Download Wind instruments, percussions, idiophones

The Ancient instruments and
their myths:
Wind instruments,
percussions, idiophones
Vesa Matteo Piludu, 2010
Rhombus
• From the cd: Synaulia.
• Musica dell’antica Roma. Volume 1:
Strumenti a fiato
• Track 24
Rhombus
• a simple wooden rhombus, linked to a
string
• imitate the sound of: storm, wind, thunder
• sacred to: Zeus – Iuppiter
Cassis or Triton and Iynx
• From the cd: Synaulia.
• Musica dell’antica Roma. Volume 1:
Strumenti a fiato
• Track 16
SHELL TRUMPETS
Kochlos, Shell type instrument sounds like a trumpet
Conch Shell, usually the shell called triton or strombus gigas or cassis.
CONCH-SHELL
It is a natural trumpet.
called triton or strombus gigas or cassis
Sacred to Aphrodite
Love – Waters – Sea (feminine world)
Iynx
is basically a small wheel,
suspended at the middle of a loop of string.
It’s wound up and then,
as the string winds and unwinds,
the wheel spins to make a humming sound.
Iynx
• the Iynx produces a rushing, windy,
humming sound
• The end result sounds rather like heavy
breathing, which, in context, again has
obvious passionate connotations.
Love spells with Iynx
• poem by Theocritus. written in the 3rd
Century B.C.
• the goddesses Selene, Artemis and
Hekate are called upon (the Moon
Goddess in her celestial, terrestrial and
chthonic aspects)
Love spells with Iynx
• spoken refrain: "Draw into my house my
lover, magic wheel".
• The Iynx is used nine times, and then the
operator enters into a conversation with
Selene, telling of the progress of the loveaffair.
Iynx and possession
• Most importantly, though, the Iynx appears
to have been used to invoke (and later
release) the deities, drawing them down to
possess a medium.
• The rushing, windy sound of the Iynx may
be associated with the approach of the
divine pneuma (wind, breath, spirit - and
so, inspiration)
Iynx
• sacred to: Aphrodite
• Nymph Iynx specialized in love-potions
• Zeus fall in love with Io
• Io transformed into a bird by Hera
• Bird transformed into a wheel and in an
instrument by Aphrodite
The wryneck is a bird which, when in danger, can extend its neck considerably
Painter: The Darius Painter
Date: ca 340 - 330 BC
Period: Late Classical
Ware: Apulian Red Figure
Shape: Loutrophoros
Painter: Attributed to Painter of Louvre MNB 1148
Date: ca 350 - 340 BC
Period: Late Classical
Siringa - SYRINX
• From the cd: Synaulia.
• Musica dell’antica Roma. Volume 1:
Strumenti a fiato
• Track 15: Aetherius
Sculpture of Pan teaching the shepherd
Daphnism to blow his pipe; ca. 100 B.C.
Found in Pompeii
SYRINX
A wind instrument of humble social status
as it was primarily used by shepherds and
was connected with the god Pan
The syrinx was made of reed and was also
known as Pan’s syrinx. The myth told that
it was originally a nymph loved by Pan
• From the cd: Synaulia.
• Musica dell’antica Roma. Volume 1:
Strumenti a fiato
• Track 8
ANIMAL HORNS
Animal horns
• Hunting and Military culture
• connection with Diana or Artemis
(Goddess of hunting)
• From the cd: Synaulia.
• Musica dell’antica Roma. Volume 1:
Strumenti a fiato
• Track 7: Imperium
• Track 9: Arena
Tuba
• It was a straight instrument, usually of
bronze, about four feet long
• played with a detachable bone mouthpiece
• military signal trumpet
ROMAN CORNU
CORNU
• , a wind instrument of brass (Varr. L. L.
v.117, ed. Müller).
• a larger and more powerful instrument,
• being curved nearly in the shape of a C
• the entire series of notes was produced
without keys or holes, by the modification
of the breath and the lips at the
mouthpiece.
Dyonisian side of Greek music
• Inebriation, trance, dances, symposia,
theatre, passion (pathos), military life,
pleasure, divine mania (possession)
•
•
•
•
popular, ritual, professional
Aulòs, percussion, idiophones
strings: barbitos
songs, choral songs
Double Aulos
• The Double Aulos is an ancient reed
instrument using double (oboe-type) reeds
within a conical bore.
• As a result, it is quite loud and strident with
excellent carrying power.
Aulos
• The aulos was used in dionisia rituals
whith other instruments
• Alone (solo)
• With lyre (kythara)
• Aulodía: singing to aulòs
accompaniment. In competitions the
aulodós (pipe singer) was more important
than the singer!
Various tipes
• Parthènioi (virginal – soprano)
• Paidikoì (infantine – mezzosoprano)
• Kitharistèoi (accompaining the kithara –
alto)
• Tèleioi (the perfect – tenor)
• Hypertèleioi (superperfect – basso)
Aulos
• Aulos ( also Bombyx, fibiae)
• It was one of the most significant ancient
Greek wind instruments used in almost all
the private and public ceremonies, in
competitions, in processions and in
tragedies. It was connected with the
worship of the ancient God Dionysos.
