Ancient Greek Music by Seikilos

[MushroomedAnymore]

Why after the light of the Greeks and Romans did we have to fall prey to the dark demonic forces of monotheism? Before Christianity and Islam you could actually be an honest human being with honest rational aspirations and doubts and dreams! Wonderful rendition of Seikilos! So much of the spirit is captured here! :-)

[iapetoc6]

paides poly kakkh hxografhsh,



[MegaHellokitty888]

wat is the name of the flute ?

[noalaiglesia]

Viva Grecia!

[Pamellivero]

lindo isso. adorei.

[Eurystheas]

Απιστευτα ομορφο ρε γμτ....

Ο χρονος απαιτει τα λαφυρα του,οπου λαφυρα=η ζωη!!!

[Eurystheas]

Λενε πως ο επιταφιος γραφτηκε στον ταφο της συζυγου του Ευτερπης και λεει τα εξης: ΕΙΚΩΝΗ ΛΙΘΟΣ ΕΙΜΙ· ΤΙΘΗΣΙ ΜΕ ΣΕΙΚΙΛΟΣ ΕΝΘΑ ΜΝΗΜΗΣ ΑΘΑΝΑΤΟΥ ΣΗΜΑ ΠΟΛΥ ΧΡΟΝΙΟΝ Ὅσον ζῇς φαίνου μηδὲν ὅλως σὺ λυποῦ· πρὸς ὀλίγον ἐστὶ τὸ ζῆν. τὸ τέλος ὁ χρόνος ἀπαιτει μεταφραση στη νεα μας: Πετρινη εικονα ειμαι Ο Σεικιλος μ εβαλε(εθαψε)εδω (ωστε)να γινω σημα αθανατο στη μνημη για πολλα χρονια Οσο ζεις,λαμψε! Μην λυπασε για τιποτα! Η ζωη ειναι λιγη! ο χρονος απαιτει τα λαφυρα του! apistefta omorfo

[Eurystheas]

orea i arxaia mousiki...

[anoustouras]

oti kai na eimaste kai apo opou kai na eimaste, ena einai sigouro.milame gia foteines melodies kai malista me enxorda pou pianoun ypsiles syxnotites....

[nicholaspa]

ΑΠΙΘΑΝΟ ΣΥΓΧΑΡΗΤΗΡΙΑ ΠΡΑΓΜΑΤΙΚΑ ΑΝΑΤΡΙΧΙΑΣΑ, ΜΟΥΣΙΚΗ ΓΝΗΣΙΑ ΑΡΧΑΙΟΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗ ΠΑΡΑΔΟΣΗ ΚΑΙ ΠΟΛΙΤΙΣΜΟΣ ΠΟΥ ΠΡΕΠΕΙ ΝΑ ΣΤΗΡΙΖΟΥΜΕ ΚΑΙ ΠΟΤΕ ΝΑ ΜΗΝ ΞΕΧΝΟΥΜΕ ΚΑΙ ΠΑΛΙ ΜΠΡΑΒΟ ΣΑΣ!

[Shufei]

Lovely, lovely, lovely... This is a very catchy tune, very alluring.

Strange how ignorant some people can be. In Chinese culture we also have musical notations and tabulatures going back many centuries. The modern style believes that a notation isn't real unless it preserves EVERY possible facet of performance. But this ignores the human element, that each performance is its own special event. Most forms of notation recognize and encourage balance between tradition and improvisation.

[SergioAlejandroLira]

@Shufei This music comes from greek musical notation from 24 centuries ago, and the instruments are copies of the original ones found in tombs and checked with descriptions. The fact that global civilization today comes from Greece explains the interest in this kind of ancient pieces.

I love chinese culture but is much more recent, and increasingly occidental anyway, they dress like europeans, follow european ideologies (either communism or capitalism are both european) so...

[1969yaman]

ı am live in near the tralles .seiklios city aydın/turkey

[soNofLeoniDasandLas]

@1969yaman get the hell out of the Greek Anatolian lands thieves... Go back to mongolia so the Chinese can kick your ass again as they did in the past .

[lefterhsk1]

what a psychedelic ending !!!

[jimbom3ci]

λολ, επική... μαλακία. χαχαχαχα

[tenormaniati]

κι εσύ αναμφισβήτητα επικός.....αρχιμαλάκας χαχαχαχα

[iwanachisburka]

@tenormaniati

wow this is hard to read!!!

[fcristina61]

Awesome video! Thanks so much for uploading it.

