Music of the Ancient Sumerians,‘Music of the Ancient Sumerians, Egyptians and Greeks ensemble De Organographia Gayle Stuwe Neuman: strings, voice, percussion Philip Neuman: winds, string, percussion, voice Archeological discoveries inthe Mii ast over the at several decades have ‘rough to light newt musical document that have teatlyinceasd or understanding of lnc musi, Texts tat deserie Babylonian mosical mation hve been uncovered at Ur Sd Asr, and compositions writen this system have bows found at Ugur and Nippu ‘These dacovries have helped to define a cles pct ofthe Sumero-Babyonian musical 4a and, while information o the subject of Egyptian musical ntton remains obscure by ‘Somparsn, several eral description of nxrmentl perfomance and several extant msi ‘al docursent ave been eae. Fortunately, Grek compositions and musi theory texts ‘vive inrltively greater ombers and contin ote wen: cel) watseibed musi document in Grek atten fod at Oxyehyocbus in Egypt are bear hore fo the fist, time. (The bulk ofthe extant Gresk repertoire canbe heard on De Organographia's “Music othe Ancient Grek” PRCDIOO'.) “The repertoire on this recording, posers mainly on cy tbls and papi, des fromthe 2s entry B.C the hed entry AD. TL inles the musical instructions for ‘he yen "Lipitor, King of sce” which sepa the Woes ote suing ‘example of musical otaion. The sletons ange in varying states of reservation from he nearly prfcet Horn yr 6 to ny fragment of elo ad tex The instumeals used here at either oil (i the par of krtala cymbal) or ‘copies of arson iret, silt manly by the performers, pated ar surviving muse tm ongnuls an iconographic representations. Te inrumets are ited below ih te escrigions Asymmetrical Lyre: nine-tring bok Ire pated afer representation on a ry pel fom Megid, 1300 B.C a ype used oughout Egy and Mesopotamia Atos rest pie, wth eylindial bre sd double rsd, mos oe depicted asa pir of pipes layed byasingle musician, Conary os popularly eld belt th Greek alos had ‘igpe of double ee a described by Theophrastus (nt single). One pipe played Sloe was sometimes called monabos,Arsonenas ives ve sizes purtenioi (nad ‘rtype), pik (bo type) hitharsteros tara playing ype), eo compete). SM Inport exe compte) coesqonding ogy Yo pao. ba fone, bass. Unfornately th word “alos ite mitral as “ae agpie:bogpipe wih sinc bore pies own from Ist B.C if ot eli, [Barrel dean: tv esdod drum intel form ‘all teresa froze bel ser extant specimens ‘Clappers: spiro carved wooden lakes stuck aginst one aot ‘Gonchs conch sel Bown ikea tuner tough an opening sds the top. Double reed pipes: hin pir of wnstached slo-ike cal pipes sounded by double reeds ster specimens found at Ue Double idloglti eed pipes: sirof atcha ropes sounded by dogo ingle eeds (Tike the drone reds some bagpipes). A copy of an ancen Egyptian specimen ‘Sila tothe moder sma ehela: bow o earthenware o Somer materia ade ina vast of ssn order produce an arsorment of pitches whem stack. Pram Drom shall du with ski ead Goble run um with ty of baked lay in gole fm with skin ead onthe ‘wie end arp: angle harp ft a Egyptian orginal ow in tbe Louvre “lourlas drum: wooden sll in hogs form with skin heads on both nds ‘ithara:oetate wooden ye of professional Gack scons. It was ul fom sever Shaped and hllawed ou pices of wood witha ep carved sound bx adit {neared ars. ‘The as supe te consbar which the gu stings Sr atchedKoala: pain wooden clapper or lppers with small eymbal atached. The rea ‘jmbals used bere are prod specimens found it Alexei, dating from Kroupeaa a sboe wit clapper or oala ached. Kymbali: Grek cymbals with belie sound [Long-necked lat! tee strng ute after an extant orginal found in the tomb of Harmon a Thebes. Simla the Grek pandours and mera Tush ss {yra: Gock yr, ofginlly made from arise tel and anita hors. Someimes the shel was aed in Wood “Ment: Fgypian sing of acace beats atached 10 a handle Pandouralong-aecket Grok late wih hee to five plucked sings. Palys tle shaped lik ler made of rca wth wooden ngs which were ‘arround by coils of wire or mata ings Strum: ten boop or sir orm with had, pea by lose met rod Syrinx