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The tablets were discovered in 1893 embedded in a wall, used as construction material some time after they were originally inscribed (a rather common ancient form of recycling). Both vocal and instrumental parts are inscribed separately, and pitch and duration of the notes is given. The composer's name translates roughly as "Athenios son of Athenios", and it's believed that he wrote this for the Pythian Games - a religious festival held every 10 years, accompanied by Olympic-style games.
I just thought this was cool. It's sort of music from another planet.
4 comments:
Another planet? I was expecting something akin to a Theramin!
Interesting, nevertheless!
thx,
gfa
Stone tablets? I guess that means rock music is a lot older than we imagined.
Dave got me with that comment... (snort)...
It sounds like modern music, except for simpler rhythms and tone structures. I wonder what their musical scale was like and what it would have sounded like with the tonal system they used.
Ours is so new, I've heard it speculated someone like Mozart would be made physically ill by listening to his ideas on our scales.
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