Step 2

Step 3

• Watch THIS VIDEO to gain a better sense of music in the Ancient World and the development of musical notation

• Describe what you see on the Epitath of Seikelos that might give clues as to how this song should sound By looking at the Epitath of Seikleos, it appears that they are just words with one or two symbols on how to sing it above the "lettters"

• Describe what you see of the Euripides parchment that might give clues as to how this music should sound This euripides parchemant has more detail than the epitath, where it has symbols above each "word?" that describes how long to hold the word and the tonality to it. 

Step 2

• Use the reading material to complete the questions below

From “Music In Antiquity” 

1. What function(s)/purpose did music of Ancient Times serve? Music was used in celebrations and ceremonies, such as welcoming the emperor home, and in weddings. It was also used for religious purposes. 

2. Why did pipers play during sacrifices? Pipers were the only recognized instruments in ancient rome at the time, and they played at sacrifices to cover up any noises the animal made. 

3. Which instrument was used to signal retreat, attack and halt? The tuba was used to signal retreat, attact, and halt, and the bucina and the cornu were used to signal watches. 

4. Why were musicians left to play in camps after the army had departed? They were left sounding calls after the army had departed in order to trick the enemy into thinking the army was still there

5. Whose teaching salary was the highest in the Asia Minor? A doctor received 1000 drachmas, whereas a music teacher also makes one of the highest salaries at 700 drachmas. 

6. What was a music teacher’s responsibility? The music teacher's responsibility was to teach theory and instruct students to play the kithara. 

7. What’s up with Nero? Nero was an emperor who was very worried about his appearance, and may have won all of the musical contests because the judges were too afraid of being put to death, so he may not have been an amazing player. 

From “Outrageous Women of Ancient Times”

1. When was Sappho active? She was born sometime between 640 and 600 BC and died around 550 BC

2. What musical instrument/accessory did she invent? She invented the plectrum

3. How many lyric poems did she compose? 500 poems

4. Describe her students and cult. Students from all around sailed to be able to study poetry with her, and it was a group of girls who may or may not have been lesbian-- nonetheless they loved each other very much

5. What were some of the ways she was worshipped even 1000 years after her death? Many gossips, legends, and tall tales wer ecreated under her name, and many poets continued to write about her. They even had her face on the coins from the capital of Lesbos. Her tradition was passed on years and years after her death. 

6. What about her writings made the Christians ‘anxious’? Some christian writers were anxious to get rid of the "pagan" influences like Sappho. Her poems about love and passion were seen as bad influences. 

7. When & where were some of her poems discovered? In the twentieth century, a couple of archeologists found the most complete works of Sabbho in an a thousand year old garbage dump in Egypt. 

From “The State of Music at the End of the Ancient World”

1. Where did the history of Western art music begin? It really began with the history of the Christian Church

2. Why did Roman musical traditions ‘disappear’ at the beginning of the Middle Ages? Most of the music was connected with social occasions which the early church looked at in horror, or with pagan influences that the church wanted to get rid of. 

3. What attitude did Greek mythology display toward music and music makers? Greeks saw musicians as godlike, where music was like having a special power amidst the dark times. People thought it would heal sickness, purify the body and mind, and work miracles in the realm of nature. 

4. How did Aristotle react to the complexity of music festivals and competitions?  He was alarmed by the proliferation of musical craft and warned against too much professional training in general music education. 

5. What does monophonic music sound like? It sounds like a melody without harmony or counterpoint. 

6. Why is the Epitaph of Seikelos of particular interest to music historians? This was of interest to historians as it had clear rhythmic notation. 

7. How many notes survived the Euripides papyrus? 42 notes survived 

8. Why did the early Christian Church distrust all instrumental music? They were afraid people would start to convert back to their pagan past with the music that was played, because that is where it was derived from. 

9. What type of singing is the earliest recorded musical activity of the Christian Church? hymn singing is the earliest recorded musical activity of the christian church. 

10. How did Byzantine musical practices impact western chant? They left their mark on Western chant particularly in the classification of the repertory into eight modes. 

11. Who is ‘Gregorian Chant’ named after? Pope Gregory 

12. What language replaced Greek as the ‘official language of the Roman liturgy? Latin

13. List a few of the jobs required of a monastic cantor? The cantor was the key person for musical program, maintaining the library and scriptorium and directing the performance of the liturgy. 

14. Who was allowed to play the lyre to accompany hymn singing and psalms? Only people of faith were allowed to play the lyre to accompany hymn singing. 

15. What role did the Christian missionaries play in developing Western music? The christian missionaries sang songs and hymns as they travels all around the ancient roman roads, and carried it to every part of western europe. 

16. Who was Boethius?   Describe one of his ideas about music. Boethuius emphasized the influence of music on character and morals, where as a consequence music is represented as occupying an important place in the education of children, as well as an introduction to more advanced philosophical studies. 

Aural Assessment

1. Describe musical elements from “Sappho’s Marriage Celebration”(A) Sappho's Marriage Celebration is haunting, yet beautiful. The flute melody twists ad turns, as the spoken words compliment the tune. 

2. What musical elements are present in ‘Euripides’ ?(B) This is also a haunting piece as there are moments where the two instruments have dissonant harmonies, yet has beauty when they come together and form something consonant. When the percussion comes in, more power is added and it gives it a driving force. The voices also follow the pattern of a creepy tone with notes that are not so pleasant. 

3. What musical elements are present in ‘Epitath of Seikelos’?(C) This is the first one that is actually consonant in a nice major key. Not that the others are bad, this one was more pleasant and uplifting than the others. It was a little more fast paced and happy. 

4. What are the differences in how these three pieces sound?(ABC)  The first and second one were similar in the sense that they were dissonant, yet the Sappho one had spoken words instead of the singing in the Euripides. The third one was different than both of them is it was consonant and happy, with no singing involved. 

5. Overall, how does the music of ancient times make you feel?(ABC) In general, I usually feel kind of uncomfortable because many ancient tunes are very dissonant and creepy. The happy, consonant ones do make me feel more pleasant, but they still have a quality that is unfamiliar. 

6. If given the chance, which instrument would you run and hide from?  Why?(ABC) I would run from the aulos because it is just so ugly when it plays notes that are only a half step apart. 

7. If you were to play an instrument from this time period, what would you choose?  Why?(ABC) I would play the lyre because of its beautful tone, but also the aulos because it sounds funny. 

Honors Track: 

Link to presentation here