monokalamos: veri te esrbling a single be fom a tn (panpipes) ered with ngsboles. Threesholed vertical te: en-bows te fer am extant species, similar tthe modes yptan nay: Timbre frame drum ith jigs or smal yb “Trichordon: salle o pandoura with hee Sings, Trumpet short trumpet of copper bronzs sive andr gol: here pened ate the silver ‘runes om te tb of Tankamen, Tworholed whistle: baked clay whistle wth wo geo fter an original founda Bis 'Nimmid, formerly inthe Meseam of he Royal Asati Society (certain selections the listener wil hear insrumens playing the notes ofthe relay simaitanecily with ter pitches, cating simple form of harmony, Eventhough {his repre igh considered monophonic, sme siren infomation regarding har ovation as come to ight. Babyloie notation, conclved forthe ye, xpress series ‘of two not rvs, ech flowed hy a nameral acting the number fies tito be epee. ML. est propose hh second pth ofeach ner ideas the nous the vocal meady (1. Homove, since some ofthe interval sed insoacesion have the same ‘cond ich bt dierent pices, the fs pitch mst nce someting. West has sus feted that they consi "of aceon notes, perhaps especialy ates ese i aunching the ‘melody ates) ‘A for Grek musi, theres evidence fom the Sth ceatry B.C. ota inst mena woul sometimes diverge fom the vocal mslody pay eter nots i ion to it This practice of diverging fom te melody as deserbed it detail by Par in reference {0 teaohing the thar a jest thar eacher and his tien for the eson of ak ing the ots ler mst play the noes on he pra na mana hat proces unison itches ttn th nots of the song. Consening the playing of ifere pitches and omamentaons ‘Tike pra, when the te ofthe sings diflesrom the composers melody. or when groups ‘small nerve ae played with wide ones, or quick notes wth low ots high noes "ins! low cae, in eonsonant irra or acta, a th Way they inedce al une of fythmic embellish to the oes ofthe ya ths things sould no be taught stews tn ms ar ia ee years lh necessary mas "3) Apparel he thoagh it was [torn fr stents to ern te basis of thm, melody, moe, ating, before delving Jno more conples fms of scompaniment ia matin of professional musica. ‘sci Plata in hs description ofthe Spondetacon ops (1 sts hee a tonal pies that ere played in acompanimeat io certain ots of the sx sale depres of the melody. The aplication ofthese notes rss inthe Following intervals: perfect th aor hd, jr sh, ine hind and ma second,In spit oftheir age, a ew of he musical works seconded here have survived in seat pee conition, namely sections 11,21, 2, and 28, However, a ane might expect vith works of peat angi, most ofthe ean pices have missing pasages. Most ofthe Iragmontary pce revo here have ben lf their original state (noe. 1220, 28 snd 25) whilethe others ive been “epi” with thematically sila melody to il he void. ‘Theres of couse bo perfet solution wo puzzle wih pieces inerievbly os, However, Iwidgng the lacunae inthe Oxyychusfgments with pause material is made feasible by using conventions fund inthe extant msi, the set of res fr composing melody by ‘Aries Quinilians, andthe practic of making the melody arc wih te tna accents ‘ofthe ext. (Fo futher information, see the notes forthe cd "Msc of the Ancient Greeks” PRCDIOD|.) Ifthe listener wishes lo distinguish te crilnal from the added material ‘woul be bef com collection of modem transcriptions oly: MLL. West Ancint ‘Grosk Music (Oxf, 1992) and "Texts with Muriel Notation” The Oxehuncus Pap LEXY (Londoo, 1998) ‘We would ike wo thank De MLL. Wet fe aging Various sources to orate tion, Chisiane Zeger and Catherine Bridonnew tthe Louvre for proving With infor ‘tio or th eonsracton ofthe Eeypian hap, and Stephen Escher athe Musi Liar of Stanford University for is assistance. Pil Newman Donald R. Singer: recording engineer, eracota bel Philp Neuman: sional melo, rape design, cover phato {Cover phot: the 1Sth century B.C gate at Mesh, the ancient cy site where the represen tation the asymmetical ye was found. (© 2000199 Panurion Resor, ISDS. genous St, Oregon iy, Oezon TOS USA. Greek Music from Faypt rm he Oxythynches papi) | MusicaLeserts, Anonymous 2ad