The History of Greek Music in The History of Greek Music in
a nutshell a nutshell
by by
George Miminis George Miminis
Overview Overview
• Ancient Greek Music Ancient Greek Music
• Byzantine Music Byzantine Music
• Traditional Greek Music Traditional Greek Music
• Contemporary Greek Music Contemporary Greek Music
Ancient Times Ancient Times
• Apollo (God of music, poetry, light) Apollo (God of music, poetry, light)
• The 9 Muses (singing, poetry, arts, sciences) The 9 Muses (singing, poetry, arts, sciences)
– Kaliopi Kaliopi: Epic poetry : Epic poetry
– Klio Klio: Story telling : Story telling
– Efterpi Efterpi: Lyric poetry : Lyric poetry
– Terpsihori Terpsihori: Dancing, Chorus : Dancing, Chorus
– Erato Erato: Love poetry : Love poetry
– Melpomeni Melpomeni: Tragedy : Tragedy
– Thalia Thalia: Comedy : Comedy
– Polimnia Polimnia: Religious poetry : Religious poetry
– Ourania Ourania: Astronomical observations and study : Astronomical observations and study
Mythology: Mythology: Story telling about Gods Story telling about Gods
• Inspiration Inspiration
• Tool of explanation Tool of explanation
Birth of musical instruments Birth of musical instruments
• Apollo Apollo - Mercury Mercury
Odes (Hymns) Odes (Hymns)
• Paeans: Paeans:
– modest but imposing modest but imposing
– dedicated mainly to Apollo dedicated mainly to Apollo
– lira, was danced lira, was danced
• Dithyrambs: Dithyrambs:
– loud and peppy loud and peppy
– dedicated to Dionysus dedicated to Dionysus
– flutes, was danced flutes, was danced
• Paeans for wars Paeans for wars
• Dithyrambs for heroes Dithyrambs for heroes
The evolution of Dithyramb The evolution of Dithyramb
Dithyramb Drama Dithyramb Drama
• Tragedy [4:17 Tragedy [4:17-5:22 from Euripides's: 5:22 from Euripides's:
Orestis Orestis, 500 BC] , 500 BC]
• Comedy Comedy
First signs of songs First signs of songs
• Epic: Recitations about wars and heroisms Epic: Recitations about wars and heroisms
accompanied by Lira or Guitar. accompanied by Lira or Guitar.
– Homers Iliad and Odyssey Homers Iliad and Odyssey
• Lyric: Joy, sorrow, desires Lyric: Joy, sorrow, desires
[3 | 11:10 [3 | 11:10-12:55], 100 AC 12:55], 100 AC
• Folk: Folk:
– work songs work songs
– symposium songs symposium songs
Eras of Ancient Greek Music Eras of Ancient Greek Music
• Mythical [1500 Mythical [1500-1000 BC] 1000 BC]
• Homer [1000 Homer [1000-700 BC] 700 BC]
• Creative [700 Creative [700-555 BC] 555 BC]
• Classical [555 Classical [555-444 BC] 444 BC]
• Decline [440 Decline [440-330 BC] [Macedonians] 330 BC] [Macedonians]
[Romans] [340 AC] [Romans] [340 AC]
Mythical Era [1500 Mythical Era [1500-1000 BC] 1000 BC]
Orpheus Orpheus
• Dorian, Phrygian and Lydian Tetrachords Dorian, Phrygian and Lydian Tetrachords
– (½ 1 1): 1 1): Dorian Dorian
– (1 (1 ½ 1): 1): Phrygian Phrygian
– (1 1 (1 1 ½): ): Lydian Lydian
• Limitations Limitations
• The 7 string lira (two Dorian tetrachords): The 7 string lira (two Dorian tetrachords):
E F G A A E F G A A# C D C D
(½ 1 1) ( 1 1) (½ 1 1) 1 1)
The 7 string Lira & Orpheus The 7 string Lira & Orpheus
• Composition of more melodic odes Composition of more melodic odes
• Explore his vocal range Explore his vocal range
• Become more skilful player Become more skilful player
• Mythology around this Mythology around this
• Opposition Opposition
• Results Results
