Epic of Gilgamesh with 4500-year-old Lyre (extract)

A performance of part of the Epic of Gilgamesh. This piece uses the newly-reconstructed and completed Lyre of Ur, which was found in a grave in ancient Mesopotamia.

The original instrument was destroyed when the Baghdad museum was looted, and this reconstruction uses original materials - gut strings, pink sandstone, lapis lazuli, gold. The string tuning is based on pipes which were found in the same grave, and which appear in another video extract which we'll upload shortly.

Andy Lowings reconstructed the Lyre with the help of an international team, and the extract you see here is performed by Bill Taylor and Jennifer Sturdy - Jennifer wears a headress and jewellery based on contemporary designs, also trimmed with gold.

You can find out more about the music and the tunings of the lyre here: http://www.lyre-of-ur.com/music4.htm

This video is a taste of a series of music, dance and performance being written especially for this instrument, which is gaining great interest in the academic and music world.

If you are interested in having the team bring along this stunning instrument and perform for your organisation, please call Andy Lowings on +44 7709 268426 or in the UK, 07709 268426, and he will be happy to talk to you.

I made this video as part of my own contribution to the project. I used Neumann mics into a Soundcraft mixer, with Sony widescreen video cameras, and edited it on Adobe Premiere pro. I hope you enjoy the video!

Higher quality version:

http://www.danceofdelight.com/gallery/Lyre_of_ur_videos/gilg_final.html

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Lyre
• Gilgamesh
• Epic
• Music
• Narration
• Poem
• Ur
• Baghdad
• Harp
• Ancient
• Mesopotamia

[knoxvilleguy2]

Where was this done ? It looks like an old chapel.

[MarkHarmer]

@knoxvilleguy2 It was - it's a church in Lincolnshire, UK. The video was done using 1 camera over 3 takes of the action.

[Gaelicgurl99]

Gilbert Gadfrey Meschew, quit playing habib fer the Ibri. We all are quite aware you were a maddog Englishman in Japan. Bored yet? I owe you a shot of skye wihky, maybe? Or not. I do actually cook at times. Do remain open. En.ki.du is an Oak lief not a profit of gotham like that wood bee Na'dagnu El??? Old soul and not a slow learner, they let me do it. Oh, and don't mask him in tepish next time. That was the skien.

[MarkHarmer]

@Gaelicgurl99 Wow - they must have let you out accidentally!

[Amalica]

listen to yourself you moron you can create better sounds on an electronic DJ program...well no shit the lyre is 4500 years old try making better sounds on a 4500 year old electronic dj program oh wait you CANT

[Zhengda10]

GIRUGAMESH

[colddrake80]

I actually like the sound of the lyre. It does sound odd but I like it. Not at all like a harp - which I was expecting.

[Ramsez]

dat lyre looks pretty recent.

[Mayerling52]

age old wisdom!♥

[knoxvilleguy2]

@Amalica - Okay, I didn't take your meaning. Excuse me.

[Amalica]

@knoxvilleguy2 that was my point when i made the comment someone had complained that it sounded so craptacular and that he could and i quote "create better sounds from an electronic DJ program" so i said what i said because i actually appreciate the original sound

[leftysergeant]

although it would be impossible to tell from a drawing, even to precise scale, what tunings were used on the lyre, given the variations on the thickness of the strings, the pipes that were discovered at the same site could only have ONE scale, since it is all based on the diameter and length of the bore and the spacing of finger holes. It is known that the Greeks had several scales or modes at their disosal, it is possible that the Sumerians used only one traditional scale.

[endoTHEOSIS]

Your hair isn't real!

[BayanTheOne]

'The original instrument was destroyed when the Baghdad museum was looted'

let's all praise the mothafucking dubya Bush for that

thankfully, the Egyptians have enough sanity to defend their national museum from looters these days

[knoxvilleguy2]

@MarkHarmer - The acoustics, of course, were perfect. BTW, I've seen the large harps from the royal treasures of Ur, & wondered if they were actually designed to be played, or just as ceremonial objects.