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The Ancient instruments and their myths: string instruments and Apollo Vesa Matteo Piludu, 2010 Origins • First string instrument in neolitic period (8000-6000 BC) • Lyres were know in Egypt and Near east • Greek and Roman perfectioned the original instruments Ancient musical theories • The civilization that used string instruments were aware of the octave divided into 12 semitones and of the perfect intervals (unisons, octave, fifth and fourth) • A primitive form of musical notation existed • Even so, Ancients didn’t use musical notation because music was considered an oral art Apollonian side of Greek music • Accompainment • Poetry, epos, mythical memory, poetic inspiration • moderation, harmonius control and mental equilibrium, health • Harmony of the kosmos, mysticism • mathematics, philosophical speculation, astronomy Apollonian side of Greek music • education, maturation of the young • unprofessional, domestic music, aristocracy, conservativism • virtuosi of the kithara, competitions • songs, string instruments (lyra) Lyra • The most widely used and popular string instrument in Ancient Greece was the lyra • it was played not only by professional musicians • It was a symbol of Apollo • used as part of young people’s education • could be characterized as the national instrument of the ancient Greek Bow and Lyre • Apollon have as attribute a bow and a lyre (considered a musical bow) Strings • 3 strings, 4 strings, 5 strings, • 7 strings, 9 strings, 12 strings • 4 strings: seasons, four part of the world, herma, equinoxes and solstices • 7 strings: 7 planets, celestial spheres Chelys Lyra (χέλυς λύρα) • tortoise shell covered by leather • The tortoise is a symbol of union between sky and earth • played by women: hetairai or courtesans who entertained at the symposia • respectable women played at weddings or for their own entertainment Historical origins • Probably of neolithic origins Herma: squared, 4 directions, 2 equinoces and 2 solstices as the 4 notes of Chelys lyra The Lyre, with 3 strings, according to mythology was invented by Hermes and was given to Apollo (who some say added another 4 strings). Lyre symbolism Earth-Sky • Carapace: intermediary between sky and earth • Skin: sacrifice • Two horns: celestial bull • The lyre unified sky and earth Apollon and lyre Hermes • this instrument was discovered by the god Hermes (messenger, boundaries, rites of passage) • At the age of one day, he climbed out of his cradle and he found the shield of a turtle. He stretched the skin of a cow around it, fixed two horns through the holes were once the paws of the animal stood Synaulia • Volume 2: string instruments • Track 1: Invocation to Mercury, 4 string lyre • Every musical work started with the invocation to Mercury (Hermes) Ovid, V, 663 Fasti • Come, oh famous nephew of Atlantis, • Who one time at Jove produced one of the Pleiades on the mountains of Arcadia • Arbitrator of Peace and war for the celestial and infernal gods • Who runs trough the air with winged feet, thrilled with the sound of the lyre • Thrilled by the lucent gymnasium • You who with your teaching began to speak the tongue so elegantly Synaulia • Volume 2: string instruments • Track 3: Ode to the lyre • • • • • • Five stringed lyres First string: D3 or paranetè Second: G2 or lichanós Third: A2 mèsè Fourth: paramèsè Fifth: nètè • Arpeggio with all five fingers, with both hands Horatius – poem XXXII To the lyre • If I ever I would write with you, frivolous, in the shadow • Something that in a year and ever more might last up here, give me a Latin song, I pray • • • • O lyre, that was first held by Alceste of Lesbo, so daring in war Among the battles or tied to the banks Of the shore-ridden ship Horatius – poem XXXII To the lyre • Even Bacchus sang, the Muses and Venus • And her son who accompanies her always • With black eyes and dark hair, shining Lycos • • • • O glory of Phoebe (Apollo), welcome to the table of the mighty Jove Oh Cithara, oh from anxiety’s sweet relief Be ready, when I call you Synaulia • Volume 2: string instruments • Track 1: Villa of Mysteries • Lyre, played with plectra, and Syrinx • Two instruments that most perfectly dictates musical intervals Lyre and Syrinx at Villa dei Misteri (Pompei) Playing the lyra • Classic Lyra • customary tuning: Pentatonic without half tones (E-G-A-B-D) • Additional strings: duplicate the same notes in the higher and lower octave, • they don’t fill the missing notes F-C • Curt Sachs ”History of the instruments” Playing the lyra • ”Nubian Style” • The right hand scratched all strings at once with a big plectron • The fingers of the of the left hand deaden those string which must not sound • small ostinato motif Other styles • ”japanese koto style” • a melody is tinkled out with the left fingers • the plectrum scractched rapidly all the strings to mark ”pauses” in the melody and in the rythm • Play with two hands Phorminx (φόρμιγξ) • One of the earliest form of the ancient lyres and was mainly associated with the presentation of Homeric epics • It was considered to be a sacred instrument and perhaps one of most ancient string