Homer Homer’s Era [1000 s Era [1000-700 BC] 700 BC]
• [Odes, Paeans, Dithyrambs] [Music] [Odes, Paeans, Dithyrambs] [Music]
• Performers: Poetry, composition, singing Performers: Poetry, composition, singing
and accompanying and accompanying
The Creative Era [700 The Creative Era [700-555 BC] 555 BC]
• No new elements or new instruments No new elements or new instruments
• Meaningful classification of music Meaningful classification of music
• Perfection of instrument build Perfection of instrument build
• Development of playing ability Development of playing ability
• First theoretical books First theoretical books
• Musical education was considered Musical education was considered
essential essential
The Classical Era [555 The Classical Era [555-444 BC] 444 BC]
• Greece was invaded by Persians Greece was invaded by Persians
• Athens, artistic center of Greece Athens, artistic center of Greece
• Arts in their peak Arts in their peak
• Architecture: Acropolis Architecture: Acropolis-Parthenon Parthenon
• Sculpture: Statues Sculpture: Statues
• Epic and Lyric Poetry merged and along with Epic and Lyric Poetry merged and along with
Dithyramb gave birth to Tragedy Dithyramb gave birth to Tragedy
• The 7 string Lira prevailed The 7 string Lira prevailed
• Pythagoras [582 Pythagoras [582-505 BC] Octave, Modes 505 BC] Octave, Modes
Decline Decline
• [440 [440-330 BC] [Macedonians] [Romans] [340 AC] 330 BC] [Macedonians] [Romans] [340 AC]
• New musical expressions are either difficult to New musical expressions are either difficult to
feel, irrelevant or of lower quality than the feel, irrelevant or of lower quality than the
traditional. traditional.
• Average talents use new and more powerful Average talents use new and more powerful
technology clumsily. technology clumsily.
• People People’s reaction s reaction
– Inability to understand and accept new expressions. Inability to understand and accept new expressions.
– Understand but fanatically refuse to accept due to Understand but fanatically refuse to accept due to
traditional values. traditional values.
Byzantine Era Byzantine Era
• Invasion of Greece by the Romans Invasion of Greece by the Romans
• Two streams: West and East Two streams: West and East
• Christianity Christianity
• Constantine Constantine
– Constantinople or Constantinople or Poli Poli (City) [4 (City) [4th th century AC] century AC]
– Split of the Roman empire [395 AC] Split of the Roman empire [395 AC]
• Rome Constantinople Rome Constantinople
• Byzantium Byzantium
Byzantine Music Byzantine Music
• The split caused resentment from both sides The split caused resentment from both sides
• Naturally music took separate paths Naturally music took separate paths
– West kept the Ancient Greek Music West kept the Ancient Greek Music [Melody [Melody
(Greek Modes), Rhythm, Harmony, Form] (Greek Modes), Rhythm, Harmony, Form]
temporarily until Renaissance when new and temporarily until Renaissance when new and
wonderful forms were developed wonderful forms were developed
– East adopted the Ancient Greek Music as their East adopted the Ancient Greek Music as their
heritage and led it to wonderful levels (religious heritage and led it to wonderful levels (religious
character only) character only)
– Polyphony Monophony Polyphony Monophony
– Catholic Orthodox (Split) Catholic Orthodox (Split)
