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Author Topic: The Oldest Known Melody (Hurrian Hymn no.6 - c.1400 B.C.)  (Read 3272 times)

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Offline Suppressed

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The Oldest Known Melody (Hurrian Hymn no.6 - c.1400 B.C.)
« on: May 01, 2017, 06:46:23 pm »
The Oldest Known Melody (Hurrian Hymn no.6 - c.1400 B.C.)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpxN2VXPMLc

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The Oldest known musical melody performed by the very talented Michael Levy on the Lyre. This ancient musical fragment dates back to 1400 B.C.E. and was discovered in the 1950's in Ugarit, Syria. It was interpreted by Dr. Richard Dumbrill. He wrote a book entitled "The Archaeomusicology of the Ancient Near East."

Here is a link to it:
http://sas.academia.edu/RichardDumbrill/Books

Check out Michael Levy's website, anancientlyre.com! Here's a link to it:

http://www.ancientlyre.com

For more information on the Hurrian Hymn no.6 text, click on the link:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurrian_songs

There were 29 musical texts discovered in the ruins of Ugarit, but only text H6 was in good enough condition to allow for academic interpretation. Here is Dr. Dumbrill's interpretation:

http://www.clintgoss.com/flutopedia.com/pdf/HurrianTabLtd.pdf

Thank you for listening! Subscribe for more music! Subscribe also to "Klezfiddle1," Michael Levy's YouTube channel! Download his albums from iTunes and order from cdbaby.com!

@musiclady, in case you have anything to add.   ^-^
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Online catfish1957

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Re: The Oldest Known Melody (Hurrian Hymn no.6 - c.1400 B.C.)
« Reply #1 on: May 01, 2017, 06:52:21 pm »
I am admitted not an Archaeomusicologist, but if it is the oldest then why is it No. 6?
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Offline Suppressed

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Re: The Oldest Known Melody (Hurrian Hymn no.6 - c.1400 B.C.)
« Reply #2 on: May 01, 2017, 06:58:28 pm »
Quote from: catfish1957 on May 01, 2017, 06:52:21 pm
I am admitted not an Archaeomusicologist, but if it is the oldest then why is it No. 6?

The others were in such bad condition, they couldn't be read.  This is the oldest we could read.  I'm also speculating that the texts were numbered prior to determining their condition, and this was just assigned "No. 6", not based on age or anything.
« Last Edit: May 01, 2017, 06:59:24 pm by Suppressed »
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“In the outside world, I'm a simple geologist. But in here .... I am Falcor, Defender of the Alliance” --Randy Marsh

“The most effectual means of being secure against pain is to retire within ourselves, and to suffice for our own happiness.” -- Thomas Jefferson

“He's so dumb he thinks a Mexican border pays rent.” --Foghorn Leghorn

Offline Free Vulcan

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Re: The Oldest Known Melody (Hurrian Hymn no.6 - c.1400 B.C.)
« Reply #3 on: May 01, 2017, 07:03:51 pm »
Sounds like they had hippies back then too.
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Offline musiclady

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Re: The Oldest Known Melody (Hurrian Hymn no.6 - c.1400 B.C.)
« Reply #4 on: May 01, 2017, 07:47:18 pm »
Fascinating!  You can definitely hear the basis for the modal system of melody in this (which had it's origin in ancient Greece and was used in plainchant.

I don't know if it's written in the music, but the interpretation also includes a style that was called Organum in Europe and didn't develop until the Middle Ages.  It's where you hear a pedal tone (just one sustained pitch) on the lower strings while the melody continues above.

Thanks for the ping, @Suppressed !  I learned something today!  ^-^

Edited to add - Organum is considered the earliest polyphony.
« Last Edit: May 01, 2017, 07:50:57 pm by musiclady »
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Re: The Oldest Known Melody (Hurrian Hymn no.6 - c.1400 B.C.)
« Reply #5 on: May 01, 2017, 07:49:18 pm »
Quote from: Free Vulcan on May 01, 2017, 07:03:51 pm
Sounds like they had hippies back then too.

Yeah, but the hipsters were listening to this before it was popular!
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“In the outside world, I'm a simple geologist. But in here .... I am Falcor, Defender of the Alliance” --Randy Marsh

“The most effectual means of being secure against pain is to retire within ourselves, and to suffice for our own happiness.” -- Thomas Jefferson

“He's so dumb he thinks a Mexican border pays rent.” --Foghorn Leghorn

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Re: The Oldest Known Melody (Hurrian Hymn no.6 - c.1400 B.C.)
« Reply #6 on: May 01, 2017, 07:54:14 pm »
Quote from: musiclady on May 01, 2017, 07:47:18 pm
Fascinating!  You can definitely hear the basis for the modal system of melody in this (which had it's origin in ancient Greece and was used in plainchant.