instrument Playing a lyre, painted by the Achilles Painter, around 450-440 BC Phorminx • played by women and used as a domestic instrument • the wooden soundbox of the phorminx has a softer, rounder curve (13C fresco in throne room of "palace of Nestor" at Pylos) Kithara (κιθάρα) • Made by wood, it was usually designed with a square base • Developed from the Phorminx, probably louder due to the larger sound box • considered a demanding instrument as it required skilful playing • it was an instrument for professional musicians called “kitharodoi” and was used in music competitions. The kithara • The kithara was a large performance lyre • held in the left hand, and strummed with the right. • The left hand was used to pull away strings which were not to sound when strumming. • Though famously of seven strings (the "seventone lyre") in the archaic and classical periods, the performance kithara could have 11 or 12 strings by the Roman era, a practice which probably began as early as the fourth century B.C. Historical origins • Sumerian civilization (3000 BC) • Kinnor in ancient Israel • Ethiopians today use a similar instrument: Keràr • In Rome there was a variety of Kitharas: Contest of Apollo and Marsyas, 350-320 BC from Mantineia. Part of the Base of a Sculpture, National Museum of Athens, Greece. Synaulia • Volume 2: string instruments • Track 15: Phoebus • Arpeggios • Tuning E/G/A/C/D/E/G • Sweet, harmonious Emperors and Kithara • Emperor Nero was a skilled kithara player • Fair and well balanced man, patron of the arts and reformer • He called to his court the most esteemed kitharists of the time: the Greek Terpnos and Menecrates • He founded the neronia, a musical, gymnastic and equitation festival: the kitharist Pollione was the idol of the women in Rome • Hadrian was himself a musician and encouraged musical studies Synaulia • Volume 2: string instruments • Track 6: Orpheus • Kithara • Tuning E/G/A/C/D/E/G transformed • In E/G/A/C/D/D#/G • E lowered by a semitone (blue note) Ovidio Ars Amatoria III, 321 • • • • • • • • The cantor of Rodope with his lyre Moved wild beast and boulders The three-headed dog, the infernal lakes. By virtue of his song, both pebbles and rocks, Just avenger of your mother, New barriers were ready to be layered; And story so famed, Although speechless, even a fish had been moved by the sound of the zither of Arion Erato • Erato, the muse of love poetry and geometry, played the kithara Synaulia • Volume 2: string instruments • Track 8: Erato • Tuning: E/G/A/C/D/E/G considered the most harmoniuos • Ovidius (Art of Loving II, 16): • • • • If ever I once was in your favor, Come to me propitious, oh Cytherea, And you, Love, who, from love Oh Erato, have received your name. Sambuca - Sambyke • • • • Sabka in Babylonian Boat-like instrument Arched orizontal harp Symilar instruments are now plyed in Africa and in Burma (saung) Sambuca-type instrument Synaulia • Volume 2: string instruments • Track 9: Sambuca • Burman sambuca with eight silk-strings • • • • Track 11: Syrian Dance Sambikae: Syrian dancers Sambuca tuned in C/D#/F/G/G#/A#/B/C Tympans and fistulae, cymbalum • Track 13: Cithara and Sambuca • Painting from Stabia: demonstrate that the 2 instruments could be played toghether Cordae Obliuquae • Other harp of Egyptian origin • Magadis in Greek: it could have 20 strings Synaulia • Volume 2: string instruments • Track 16: Cordae Obliquae • Angular harp • Sixteen intestinal strings • Tuning: G/A/Bb/C/D/E/F/G/Bb Pandura • • • • Sumeric Little bow 3 strings Trichordon in Greek • Mandoline-like or lutelike instrument Synaulia • Volume 2: string instruments • Track 12: Pandura • Tuning: C F Bb • Fingered scale: F/Gb/A/Bb/C/Db/Eb Barbitos • The poetess Sappho is shown often playing the Barbitos in Lesbos where it was called barmos "lyre for drinking parties" πανδοûρα pandoura Eros and pandura • minor instrument in the musical culture of Greece • "vulgar" and "common" Barbitos (βάρβιτος ) • It has longer arms than the lyra therefore it has longer strings. • This instrument has a lower extent and produces a sweeter and deeper sound than that of the lyra. • Aristotle says that it is used for pleasure and not for educational purposes A Trigonon is a small triangular harp occasionally used by the ancient Greeks and probably derived from Assyria or Egypt. Harp • Considered an alien instrument in Greece and Rome, coming from the Orient • great number of strings • played by women (heterae and ladies) • Hedone, sensory pleasure • played with the bare fingers, without plectron • 20 strings, ten double tuned in octaves Harp Player around 2800-2300 BC (From Keros, Early Cycladic). A woman (Terpsikhore) playing a Harp. Magadis (μάγαδις ) • a harp with 20 strings, probably Lydian origin. • It comprised two full octaves, the left hand playing lower notes, the right the upper. Hydraulos or Hydraulikon organon • The first keyboard musical instrument in the history and ancestor of the later church organ, invented by Ctesibius (Ktesibios) in Alexandria. • In 1992 Greek archaeologists recovered a fragmentary hydraulis with 19 bronze tubes dating from the 1st Century BC. Archaeological Museum of Dion