Some characteristics of Byzantine Music Some characteristics of Byzantine Music
• Notes Notes
– {Α, Β, Γ, ∆, Ε, Ζ, Η} {D,E,F,G,A,B,C} D,E,F,G,A,B,C}
– {πΑ πΑ, Βου Βου, Γα Γα, ∆ι ∆ι, κΕ κΕ, Ζω Ζω, νΗ νΗ} { } {α,ε,ι,ο,ου ου}
– {Re, Mi, {Re, Mi, Fa Fa, Sol, La, , Sol, La, Si Si, Do} , Do}
• Octave 12 Octave 12 12 12 x 6 =72 x 6 =72
– {D E F G A B C D} {D E F G A B C D}
12 6 12 12 6 12 12 12 12 12 6 12 = 72 6 12 = 72
– {πΑ πΑ Βου Βου Γα Γα ∆ι ∆ι κΕ κΕ Ζω Ζω νΗ νΗ πΑ πΑ}
9 7 12 9 7 12 12 12 9 7 9 7 12 = 68 12 = 68
[3 | 12:55 [3 | 12:55 - 17:15] 17:15]
Traditional Greek Music Traditional Greek Music
• Has its roots in Byzantine music Has its roots in Byzantine music
• Evolved during the occupation of Greece Evolved during the occupation of Greece
by the Ottoman empire [1453 by the Ottoman empire [1453 - 1827] 1827]
• Created by Created by “simple simple” people people
• Rural music Rural music
Classification of Traditional songs Classification of Traditional songs
• Epic: Epic:
They are the oldest songs with mythical They are the oldest songs with mythical
personalities and heroes (ex. personalities and heroes (ex. Arta Arta’s bridge). bridge).
Possibly a need due to the Ottoman occupation. Possibly a need due to the Ottoman occupation.
• Lyrical: Lyrical:
Personal and family matters. Personal and family matters.
• There are about There are about 20,000 poems 20,000 poems the have been the have been
sang on approximately sang on approximately 700 rhythms 700 rhythms.
Classification of Traditional songs Classification of Traditional songs
• Danceable (Island and Main land) Danceable (Island and Main land)
– Jumpy ( Jumpy (Tsamikos Tsamikos 6/8) 6/8)
– Syrta Syrta (Kalamatiano Kalamatiano 7/8) 7/8)
• Scales of Traditional songs: Scales of Traditional songs:
– The The 8 modes 8 modes of ancient Greece or Byzantine era, plus of ancient Greece or Byzantine era, plus
many others. many others.
– At least At least 16 scales 16 scales are in use currently. are in use currently.
• Rhythm and Melody Rhythm and Melody
[5 | 24:29 [5 | 24:29 – 27:09 wedding song ] 27:09 wedding song ]
[8 | 35:05 [8 | 35:05 – 37:18 war dance] 37:18 war dance]
[9 | 41:44 [9 | 41:44 – 44:22 love song] 44:22 love song]
Contemporary Greek Music Contemporary Greek Music
• Classical Classical
• Semiclassical Semiclassical
• Light [23 | 1:53:55 Light [23 | 1:53:55 – 1:56:50] 1:56:50]
• Folk [20 | 1:39:07 Folk [20 | 1:39:07 – 1:43:02] 1:43:02]
• Political songs [26 | 2:07:43 Political songs [26 | 2:07:43 – 2:11:45] 2:11:45]
Rembetiko Rembetiko
• The songs of the outcasts The songs of the outcasts
• Blues, Blues, Fado Fado, Flamenco , Flamenco
[16 | 1:15:47 [16 | 1:15:47 – 1:17:40] 1:17:40]
[16 | 1:17:40 [16 | 1:17:40 – 1:20:19] 1:20:19]
St. John St. John’s Newfoundland s Newfoundland
• The Forgotten Bouzouki: The Forgotten Bouzouki: Named after Named after
a bouzouki forgotten in my basement. a bouzouki forgotten in my basement.
• Acousmata Acousmata in Greek are the sounds of in Greek are the sounds of
our past. Sounds that have marked our our past. Sounds that have marked our
lives and have shaped our personalities, lives and have shaped our personalities,
sounds that when recalled make us smile sounds that when recalled make us smile
and long for the warm feelings of those and long for the warm feelings of those
nostalgic moments of our past. nostalgic moments of our past.