[karanickolas]

AFTER ALL THE CENTURIES AND IT STILL SOUND BEAUTIFUL 

[progonolatreia]

to na prospatheis na diaskedaseis me autn tin mousiki einai san na prospatheis na gelaseis me anekdota pou legame sto dimotiko,,

ta pragmata exoun mia sofia stein seira tous

[tenormaniati]

Πολύ σωστά τα λες, αφού η μουσική αυτή "δεν είναι για να διασκεδάζεις". Συνεπώς σου συστήνω τα σκυλάδικα που είναι της ηλικίας σου (όχι του Δημοτικού) και της αισθητικής σου.

[progonolatreia]

the flamengo music of andalusia has here roots from ancient-vuzantine greeks

[deezacharo]

fantastic, this sound really can take you back to the Greek ancient times..

well done

[CapriVita]

This is so ironic! I was looking for music for my documentary on St. Demetrius of Thessaloniki, and this music is by Seikilos Thessaloniki. :P

[Bradasha]

beautiful singing voices! :O

[Aeschylus]

Καταπληκτικό!

[thesagebrushkid]

We only know for sure is the chorse that were played and the instruments that exsisted at these times. But we still do not know how the sings were played and with what instruments. Eirther way no one is to blame or to be at fault.

Take it for all its worth people. We are lucky to have this much knowledge of ANY ancient music from anywhere in the world. It should all be listened to with respectful

[Deodonus]

These are nothing more than experimentations - we know nothing about how this music was performed. We only have some lyrics and some notes and that's all. There is no way to reproduce "original ancient Greek music". In no way. And it is a shame (maybe even a... crime) that some people take advantage of other people's ignorance to make money and false impression. The Greek Ministry of Culture should do something about that...

[tenormaniati]

The uploader of the video never denied that this is merely an approach or experimentation as you say. But the same fact stands for most of the music that has not been recorded. Baroque for instance is performed in so many contradicting styles. Does that suggest that we should avoid listening or ''approaching'' the music? Your absolute resolution on condemning such efforts on the basis of ''we don't know how'' does not help any approach and stands for the true ignorant

[mrmolinodelahoz]

We know absolutely nothing about ancient music except that they had instruments and they sang.

There was probably some theatrical and religious implication-- nothing more.

[tenormaniati]

It is so easy and common for ignorants to declare in such way their opinions. In the same way i must confess to the word that we don't know how Spanish music of the Renaissance was performed., except that they had instruments and they sang. Actually, I think it should be forbidden!

[mrmolinodelahoz]

I am surprised that you would make such an "ignorant" comment about Spanish renaissance music as we still have extant musical texts from that period to let us know about the music. Agricola, Ackerman for example. There is no classical music notation which exists and all this is an invention. Pictagoras never wrote music but only about music proportions, which speaks of the primitave state of music at the time.

However, they played something.

[tenormaniati]

My dear friend, first of all the correct name is Pithagoras which you ignore. Secondly, the fragment in the video is by Seikilos and is one of the few original notation (non classical of'course) that exist. The analysis of this notation IS NOT BASED ON PYTHAGORAS. I'm afraid that you are confused .Who told you that only western classical music notation exists?Byzantine music has a completely different notation. Does that mean it never existed?

[fluffytom82]

@mrmolinodelahoz

You are right to say that Pythagoras only studied the mathematical side of music. How do strings vibrate? What are harmonics? Why do some intervals sound nice and some don't? etc

But there are still quite a lot of other texts describing ancient music from that period. Aristoxenos and Boëthius wrote complete treatises about music. And in some texts we get hints on what and how was played when they talk about the morality of music. We have a good basis to figure it out!

[nebula402]

@mrmolinodelahoz Ancient tablets have been found with music notes on them, so we have an idea of the music they performed.

[MaBu888]

Sounds like a drunk lament with too much wine, but VERY good.

[bassreeves1965]

where do you think the foundations of western culture lay?

[8RR8R8]

Beautiful! Strange is that it is not very different from the music here from the 12 & 13 c (occitania--troubadours).

[AthensUtrecht]

maresei poli alla i poiotita einai poli kaki

ginetai na to akousw kapou se kaliteri poiotita?

[tenormaniati]

Δυστυχώς δεν υπάρχει άλλο ντοκουμέντο απο τη συναυλία αυτή...

[MedievalFairy]

the female voice is straight, clear, no vibrato, thin, so what belcanto style are some of you mentioning? the singers just sing the notes written in a diaphragm-supported manner. Nevertheless, you might find more interesting some recent videos of the group, when the musicians have evolved even more.

[saturninofarandola1]

incorrect analysis.

[ambrosius]

This is wonderful. I love the arrangement. Where was it performed at and for what occasion?

[tenormaniati]

It was performed in Thessaloniki, Greece during a Cardiologists' Conference which took place in the Nicopolis Hotel conference hall

[LadySamusAran]

That was lovely...

[1950nefertiti]

прекрасно браво!!!

[Redhorse1959]

If that the case then yes.

