Hatikvah melody

I must have heard "Hatikvah," the Israeli national anthem, hundreds of times, and Bedrich Smetana's "Moldau" at least dozens of times, but never noticed the similarity. I just found out that the melody of "Hatikvah" is based on the "Moldau."
[media=https://youtu.be/VGCfFv9YnY0]
I can't believe I never noticed this before. They're not identical but the similarity is obvious once you hear it.
[media=https://youtu.be/JcDzRjMIDvo]

This page is a permanent link to the reply below and its nested replies. See all post replies »

AthrillatheHunt · 51-55, M

I lived in Israel and can’t recall ever hearing their anthem.
Under what circumstances have you heard it hundreds of times ?

TryingtoLava

@AthrillatheHunt wait i even know that from temple

AthrillatheHunt · 51-55, M

@TryingtoLava they play the Israeli national anthem at temple ? (I’m not Jewish ).

LeopoldBloom · M

@AthrillatheHunt In Hebrew school. We sang it every week.

Hatikvah has an interesting status in Israel where the Muslim population doesn't like "the soul of the Jew" line and the Mizrahi Jewish population doesn't like the "toward the East" line as Israel was originally west of them. I've never been to Israel so I have no idea how often it's played. I live in the US, and the only times I've heard "The Star-Spangled Banner" is at sporting events and at the beginning of classical concerts at the Hollywood Bowl for some reason.

TryingtoLava

@AthrillatheHunt no its not like the national anthem here its one of the songs we sing

Kol od balevav penima
Nefesh Yehudi homiya,
Ulfa'atei mizrach kadima
Ayin l'Tziyon tzofiya

AthrillatheHunt · 51-55, M

@LeopoldBloom that’s so random . At the Hollywood bowl ? Lol

AthrillatheHunt · 51-55, M

@TryingtoLava todah for your response .

LeopoldBloom · M

@AthrillatheHunt Yes, it's weird. I've never heard the national anthem played before any other classical concert. But they always play it there, or at least they did back when I went in the 70s and 80s.