Hebrew Melodies

They were largely created by Byron to accompany music composed by Isaac Nathan, who played the poet melodies which he claimed (incorrectly) dated back to the service of the Temple in Jerusalem.

[4] Many of the poems were written during the period of Byron's sessions with Nathan between October 1814 and February 1815; a few, including "She Walks in Beauty" and "I speak not – I trace not – I breathe not", predate their meeting.

(A critical review of the first edition, mocking the concept, commented, "If we should now see the melodies of Kamschatska, or of Madagascar, or of the Hottentots advertised, [...] we should know what to expect: – minstrels, and languishing maidens, the bright tear, the dark blue eye [...]")[6] To this end Nathan persuaded the well-known singer John Braham (who was also Jewish) to lend his name to the title page in return for 50% of any profits.

[7] Byron's motives for cooperating are less clear, but he seems to have been genuinely sympathetic to the cause of the Jews and he patronizingly enjoyed Nathan's company as a sort of court jester.

Byron gave the copyright of the poems to Nathan, and also left him a £50 note when the scandal of the poet's relationship with his half-sister Augusta caused him to flee England in 1816 – an event which also boosted sales of the "Melodies".

[16] Those that are from synagogue melodies are far more recent than the time of the Temple, many of them taken from European folk-tunes including Lutheran hymns which were adapted by Jewish congregations in Central Europe.

Two of the songs in this category, "Thou whose spell" and "A Spirit Pass'd" (whose tripartite structure includes a trio, a recitative and an aria), are considered to be influenced by the tradition of oratorio.

In eight of the songs they discern specific 'Jewish' characteristics, either because the music seeks to evoke "the stereotypical figure of the suffering Jew", or because the melodic line and 'orientalist' harmonies used by Nathan suggest the exoticism of his subject.

[23] The Christian Observer in August 1815 wrote "The present state of the Jewish people — expatriated — dispersed — trodden down — contemned — afforded the noble poet a very fine subject; and [...] he has not neglected to avail himself of it.