[lichtbroeder]

I believe we have written fragments of ancient Greek music, but do we know what it sounded like? Is this performance an attempt at informed reconstruction?

[tenormaniati]

Noone can say how the music exactly souned like. It is only possible to make (hypothetical) suggestions on how the music should be performed. So, almost every such performance (like the one here) is merely an approach to the composed music rather than an attempt of a historically faithful (in terms of musicology) reproduction. Nevertheless that is not always the point in music. You could have a pop, rock e.t.c. version of the written score and an interesting -artistically- result.

[leftysergeant]

I have seen video of this piece played on a variety of instruments and in modern styles. I think Jordi Grau's version on the recorder is one of the most successful modern interpretations.

[baretous]

Superbe. Merci les Grecs

[waggabiggadoo]

this is very beautiful where can I find more or buy their music?

[tenormaniati]

I am sorry to say that this group has not yet recorded. Most of the persons involved however are friends of mine, so probably more similar videos will be posted in the future. Thank you for commenting.

[jevalles]

This is utterly fantastic: Christodoulos Halaris - Music of Ancient Greece on Orata ORANGM 2013. There is a clip on youtube under the title: Music of Ancient Greece- Orestes Tragedy-Eurypides - Halaris

[Redhorse1959]

This would sound fabulous with a tempo pickup, singing less formal and more spirited. As it is, it does have an old mystic quality but I cant help but thing the old Greeks liked there music with more flow.

[Kortoso]

Wasn't this on an epitaph? Would that suggest a more sombre tone?

[Diwonusoio]

This was an epitaph for Seikilos indeed, but the song itself was probably a skolion (drinking song for the banquets), either composed by Seikilos or perhaps one of his favourites: it`s like someone would inscribe a pop song on his tombstone nowadays. So there`s no need for a sombre tone.

[aldameldo2]

Some Greeks, my friend paramsaram, resemble their ancestors also in the religion, what I really applause and follow.

[paramsaram]

amazing. greeks seem to remain the ancient music so well.. this sort of music might have given much influence to our traditional musics in the far-east asia, through the silk-road..

thanks for posting,, i wish if you had more of these music, could you share with us, please!

thank you!!

[tenormaniati]

Dear friend, I promise to post more pieces in the near future. Thanks for commenting.

[blinda87]

¿en qué fuentes os basais para crear exactamente estar reproducción de la música griega?

[elenakaf]

Se kanei perifano pou eisai Ellhnas! :)

[monohordo]

in free translation this ancient song says

"be glad as long as you live

because life is short

time is demanding for the end"

[bemjamin]

i guess

[xlemetzas]

People should remember that this is a reconstruction of a music that unfortunately had no means of being accurately transferred in writing.

[morfovoun]

Ελλαδαρα ρε

[keltyk]

Forgot to add, I find this hauntingly beautiful now that after a few listenings it's grown on me.

[fedor467]

Ε Μ Ε Τ Ο Σ

[hapshepsut123]

I do not think it sounded that way. Usually folk music which is a legacy of the past has catchy and mesmerising tunes. This music remind me of the 1950s' Hollywood biblical movies which sounded rather artificial. Usually folk music has a very strong string instruments presence, not to forget the percussions.

[joeyjojo4]

This might be the dumbest thing ever written on Youtube. Congratulations, hapsehpsut123--we have a winner!

[hapshepsut123]

Do you expect me to praise this crappy music? Well when I mentioned percussions I do not refer to Zildjian cymbals, I was referring to drums, cymbals, ancient xylophone etc. Probably to you this is a masterpiece! I advise you to visit the tribal villages and listen to their music.

[LazlosPlane]

Why would I expect ANYTHING from you? I don't know you from spit. (spit is probably smarter).

But judging from your egotistical and ill-informed comments I suspect you're a real fucking moron.

I advise you to shut your self-centered, ego maniacle mouth, before you make an even bigger jerk of yourself (if that's possible).

[Bolender]

I wonder why you would compare it to folk music. The music for Oresteia, for example, would probably be more analogous to classical or religious music, within that culture, than to the dance music of shepherds.

[johanlocker]

I totally agree. Besides we shouldn't forget that this piece was written as a farewell on a marble tomb stone. This gives as a clue perhaps about the proper tempo, which should raher be slow than fast (in contradictions to some relative comments)

[Bolender]

The text preaches moderation, as I recall, so that might suggest a moderate tempo. (I'm serious.)

[Bolender]

Oops. I guess the text did not refer to moderation. My memory must be playing tricks on me.

[Sweden80Here]

So this came before the beatles?

[pippy02]

yes stupid who gives a rats arse about 'the beatles' bloody commie bastards.

