Music And Philosophy In The Roman Empire

Explores the philosophical import and use of musical notions in crucial moments and authors of the Roman Imperial period.

This 1874 account of the music of ancient Greece, Egypt and Rome was the only volume of the author's proposed history of music to be published. William Chappell, eldest son of the founder of Chappell's the music publishers, was noted for his interest in ancient and traditional music and was the founder of the Musical Antiquarian Society in 1840. Best remembered for his Popular Music of the Olden Time, Chappell justifies the need for his study of ancient music in a long introduction to the volume which criticises the approaches of Charles Burney and Sir John Hawkins and attacks the validity of Helmholtz's work on acoustics. The work explores theory, practice, science, philosophy and the instruments of the time through analysis of ancient sources such as Aristotle, Pythagoras, Boethius and Vetruvius and of iconographical materials. A comprehensive glossary-cum-index is included together with topic summaries for each chapter.

Music was everywhere in ancient Rome. Wherever one went in the sprawling city, the sound of singing and piping, drumming and strumming was never far out of earshot. This book examines the role of music in Roman politics and society, focusing on the period from the Roman conquest of Greece in the second century BCE to the end of the reign of Nero in 68 CE. Drawing on a wide range of literary texts, inscriptions and material artefacts, Harry Morgan uncovers the tensions between elite and popular attitudes towards music and shows how music was exploited as a tool by political leaders and emperors. Far from being a marginal aspect of daily life, music was fundamental to Roman political culture and social relations, shaping debates about class, gender and ethnicity. The book will be of interest to students and scholars of ancient music and Roman history.

This 1874 account of the music of ancient Greece, Egypt and Rome was the only volume of the author's proposed history of music to be published. William Chappell, eldest son of the founder of Chappell's the music publishers, was noted for his interest in ancient and traditional music and was the founder of the Musical Antiquarian Society in 1840. Best remembered for his Popular Music of the Olden Time, Chappell justifies the need for his study of ancient music in a long introduction to the volume which criticises the approaches of Charles Burney and Sir John Hawkins and attacks the validity of Helmholtz's work on acoustics. The work explores theory, practice, science, philosophy and the instruments of the time through analysis of ancient sources such as Aristotle, Pythagoras, Boethius and Vetruvius and of iconographical materials. A comprehensive glossary-cum-index is included together with topic summaries for each chapter.

This book explores the pivotal role played by ancient mousike-in all its facets-in the development of musical practices and ideas throughout history. Since antiquity, music has consistently played a significant role in social and cultural life, and although the terms in which it is expressed and the cultural meanings it conveys vary dramatically across different times and geographies, the influence of the ancient Greek concept on modern Western notions is nevertheless striking. In a series of lucid and engaging thematic chapters, Eleonora Rocconi surveys the roles and functions of music from classical antiquity, through the Renaissance and early modern eras, and up to the present day. The discussion is structured around the key concepts, theoretical models, and aesthetic issues at play - from the educational and therapeutic value of music to its place in the ideal of cosmic harmony and its relationship to the senses and emotions - as well as the function of music in debates around individual and cultural identity. What emerges is a timely reassessment of the paradigmatic value of the Greek model in the musical reception of antiquity in different historical periods. It highlights the ongoing contribution of mousike to modern cultural debates within the realms of classics, musicology, philosophy, aesthetics, anthropology, performance, and cultural studies, as well as in artistic environments, and offers a clear and comprehensive account of its inexhaustible source of inspiration for musicians, theorists, scholars, and antiquarians across the centuries.

A COMPANION TO ANCIENT GREEK AND ROMAN MUSIC A comprehensive guide to music in Classical Antiquity and beyond Drawing on the latest research on the topic, A Companion to Ancient Greek and Roman Music provides a detailed overview of the most important issues raised by the study of ancient Greek and Roman music. An international panel of contributors, including leading experts as well as emerging voices in the field, examine the ancient 'Art of the Muses' from a wide range of methodological, theoretical, and practical perspectives. Written in an engaging and accessible style, this book explores the pervasive presence of the performing arts in ancient Greek and Roman culture—ranging from musical mythology to music theory and education, as well as archaeology and the practicalities of performances in private and public contexts. But this Companion also explores the broader roles played by music in the Graeco-Roman world, examining philosophical, psychological, medical and political uses of music in antiquity, and aspects of its cultural heritage in Mediaeval and Modern times. This book debunks common myths about Greek and Roman music, casting light on yet unanswered questions thanks to newly discovered evidence. Each chapter includes a discussion of the tools or methodologies that are most appropriate to address different topics, as well as detailed case studies illustrating their effectiveness. This book Offers new research insights that will contribute to the future developments of the field, outlining new interdisciplinary approaches to investigate the importance of performing arts in the ancient world and its reception in modern culture Traces the history and development of ancient Greek and Roman music, including their Near Eastern roots, following a thematic approach Showcases contributions from a wide range of disciplines and international scholarly traditions Examines the political, social and cultural implications of music in antiquity, including ethnicity, regional identity, gender and ideology Presents original diagrams and transcriptions of ancient scales, rhythms, and extant scores that facilitate access to these vital aspects of ancient music for scholars as well as practicing musicians Written for a broad range of readers including classicists, musicologists, art historians, and philosophers, A Companion to Ancient Greek and Roman Music provides a rich, informative and thought-provoking picture of ancient music in Classical Antiquity and beyond.

"This chapter provides an overview of the Muses in Greek mythology and argues that their multiplicity, their indefinite number, their lack of fixed personalities and their metapoetic status make them highly unusual members of the Olympian pantheon. As the embodiment of music and the means by which music is channelled to human beings they are essential to our understanding of the meaning of mousikē in Greek culture. Above all their origins in an oral society foregrounds the performative nature of music which has characterised it as an art form throughout the ages"--

The Aesthetics of Music is a specialized field of Philosophy which studies fundamental questions. Regarding the mind, what is the role of the senses? What is the role of experience? What are the influences of pleasure and pain? Following the pioneer work of Aristotle, the most fundamental definition lies in the distinction between art music and entertainment music. But what is the role of the public? Everyone knows that the purpose of music is to communicate emotions. But does this purpose refer to the emotions of the composer, the performer or the listener? These are important questions relative to music and society. Virtually all early philosophers found the value of music education to lie in character development. What did they mean? This volume, the first of eight, reviews philosophical thought on the Aesthetics of Music from before Socrates through the Roman Empire.