syphillis than tinnitus.

By: Jim F

Jim F — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 02:53:40 +0000

Israel’s anthem is called “Ha Tikvah” -meaning “The Hope” – to build upon Mary T’s commment. Incidentally, the melody is also used as a German church song “Zuende an dein Feuer” (Ignite Your Fire).

By: Kristen

Kristen — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 18:34:55 +0000

The Moldau is one of my favorite pieces. Thanks for featuring it today. :)

By: JaneM

JaneM — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 13:35:51 +0000

‘The Moldau’ – beautiful. Thank you.

By: Mary T

Mary T — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 09:35:01 +0000

The words to Israel’s national anthem were written in 1886 by Naphtali Herz Imber, an English poet originally from Bohemia. The melody was written by Samuel Cohen, an immigrant from Moldavia. Cohen actually based the melody on a musical theme found in Bedrich Smetana’s ‘Moldau.’

I also read that the ‘Moldau’ theme was partly based on a Scandinavian folk song when Smetana originally wrote it.

As to why this melody was used for the Israel anthem … I think it’s based in the strong emotional response one feels when listening. It brings feelings of hope, joy, and wonder. The piece is highly uplifting at a time when it was most needed by a new, yet ancient nation.

By: Dennis M

Dennis M — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 09:20:23 +0000

The national anthem of Israel uses the main theme of “The Moldau” but I have never looked up the reason why.