• The flute was used by Spartans as a
military music instrument.
Aulos
• the Pythian aulos participates more in
masculinity because it is grave, and the
choric aulos in femininity because of its
ease at a high pitch. (according to
Aristides Quintilianus )
• According to Aristotle (Politics) pipes
should not be used in education
because pipe music is orgiastic and it
hinders the use of one's logos
Flute vs Lyre: Apollo vs Marsyas
• Marsyas was an accomplished flute-player, for some
time before he had found the flute which Athena had
thrown away because it made her ugly.
• Some have said that Hyagnis invented the flute, but
others affirm that the first long flute was made by
Athena out of deer bones, or by piercing boxwood
with holes wide apart, and that, proud of her
invention, she came to the banquet of the gods to
play.
• However, Aphrodite and Hera seeing Athena’s
cheeks puffed out, mocked the latter in her playing
and called her ugly.
• This is why Athena came to a spring in Mount
Ida in order to view herself in the water; and
having looked at herself in the water of the
spring, she understood why she was mocked,
and threw away the flute, vowing that whoever
picked it up would be severely punished:
• "The sound was pleasing; but in the water that
reflected my face I saw my virgin cheeks puffed
up. I value not the art so high; farewell my
flute!" [Athena. Ovid, Fasti 6.697]
• He who found the flute was the shepherd
Marsyas, who having learned by art and
practice to produce ever sweeter sounds,
happened to meet Apollo and his lyre. He then
challenged the god to a musical contest, which
took place, some say, in the mentioned city of
Nysa, being the Muses the judges.
• They also agreed that the victor should do
what he wished with the defeated.
• Concerning the musical contest between
Apollo and Marsyas some have said that the
latter was departing as victor when Apollo
turned his lyre upside down, and played the
same tune, a prowess that Marsyas could not
do with the flute.
• But others tell that Marsyas was defeated when
Apollo added his voice to the sound of the
lyre.
• Marsyas they say, protested arguing that the
skill with the instrument was to be compared
and not the voice.
• However, Apollo replied that when Marsyas
blew into the pipes he was doing almost the
same thing as himself.
• And the argument presented by Apollo was
judged by the Nysaeans or by the Muses to be
the most just, and that is why, after comparing
their skills again, Marsyas was defeated, and
subsequently flayed alive by the god.
• Some have said that it was on this occasion that
King Mydas got the ears of an ass for having
judged against Apollo:
• "You will have ears to match the mind you
have in judging"
• [Apollo to Midas. Hyginus, Fabulae 191]
Marsias
• Marsias was also an innovator, introducing
the Phrigian mode, considered quite
frenzy and Dionysian
• Myth:
• national music (Apollo) vs. foreign music
(Marsias)
• or more clearly Dionisian vs. Apollonian
Apollo
• According to some variations, Apollo
repentant for what he did, destroyed his
kythara
Lydian pipes
• Tubes of equal lenght
• identical fingerhole
• several sizes: soprano, alto, tenor, basso
• 3-4 fingerholes
• overblow: jump of a fifth
Auloi
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•
•
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Used also in the accompainiment
in symposia
in the dramas
in the Pythian games
FISTULAE IMPARES
THE PHRYGIAN TIBIA
• THE PHRYGIAN TIBIA 1
• This uses a "single" reed (forerunner of the type
used on the clarinet) for sound generation. At
the pitch here, the sound is warm and "buzzy" even exotic to some ears!
• The animal horn at the lower end amplifies the
sound and as such, the instrument is very close
to the later Hornpipe - except that there is no
open-ended mouthpiece through which to blow
the reed.
Phrygian aulos
• From Diane Touliatos-Miliotis : The
Phrygian aulos [is] feminine because it is
mournful
• Two tubes of different lenght, longer with
the bell
• different position of the fingerholes
Playing styles
• One pipe give a melodic question, the
other the melodic answer
• one pipe play a bordone (intonation note)
• Two pipes playing in interlocking
• a Kind of poliphony
• improvisation or fixed themes
ROMAN BAGPIPE (Utriculus)
PHUSALIS (bladderpipe)
left to right: ETRUSCAN AULOS,
FISTULA OBLIQUA, BONE PIPES and SYRINX
Tympanon
• It was an instrument primarily played by
women and was mainly used in religious
worship such as the Bacchanalia.
Tibiae (double reedpipes) –
Tympanum (tambourine-like drum) and Cymbalum
(small bronze cymbals giving a ringing sound)
Krotalon-Krotala
• Percussion instruments which were the
wooden equivalent of the modern
castanets.
• They were used by women/men to keep
the rhythm for the dancers
Dancer with krotala, flute case, and walking stick, Attic red figure kylix, ca. 480 B.C
CYMBALS
Bronze
Roman Period (2nd-4th centuries CE)
Kymbalon
• It was made of metal and was the metallic
version of krotalon.
• It was primarily connected with Bacchus
worship.