The musical score Cantique des cantiques de Salomon dans sa mélodie d'origine (accompagnement de Suzanne Haïk-Vantoura) bears the 1986 copyright of the Fondation Roi David (now the Institution Roi David), but was distributed by Editions Choudens in Paris. It is a transcription of the arrangement used on the First Recording of the Song (listed below) and was released at about the same time.

In the Introduction to the score (English version, p. V), Haïk-Vantoura has this "Editor's Note":

Although the melody of the Song of Songs is a restitution of the original biblical melody, it is nonetheless the deciphering work of Suzanne Haïk-Vantoura on the musical signs of the Bible. It is her exclusive property. Any execution of this work without accompaniment, or with an accompaniment other than that of Suzanne Haïk-Vantoura is prohibited.1 Any adaptation of this work to a language other than Hebrew is prohibited: the melody, sounds, accents, and rhythm and inseperable from the poem.

This strictness was not an arbitrary matter. More than any other biblical work, the best of the Psalms included, the Song of Songs is a melos that demands adequate instrumental accompaniment and choral arrangement. Haik-Vantoura (to paraphrase herself) hoped to merely stay out of the way of the original melody. Not everyone would have the skill required to make an arrangement that did so while yet bringing out the Song's beauty and meaning.

For a long time, it was virtually impossible for non-retailers in North America to obtain a copy of this score, given the lack of a local distributor. According to the latest information we have, this score is now out of print entirely, even in France. To partially remedy this fault, we have posted on the World Wide Web the entirety of the Song of Songs score, which is now linked page by page to the relevant sections of this commentary. It is intended to be viewed and used under the "fair use" provisions of copyright law. Those interested in viewing this score, or other scores by Haïk-Vantoura, in their entirety should go here to the photo galleries created by this author, or write to this address for information concerning CD-ROM copies (again, made available under "fair use" copyright provisions only).

CANTIQUE DES CANTIQUES DE SALOMON (dans sa mélodie d'origine)
Alienor CD AL 1045 (originally Foundation Roi David 802-A)

This recording was originally released as a cassette by Mme. Haïk-Vantoura's Foundation Roi David. In time, it was picked up by Esther Lamandier's private Alienor label and published as a CD.

Haïk-Vantoura's La musique de la Bible révélée: Volume 3 and Cantique des cantiques de Salomon were recorded at the same time and place: just before or after they were premiered publicly in a sacred music concert series in Paris (1986). It was at the time of their premiere that Mme. Haïk-Vantoura's work was featured on National Public Radio's Morning Edition (Tape #861029, "Song of Songs").

Unquestionably, Volume 3 and Cantique des cantiques are the best-produced of those recordings directly supervised by Mme. Haïk-Vantoura. This recording, in terms of the artistic merit of the material, is by far the best (as one might expect). The only real fault with the performance (according to some listeners, at least) is its overly "classical" treatment (especially in terms of rigidity of rhythm) in places.

CANTIQUE DES CANTIQUES (Esther Lamandier)
Alienor CD AL 1109

This a capella edition of the Song of Songs (according to private communication from Mme. Lamandier) is meant to evoke the historical (if not the melodic) character of the synagogue chant style of the work (which was always by unaccompanied solo voice). So arranged, the Song is used as a vehicle for the brilliance and passion of the artiste's voice. A brief excerpt from this sung text has recently been featured in the film The Gospel of John by Visual Bible International (2003).

Besides the Song of Songs, two other selections are included: Isaiah 2:1-5 and Genesis 28:10-22 ("The Ladder of Jacob"). Once again, these texts are performed without accompaniment. The entire recording was made in the Abbey of Sylvanes in 1999.