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86 The Terpandros Orchestra playing at Casteliotissa Hall. scales which were composed of tones and semitones (diatonic scales), there existed those which were composed of semitones and three-semitones (chromatic scales), and others composed of quarters of tones and two-toned intervals (henarmonic). The kind of intervals used by each scale is called genus. Each genus had different shades which were called colors. The fact that would seem strange to the ancient Greeks is that contemporary scales would sound disonal, having fallen victims of blending. Because of the fact that ancient scales were based on natural intervals in accordance with Pythagoras’s findings in the 6th century BC semitones and tones were not equal between them, with the result that it was difficult to transpose musical pieces (a fact that did not bother the ancient Greeks, since their melodies were mostly monodies). In the 16th AC century, western musicians sacrificed the melody of unequal musical intervals in order to gain complete freedom for the transportation (for the sake of polyphony), and comfort for the practical use of keyboard instruments. This was achieved with the equalization of the twelve semitones of the octave, in other words the equal temperament where semitones become equal, and fourths and fifths are allowed to become slightly imperfect. So a compromise was found between the laws of nature and the needs of art. At this point it should be stressed that ancient Greeks had a different concept of concord from our own. To them there were only four perfect concords: Unison, the eighth, the fifth and the fourth. A noticeable fact is that the ancient Greeks never considered the third as a concord interval, although it forms the basis of contemporary harmony. In fact Gavdentios calls it disonal as an intermediate step between concord and discord intervals. One can easily understand how ancient Greek music gave a variety of choices regarding the kind of intervals used (genuses, chroiai) and to the way that unites them (systems). So a composer could compose a piece and perform it differently if he wished to do so. He could change the scale (like today) with the selection of another tone transposing the piece. He could change the mode that is to do a modulation. Today this is also done mainly between Major and Minor scales. He could change the genus and chroia that is to do a complete change of the piece. Today this is not possible because melody uses only the diatonic scales. He could change the system from synimmeno (conjuct) to diazevgmeno (disjunct). That is to do a systematic change. Apart from the melody, he could also (like today) change the rhythm, speed and character of the piece by using the rest of the changes. It is obvious that where Western music was seeking beauty through polyphonic multiplication
of quantity in big orchestras, Eastern music discovered it by dividing the quality into smaller melodic intervals. Many ancient pieces have been found on papyrae as well as in engraved form. From classic ancient times the melody for the first stasimo of Orestis of Euripides has been preserved and partially one stasimo from Ifigenia en Avlides. From Hellenic period parts of tragedies have been preserved, the Hymn to Asklipios and some instrumental pieces. From the latest Hellenic period we have the works of Athineos and Liminios. From the Roman period we have in perfect condition Epitafios of Sikilos, the call to the Muse and to Kalliopi, the Hymn to Sun and to Nemesis of Mesomides as well as many other vocal and instrumental extracts. A Christian hymn to the Holy Trinity of the 3rd AC century was also found written in the ancient musical notation (parasimantiki). We are in a position to perform these pieces even today thanks to the great research of many ancient harmonic authors, like Aristoxenos, Euklides, Ptolemeos, Kleonides, Gavdentios, Voithios and mainly Alipios, who provides us with charts with all the symbols of parasimantiki in the fifteen tones and three genuses. Below we have Epitafios of Sikilos, a piece which was found on an engraved plaque in Aidinio, near Trallis. It is dated around the 2nd BC century and it is of an unknown composer. The first 5 verses form an introduction without music, as well as the last one, which is only found partially. This piece is written in lonios tone, Lydios mode. In diatonic genus and in a disjunct system. Although it does not seem to follow a certain tempo it has a rhythm in dactylic genus. ŸÛÔ ˙ÂÈ˜ Ó· ¯·›ÚÂÛ·È, ‰ÈfiÏÔ˘ ÌË Ï˘apple¿Û·È, appleÚfiÛÎ·ÈÚË Â›Ó·È Ë ˙ˆ‹ Ì·˜. Ô ¯ÚfiÓÔ˜ ÛÙÔ Ù¤ÏÔ˜ Ì¿˜ Ê¤ÚÓÂÈ 87
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