Singing Rounds is Fun -- Learn This Israeli Round, Hinneh Mah TovSinging rounds is a fun way for your students to get practice harmonizing. I like to use them along with vocal warmups, at the beginning of class.This free vocal sheet music, Hinneh Mah Tov, is a vigorous Israeli round sung in Hebrew. (There is disagreement about the source of this song. Note: this is not the version sung in the movie "Raid on Entebbe.") 
Singing round Hinneh Mah Tov Like many rounds, Hinneh Mah Tov has a comfortable range of only an octave. The melodic line contrasts rapid percussive repeated notes in Part 1 with a soaring, legato curve of melody in Part 2. There is also a quick moment of tritone harmony, emphasizing the Hebrew flavor of this singing round. Very fun. I have been told that the meaning of the words translates something like, "How pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity," which paraphrases Psalm 133 from the Old Testament of the Bible. If you would like to try chords in the background, Cm, Fm, and G7 work well, like this:
And here is a group starting a medley with this version of Hinneh Mah Tov, then moving into the more well-known melody:
I said this is a vigorous round. Well, the way we sang it at church, and the way I have my students sing it, is fast-paced indeed! However, the only 2 performances of it I have come across on Youtube seem more in the nature of DIRGES. You decide. Thanks to Professor David Smith of Geneva College in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, for introducing this lovely song to our church during a recent visit to Alaska.
CommentsDo you have a funny story about this music, or does it remind you of something you'd like to share with other readers? Do you have a question? We'd love to hear it! Return from singing round Hinneh Mah Tov to Beginning Voice for more free vocal sheet music Return Home for more free sheet music |
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Useful Sites for Vocalists
Cantorian.org, home to free classical sheetmusicChoralWiki, Home of the Choral Public Domain Library
International Music Score Library Project (IMSLP) Petrucci Music Library
Musicnotes.com - transpose vocal sheets up or down!
Note-Perfect.com, Resources for Choral Singers and Soloists
Sheetmusicplus.com
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