cA.) POxs $461, column ines 19 trichonton grin monohalamos, ompanon, pithy, Rrowpec, oa (oma cymbals) 2 Lament, Anon (2nd or Sede A.D) POxy 46S. aus pais hava ra 4 imgment Anonymous 2nd AD.) POxy 62. trichodon, tara aul parthenins "rine monokalamos, loupe Eymbula 4. Paaa, Anonymoes nor the AD) POxy $466, rine monolames,pandowa, Iya, ‘roupece, tala (all eymbal) Tinh frame. Anon. Be. AD.) POxy. 3162. aos ees double ples) 6 t c Avonymoas (Ite: AD.) POxy S10. Fur dierent examples of muse fr tbe sue ln of tex given. Translation: "OF ‘shat aes? What memo" voices, Khar, ia, tala (mall ema) 1. xcetpi mentioning Emsand Anh, Aron. 2nd ore, A.D.) Px 4463. Fragments of tee istic compostions. pardoua bronze el pita ympanon: alos Iypertliossthara yrs monokalamos, barrel dram, ropes. ‘8. Musical exces. Anonymous dc. A.D) POxy. 467. richrdon, pandowa, wo kitharas 9 ypolian excel Anonymous 2a oe 3. AD) POxy. 464, les 38, The leetum 's pressed on the string to cba am accidental onthe kth. thar, echeia 10. ragmeat 2, Aronymous rd e.A.D) POns. 3161 verso 3. bagppe eympanon ‘imbrelAoupea, koala smal cymbal) hand laping, finger snare ‘Samero-Babylonian Music 11, zauz tothe gods (rian Hy 6), Anonymous, copied by Amur (. 1228 BC) RS. 15.30 +49, 17.387. This ear imac pie is preserved wit the remains of 30 oerhymns in te Hasan language ona series of faked ly tbl found at Ua. Modern tramcripoon ofthe Babylonian sical potation on hese tablets made possible og the ‘icovery of vveral pra mus txs hat expan the terms wed nthe ning ofthe te through seven dinic mode, Several madern authors have feed interpretations of thee tevms but cisgre on certain Key pon, We have followed ML. Wes oer tion (3). The Babylonian system does incl notation for hy. Text undrsy spro Ica since th ext and msi are writen separately. Thee almost 2:1 rato Between the munberof syllables and he number of noes, themed I repeated the mach of Silabies so mcs is fy good wih few minor astents:o the alt been he ext fd musi tore double dividing ine wit sighs idan a repeat of some Kind. Present testing ofthe Human langage mite hus aking complete trasation impos Sle it seems to bea ya ote ges Nika, wife of the moon 20d, wth Te ast thle pares cling "yu love them in yourheu” abd “bor of you" oie, lng-neched la, xyemerial re, Broce Bell 12, Hucian Hymns 190828, Anonymous (e225 B.C) RS. 19.149 and 18282. Tw0 fragmentary hyn with pars of four and sik Hes of aio especie. Here te fist Dich oech notated interval played alongwith he melody nate abe besoning ofeach eves of repetition (se sbove) asymmetrical ye, lng-ncted lite, goblet dram, terracotta bel clapers 15, Hunan yin 1 ant 12, Uitiya/Anon, copied by Ip 1225 BC) RS. 19.1644 and 197, Hyton fgets with pars of two and fou lines of mtn respectively ‘double reed pipes, goblet dren 'H. Muran Hymn 2 Anonymoas (1225 BC) Fragmenary hymna wit pars of weve lines of station. anyumcrica fe, terracta Bll 1S. Huan Hana 8 by Uiya © 1225 B.C.) RS. 19:84, Fragment hymn toa godess ‘vith pars of sven lina of musi ntton. sre Aled vertical ie asymmetrical be 00 stra, goblet dram 16, Huntin Hyman 5, by Pubiyatn) (6.1225 B.C) RS. M.I8. Fragmentary hymn with pas offive lines of notation. symmetrical le, goblet dry, erracota bell 17. Murian Hyams 421 and.2. Anonymous 1225 BC.) RS. 14.15, 19.184 and 19.164. leng-neked late, harp hourglass dam. clapper. onze Bel ism 1, Muran Hymns 7and 10, Anonymous c. 1225 B.C) RS. 19.158 and 19.148. Hy 10 refer tthe polese bat arymmetrica lve, hourglass dram 19, Huan Hyams 16 and 30, Anonymous 1225 BC.) RS. 19.16 and 19.1618, conch harp, tosholed whistle 20, Musical nsiutions for “Lip King of Ise”, Anonymous (1950 BC) 1N/3384. Preserved oma clay tablet from Nippr are the instructions forthe mia com pment tothe hyn “Lip tr, King of Justice, Wisdom and Leigh text of wich Sorvives in several sources. This ys thought to dt rom he ine of Lip Star's eign, ‘making i he world’ oldest surviving example of musical aaation. Given are the trig ‘ote vo imervals hat may indicate predominate noes of sections andthe mode (6). ‘anmmerial re eyptan Me 21 eampat cal, Anonymous aster the description