[keltyk]

I know nothing about music, but with my unrefined ear I swear this sounds like the time signature is all to buggery. It's like a tape running half speed... My intuition is this should be played as raucous dance music with plenty quirks in the beat. Think of a wedding party when the wine has begun to flow.

[eismakedon]

Actually a lot of Chinese classical music is also quite slow and besides, most of the extant ancient Greek music is religious music accompanying hymns, so why do you expect to hear fast dancing music? It is not Dionysian music that we have here...

[parrhasius]

Sounds really haunting , but I wonder , how does anybody know what it sounded like? ,don't know of any musical notation deciphered from that era.

[tenormaniati]

Interesting question. It is true that none can tell exactly how it sounded like. However, musical notation has indeed survived as in the case of this piece by Seikilos. The "orchestration" is a suggested one of'course, but even the instruments played, are strictly based on ancient descriptions and represantations (from vases e.t.c.) of them. What has also survived are also the "modes" or musical scales (lydian, frygian e.t.c.), which is also extremely important in the approach to such music

[leftysergeant]

If anything about this is speculative, I should think that it were the vocal elements. It sounds a bit too modern or perhaps medieval. Reading the Greek dramas, I get the impression of a more ribald manner in their entertainments. The vocals are just too refined.

[ex0pos]

The only thing speculative is the orchestration and polyphony. No Ancient Greek musical notation suggested polyphonic elements. The basic melody -- even though it may sound medieval -- is accurate. While you live, shine Don't suffer anything at all; Life exists only a short while And time demands its toll.

[leftysergeant]

I was thinking that the female vocalists sounded a bit too belle canto and the male vocals sort of Gregorian. I should think, though, that the orchestration would vary greatly depending on who in a village had what instruments available. They appear to be correct for the age. And I have seen vase paintings showing combinations of everything that I see in use, plus cymbals, which is probably what that clacking sound is.

The vocals are beautiful but, still, seem out of place for the period.

[Iphigenia86]

Hey that's interesting...what vase painting are these? Give me the painter, potter, type of vase and Museum number if possible- I'm intrigued!

[leftysergeant]

Sorry, Iphegenia, but I can't really say what the provenance is for most of what I have seen regarding Greek and Roman artifacts.. I saw a lot of examples in my travels through Germany and in the National Museum in Tripoli and at Leptis Magna and Sabratha in Lybia. I was not much into taking those sorts of notes forty years ago.

[truthspeaker969]

"I was thinking that the female vocalists sounded a bit too belle canto and the male vocals sort of Gregorian"

had that same feeling..., but the linked

(non-poly) audio samples on english and german wikipedia left me rather perplex, too.

I personally believe the vocalists fail in all versions, they all sound conditioned by their classical vocal education.

[gilbertobesanko]

your right they sound to square even the flute theres no roundness you need the feel they need to get into the greek spirit then they will know how to sing greek music the oldest greek song i know of is the son agios trias which is an erly christian song there lots of feel to that i heard it song by greek monks these people are missing the ethnic touch

[chicken3377]

That's how the singing was back in the day of the Ancients....it wasn't the perky meditterranean music we are used to...it was pretty gregorian.

[keltyk]

I didn't know it was a hymn; it is a little sombre, so that would explain a lot. Percussion at times sounds a bit off to my modern ear. Overall sound reminds me of Chinese classical musicians playing Elizabethan chamber music for some reason. I'm sure there's a fascinating history to explain that.

[leftysergeant]

Okay, I am no expert in such things, but I do think that the camera had been better positioned about 90 degrees to this position to get a better idea of what performer was palying what instrument.

That said, this is one of the more haunting versions I have heard of Seikilos.

[nuraxis]

The roots of all western music are in this short evocative monodic chant..

[gorgnaga]

that sucks! american rock and roll baby! thats real music, not this old crap!

[otto1882]

You are a complete idiot.

[urssulas]

he is, indeed! but u must understand that in this fast world not loads of ppl can understand that kind of music!

[EgoGamaoKDerno]

i love this. is it cause i'm Greek? X]

[nixter888]

wonderful!

[Klezfiddle1]

Totally AWESOME! Does this group have any CD recordings? The ONLY recording of ancient Greek music I have so far been able to aquire, is the almost equally ancient, 1970s recording, "Musique de la Grece Antique"...

[tenormaniati]

Hallo Klezfiddle1. I am afraid that this group has not yet recorded anything, since it has been established very recently. But since you liked this video so much, I promise to post another one I have. I will also be happy to give you any more information you like.

[erixthonios]

You can also try a band called Daemonia Nymphe(Δαιμόνια Νύμφη),I am not sure it is actual ancient tunes they are playing but they might interest you

[helena1900]

wonderful

[jstrouse]

That's a timeless song with a timeless message.

[azteka1717]

esti kalós!

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