November 07, 2002
Ancient Greek Music On The Web

Lynn 'Unleashed' of Poet and Peasant links to an interesting article in the Atlantic about a Harvard scholar who is trying to reconstruct ancient Greek music. Professor William A. Johnson of the University of Cincinnati is doing similar work, and has some brief QuickTime examples on his website. You can click on any line of each papyrus to hear that line sung, or click on 'Song A' or 'Song B' or 'Melody for Aulos (?)' to hear the whole thing. (An aulos is a reed instrument something like an oboe.) My judgment: weird but nice. I would like to hear more. Johnson also gives a bibliography for further exploration, and lists four CDs against Atlantic's two. Worth a look, and a listen, if the subject interests you at all.

Posted by Dr. Weevil at November 07, 2002 07:52 PM
Comments

I taped some music from KPFA over a decade or more which was said to be ancient Greek music from what was said to be in some cases from fragments left from the past ages. It was mind-blowing, and gives some insight as to what was going on in their minds on some level.

Posted by: Frank C on November 9, 2002 03:25 AM