2. THE MUSICAL CULTURE OF ANCIENT GREECE
It’s known more through literary references than through
preserved musical documents.
There are about 20 fragments of music written in a late
GGrreeeekk aallpphhaabbeettiicc nnoottaattiioonnaall ssyysstteemm..
Dance, poetry, rite and mmuussiicc (iinnssttrruummeennttaall and vvooccaall) seem
inseparably associated in the early history of music in ancient
Greece.
Music has a great power over human beings ,and certain
mmuussiiccaall ssttyylleess can be associated with particular people and
deities.
3. CAN YOU DISCOVER ANY MUSICIANS AND
INSTRUMENTS?
A)
B)
BB))
AA)) AAUULLOOSS
BB)) AAUULLOOSS AANNDD PPIINNDDAARROO
6. GREEK INSTRUMENTS
There are two important
iinnssttrruummeennttss in ancient Greece:
The first of these instruments
is the AULOS. It’s identified
with Dionysos, the God of
wine.
The aulos is an aaeerroopphhoonnee, so
you ppllaayy it by bblloowwiinngg through
one or two tubes. It’s a ddoouubbllee
–– rreeeedd iinnssttrruummeenntt.. (a reed is a
small piece of cane or metal
inserted into the mmoouutthhppiieeccee of
a wwooooddwwiinndd instrument. This
piece vviibbrraatteess when you blow
across it and makes a ssoouunndd)
7. The LYRE . It was originally called
Chelys, because of the tortoise shell
used as its ssoouunndd bbooxx. It’s associated
with Apollo ( the God of the reason)
How to play it: The lyre is a pplluucckkeedd
ssttrriinngg instrument (it means that you play
these instruments by plucking the
strings with your finger nails or a
pplleeccttrruumm). It can also be called as
cchhoorrddoopphhoonnee.. Strings are stretched from
the bottom of the bowed sound box to
the ssttrriinngg hhoollddeerr. It looks like a hhaarrpp. By
the fifth century there were Lyras from 9
to 12 strings. The strings are made of
animal gut of sinew, but there are also
references of strings made of linen or
hemp.
Usage: it was mainly used for the
musical education of the young and by
amateur ppllaayyeerrss in general. I t was also
used to accompany ssiinnggeerrss..
8. THE LYRE’S FAMILY
The KITHARA is a special kind of lyre that was played by professionals (the
cciitthhaarrooddeess)). It is a plucked instrument chordophone bigger than the lyre . It
originally had five strings, but later the number of strings was increased until 12
strings.
It’s believed that the name “ gguuiittaarr” comes from the Greek word Kithara.
BARBITON. An instrument with longer arms and narrower sound box.
PHORMINX. It’s probably the oldest of the khitara family. It was decorated with
gold and it accompanied the singing of the epic singers called rrhhaappssooddeess..
9. ORCHESTRA
An oorrcchheessttrraa is a group of instruments that
play together, but its name comes from the
Greek theatres. The orchestra (literally “
dancing space”) was normally circular. It
was a level space where the cchhoorruuss would
ddaannccee, sing and interact with the actors who
were on the stage near the skene.
10. ORCHESTRA
An oorrcchheessttrraa is a group of instruments that
play together, but its name comes from the
Greek theatres. The orchestra (literally “
dancing space”) was normally circular. It
was a level space where the cchhoorruuss would
ddaannccee, sing and interact with the actors who
were on the stage near the skene.