I don't know if it's written in the music, but the interpretation also includes a style that was called Organum in Europe and didn't develop until the Middle Ages.  It's where you hear a pedal tone (just one sustained pitch) on the lower strings while the melody continues above.

Thanks for the ping, @Suppressed !  I learned something today!  ^-^

@musiclady You taught me some things, too...thank you!  I didn't know the terms "Organum" or "pedal tone"...I have used the term "drone" in the past to describe what I think you're saying, from the "drone pipe" of a bagpipe.

Thanks!
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“In the outside world, I'm a simple geologist. But in here .... I am Falcor, Defender of the Alliance” --Randy Marsh

“The most effectual means of being secure against pain is to retire within ourselves, and to suffice for our own happiness.” -- Thomas Jefferson

“He's so dumb he thinks a Mexican border pays rent.” --Foghorn Leghorn

Offline Sanguine

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Re: The Oldest Known Melody (Hurrian Hymn no.6 - c.1400 B.C.)
« Reply #7 on: May 01, 2017, 08:05:11 pm »
Very cool!
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Offline Free Vulcan

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Re: The Oldest Known Melody (Hurrian Hymn no.6 - c.1400 B.C.)
« Reply #8 on: May 01, 2017, 08:06:19 pm »
Quote from: Suppressed on May 01, 2017, 07:49:18 pm
Yeah, but the hipsters were listening to this before it was popular!

Well played sir, well played.
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Offline musiclady

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Re: The Oldest Known Melody (Hurrian Hymn no.6 - c.1400 B.C.)
« Reply #9 on: May 01, 2017, 09:10:03 pm »
Quote from: Suppressed on May 01, 2017, 07:54:14 pm
@musiclady You taught me some things, too...thank you!  I didn't know the terms "Organum" or "pedal tone"...I have used the term "drone" in the past to describe what I think you're saying, from the "drone pipe" of a bagpipe.

Thanks!

No problem.   ^-^   Drone is actually a perfect word for what you're hearing in this.  Sometimes a drone will have two pitches (a perfect fifth - eg. C - G), but sometimes there will just be one sustained pitch like this creating a drone under a melody.

In the music of India, the Tambura (or Tanpura) will play the drone under the sitar's very complex melodic part.

@Suppressed
« Last Edit: May 01, 2017, 09:10:49 pm by musiclady »
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Character still matters.  It always matters.

I wear a mask as an exercise in liberty and love for others.  To see it as an infringement of liberty is to entirely miss the point.  Be kind.

"Sometimes I think the Church would be better off if we would call a moratorium on activity for about six weeks and just wait on God to see what He is waiting to do for us. That's what they did before Pentecost."   - A. W. Tozer

Use the time God is giving us to seek His will and feel His presence.

Offline musiclady

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Re: The Oldest Known Melody (Hurrian Hymn no.6 - c.1400 B.C.)
« Reply #10 on: May 01, 2017, 09:18:22 pm »
Here's a nice example of Organum for the more cultured among us.....


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgYEuJ5u1K0

 :dx1:

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Character still matters.  It always matters.

I wear a mask as an exercise in liberty and love for others.  To see it as an infringement of liberty is to entirely miss the point.  Be kind.

"Sometimes I think the Church would be better off if we would call a moratorium on activity for about six weeks and just wait on God to see what He is waiting to do for us. That's what they did before Pentecost."   - A. W. Tozer

Use the time God is giving us to seek His will and feel His presence.

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Re: The Oldest Known Melody (Hurrian Hymn no.6 - c.1400 B.C.)
« Reply #11 on: May 02, 2017, 03:46:19 pm »
Quote from: musiclady on May 01, 2017, 09:18:22 pm
Here's a nice example of Organum for the more cultured among us.....


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgYEuJ5u1K0

 :dx1:

@Suppressed

Excellent example!  @musiclady
Excellent example!  @musiclady
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“In the outside world, I'm a simple geologist. But in here .... I am Falcor, Defender of the Alliance” --Randy Marsh

“The most effectual means of being secure against pain is to retire within ourselves, and to suffice for our own happiness.” -- Thomas Jefferson

“He's so dumb he thinks a Mexican border pays rent.” --Foghorn Leghorn
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