Katana VentraIP

Ancient music

Ancient music refers to the musical cultures and practices that developed in the literate civilizations of the ancient world. Succeeding the music of prehistoric societies and lasting until the Post-classical era. Major centers of Ancient music developed in China (the Shang, Zhou, Qin and Han dynasties), Egypt (the Old, Middle and New Kingdoms), Greece (the Archaic, Classical and Hellenistic periods), India (the Maurya, Shunga, Kanva, Kushan, Satavahana and Gupta dynasties), Iran/Persia (the Median, Achaemenid, Seleucid, Parthian and Sasanian Empires), the Maya civilization, Mesopotamia, and Rome (the Roman Republic and Empire). Though extremely diverse, the music of ancient civilizations is frequently characterized by monophony, improvisation and the dominance of text in musical settings.[1]

Overview[edit]

Written musical notation was the first mark of a literate society. During the time of prehistoric music, people had a tendency to primarily express their music and ideas through oral means. However, with the rise of social classes, many European and Asian societies regarded literacy as superior to illiteracy, which caused people to begin writing down their musical notations. This made music evolve from simply hearing music and transmitting it orally, to keeping records and personal interpretations of musical themes.[2][3][4]

Hickmann, Hans. "Un Zikr Dans le Mastaba de Debhen, Guîzah (IVème Dynastie)." Journal of the International Folk Music Council 9 (1957): 59–62.

Hickmann, Hans. "Rythme, mètre et mesure de la musique instrumentale et vocale des anciens Egyptiens." Acta Musicologica 32, no. 1 (January–March 1960): 11–22.

Popley, Herbert (1921). The Music of India. Burma and Ceylon: National Council of India.

YMCA

Prajnanananda, Swami (1963). A History of Indian Music. Calcutta: Ramakrishna Vedanta Math.

Yin, Wei. Zhongguo Qinshi Yanyi 【中国琴史演义.

Reconstructed bone flutes, sound sample and playing instructions.

International Study Group on Music Archaeology

Musica Romana: Ensemble for ancient music

a music group led by scholar Annie Bélis and dedicated to the recreation of ancient Greek and Roman music.

Ensemble Kérylos