Music In Ancient Greece

By ancient Greek music we mean the whole musical culture that includes the ancient Greek history .The word “Music” is produced by the word “Muses”(from the 9 Muses of the arts), at least 5 from the 9 Muses were protecting different music. The three major civilizations that it was known that they first had music in their culture were the Cyclades the Minoans and the Mycenaean. Greeks began to study music theory in the 6th century. Pythagoras one of the most popular man in ancient Greece is known as the “Father of Mathematics”, the “ Father of Geometry” and also the “Father of Music Theory”. Pythagoras believed that music helped men and women to see into structures of nature. He also taught that music can compose the mind and help a human’s health

According to mythology the first lyre was made by the God Ermi and was a present for the God Apollonius asking for forgiveness for the sheep’s that he had stolen from him. In Greek and Roman antiquity the lyre would always be played with lyrics. The shape that the lyre had was also very similar to a small harp. It had 7 to 8 strings, every string had a special name. Later on lyres with 9 strings were appeared. It is characterized as the ethnic instrument of ancient Greeks.

The guitarist is also one of the most popular musical instruments in ancient Greece. Usually it has a square base and it’s a musical instrument that requires skills that’s why it is named the instrument of the professionals. It can be described as a more perfect type of a lyre since a lyre and a guitar have a very similar shape. A guitar had at least 7-8 strings, as years passed it has 9 and more strings. Amphion and Thamyris were both very skilled playing the guitar. A guitar was and still is one of the most known musical

It is a row of uneven tubes bonded together by wax, every tube has a different and its own sound. The syrinx always has been considered as the symbol of the God Pan and it was the main musical instrument of shepherds. Nowadays it is widely known as “Panflauto” or “Flute of Pan” and it’s very popular in several Asian countries.

The first schools that were teaching Music in Greece were in Athens during the 6th-5th centuries. Students had to be between 13-16 years old, and they were taught how to play the guitar and the lyre. Greeks believed that music was important into schools because with music you teach disciplining. People who know about music and how to play at least one musical instrument know how to appreciate a music