Table of Contents
Music was essential to the pattern and texture of Greeks. They owned various musical instruments for playing music from funerals, wedding and religious ceremonies to folk music and theatre. In ancient Greece, music was considered as a gift given by their gods and they thought that music had a great impact on both listener’s body and soul. One thing that makes ancient Greece civilization different from all other civilizations is its true reveal of music.
Ancient Greek Musical Instruments
The ancient Greeks were able to play many different kinds of musical instruments. However they preferred and favored only three of them. The aulos, a double-reed instrument; the kithara, a plucked string instrument; the lyre, also a string instrument. Most Greek men were capable of playing an instrument, and singing and performing choral dances. Performing the hymn regularly and performing instrumental music were parts of everyday activities and formal acts of worship. The art of singing to one’s own stringed accompaniment was highly improved.
Music and Education
According to some researches, the Greeks started to study the theory of the music as early as the 6th century BCE. One of the earliest existing texts on these studies is the Harmonic elements, written in 4th century BCE by, Aristoxenos. Greek philosophers realized a relationship between mathematics and music. They believed that music was a mathematical expression of human soul and the cosmos order. One of the most famous old philosophers of ancient Greece, Pythagoras with scientific dedication established the frameworks of our insight into the study of harmonics-how strings and columns of air vibrate.
127 our experts are availableright now
According to Plato, the first musical schools were created by Cretans (a population of a large island in Greece). However, music in the classroom was mostly common from 5th century to 6th century. Students aged between thirteen and sixteen were instructed to perform on the kithara and lyre and to sing, guided by their instructor on the aulos. Music was seen as a method for teaching order and discipline. Sport games and other activities were also accompanied by music, especially for building synchronization.
Music in Art
Melodic instruments and Artists were well – known in sculpting, on paintings, and on Greek ceramics, especially in the Geometric red-figure styles and dark figure. An outstanding mentioning to the music of ancient Greeks on Greek ceramics would be the greatest hero: Hercules. Most of the potteries often feature the hero with a kithara, which may indicate the relation between physical and musical exercise. Beside from Hercules other ancient Greek heroes like Paris, Achilles and Theseus are also viewed playing a melodic instrument, mostly lyre. In addition, a few school pictures on the ancient potteries portray students with both a book-roll and a lyre, showing again importance of relation between an education and virtue of music. In the theatre, tragic, drama and comedy performances were all accompanied by music, and a special chorus including twenty four singers provided singing.
Ancient Greek Music and Religion
As mentioned above, music was also part of the religious ceremonies. Some special religious activities were accompanied by music, like pouring of libations and sacrifices. Hymns and prayers were also performed during certain religious practices: altar (raised structure for sacrifices) and procession (emanation of Holy Spirit). These types of performances were often played by professional chorus musicians. Ancient Greeks hold some music competitions to honor their Gods. According to evidences, these contests started as early as 7th century BCE.
Analysis
I myself think that, music was just more than music for ancient Greeks. Music played integral role in their everyday lives. For my opinion, ancient Greek society is one of the great societies that have had an important effect on the world with their culture, particularly their music. Great masterpieces like the Great Wall of China, the Egyptian pyramids and Colosseum of Rome are great figure and illustration of their civilization and culture, but do not provide an excellent vision to other sides of their culture. Ancient Greek Music allows scientists to get information about their languages, religions and everyday lives.
It all leads me to conclude that, music was a major part of ancient Greek culture. It played a crucial role in their everyday lives and performed on many special occasions, like games, athletics, ceremonies and festivals. As a form of art, music also had other aspects on other form of arts for example, paintings, sculpting and Greek ceramics. In addition, well-known thinkers such as Plato, Aristotle and Pythagoras developed theories about the relationship between their music and mathematics. Historians and archeologists have managed to find how ancient Greek music sounds like.
