הירדן | Ha-yarden | The Jordan River (1912)
Artist: Abraham Zvi Idelsohn (1882-1938)
Lyrics: N.H. Imber
Tune: Ben-Yehuda
This song was written by Naphtali Herts-Imber (1856-1909) in Erets Yisrael. Imber's piece echoes the German patriotic song “Die Wacht am Rhein” (The Watch of The Rhein). In “Ha-yarden”, the Rhein River is replaced by the Jordan River. The song had an alternative title, “Mishmar ha-yarden” (Watch of the Jordan), which makes a direct reference to the German original text. The lyrics call for Jews to immigrate to Erets Yisrael and assist the pioneers who are already there with the watch of the river.
The lyrics were adapted to the German melody of the song. Idelsohn (Ben-Yehuda) composed a new melody, in a minor key with an augmented second, also known as the Ahava raba mode, common in Eastern European Ashkenazic music.
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