given by Plutarch in Mala (Ist. A.D.) Pare describes the manne in which the Egyptian rampet was payed: But for tem (he ple of Baris event xr a trmpet an, beans the think it sounds ike the bay ‘fans and "The people of Buss and Lyeopois donot we trumpets at alesse hey take asound lke am st and allopeie they regard Teas as an uelean anal. This instruments apabe of producing two elective pitches (approximately 9" and") 2 well stiles stbl fndametal (hla). Since here no matics the moder Sense, hishee Tamonis are extremely dificalo produce. Assuming at no ore han two haronics ere sounded in wal use, Parcs ems sve us ass for his eal aking Ue order ‘of pitches and yt from the natal ay ofthe as. Eypian rnpet 22 sisi shyt, Anonymous, ae the description piven by Lins Apes in Metamorphoses Gade A.D) Apulets described the hy perormed on the strum a the pprtion of tegen Is 2 "ple shake of the arm Hans Hickman (7) eerprtedthis shyt a thee egal notes follow hy ares in order to separate each group ofthe. ‘Te prpain of trumpeten is abo described. sion 3 Egyptian tampets 25, han angus cen, Anonymous rom to pining Found at Thebes Ath. 'BC) The punting depict ene of four rows of aed guest preparing atend a banaue ‘with guest on te left fea ow displaying chitonomy signs and instumentalists on he Fah The sgn, indict by the varius otinatons of the guess ars, apparel doe: rents heise an fal ofthe my being pled bythe musicians). Rhythm and mode be contra the cle usd here stem from an extant the baled Egyptian veal ut i playable condition, lng-ncled late e-hoed vertical fie harp, hourglass drum, clap ets. 24, Ham ise LAL Anonymous (7 rhc, 1.) Brooklyn Museum 88.34. This example ‘of what is ppatetly musa! notation survives onan Egypt state pow in he Brook Museum (8) Icons of ius, harpist nd wha may be a musical dectoc och onomit (whose ight am ie unforatlymising) tablet ron ofthe second figure {pny «series of horizons with hot vel stokes navy of postns relative torte line. This would scm 0 be a graphic rpreseataton ofthe various inclinations of the “rm the chrono indcaing the re an fall of the melody bens payed by the harpist (0), Weve nerpeted here the horzotal lin as repressing the lowest pch ofthe melo Ay he hele a iven toe above the line indie it lative interval distance above thelowestnote, Th smallest meaningful diferenees soul intcate sae steps since the Incodic movement othe blk the aie rperire x predominantly stepwise. Rhythm fn mode are unknown the xeale red heres ake rom an extant thee holed Epi vet- ‘al te in payable comin. harp 2 Hap piece LBL Avonynous 7th hc. B.C.) The se piece as above wth somewhat ‘ere ning in freement wi he reed pps) performed ons vanity of common Haypian instrament barrel drums, rame doa clappes. double idoglotic reed pipes, harp. thew holed vertical le sstram, mena, yma SSRIS He Sas Sem men 86 9 He Stume Neuman, a singer ad player of stnged and wind insruments, o-dees the (Oregon Rensiance Hand. she has erformed with Magnificat andthe Whake Noss and teaches msc sory t Maryihost Uaivesy Pritip Newman co diets the Oregon Renaissance Band and pays wind and stringed inserts He hs performed withthe American Bach Slots, Pilarmonia Baroque (Ones andthe Handel Hay Society Orchesta and teaches msc hinory at Marys University and counterpoint at Univers of Poland, Easemble De Organographia, formed in 1978 pei instrament ensemble dedicated to performing and ecordig lesser known works fom several diferent eas. Other cs by semble De Oranognphi nla Music ofthe Ancien Greeks” (PRCD 1001), which contains most ofthe snes Geek reper inte on copies of period istruments and voices, “french Music af the Mth Century: Macha the Flin Generation” (PRCDIO) Secular mos of the Ars Nova and Ars Subtle periods on voices and insrament 3 aly” (PRCD 003), eating Perenine cara ‘Sng, role aed danses performed on a wide varity of perio instruments und vce By De Organographi and the Oregon Renaissance Band “PRCDIONS) with Gayle Newman, oie, sens and winds: Laura Zset harp Allan Mari, "ire piano and Philip Neuman, winds Pandaron Records, 1880S Edgenod SL. Oregon Cy, OR TOK, USA; eure og