Ancient Roman Music
History, and instrumentation
Origins
As was the habit of Roman society, the Romans did not invent their music. The music of Rome has its origins in Greek traditions. Our term for music itself is derived from the Greek term Mousike, which means "the art of the muses."
Early Greek music was purely melodic, or homophonic,utilizing only one melody without chordal accompaniment. The Greek musical system used Pythagorean mathematics to organize the chief concodant intervals according to simple numerical ratios.
2:1 = octave
3:2 = Fifth
4:3 = Fourth
Somewhere around the fifth century B.C. evidence shows up that melodic lines were now being accompanied at the fourth of fifth interval. Also about this time, specific melodies were being used only for certain occasions. The new applications of these melodies were called "nomoi", or laws. The nomoi are what translate into our current concept of modes. Below is a chart of these modes with their correlating step intervals.
Greek philosophy held that there was a relationship between the laws of sound and the laws of human behavior. These modes correspond to different human moods, and, because of this relationship, Plato advocated banning the lydian and ionian modes frm education. Aristotle, as well, believed that music imitates the states of the soul and has the ability to produce said passion.
This philosophy carryover into Latin philosophy made music a very powerful element. Musical performances were limited to the higher-classes, as they were educated enough to handle the power. Music also became the servant of religion, and was used to exemplify the principles of order and harmony in the universe.
Notation
Musical notation didn't appear in Roman music until the ninth century. It was used mainly by the clergy to standardize chants. Prior to this time, music was an aural tradition, as evidenced in this pottery image.
There was not yet any form of staff notation at this time. Notation was achieved through the use of neumes.
Instrumentation
Idiophones
- Concussion/percussion
- Shakers
- Cymbalum (Originally metal plates, but evolved to tuned drums)
Membranophones (Skin-type drums)
Chordophones
- Simple string-bearers (psaltery, and monochordic)
- Lyra (strings on same plane as soundboard)
- Harps (strings perpendicular to soundboard)
Aerophones
- Auloso (usually twin end-blown pipes)
- panpipes (endblown pipe of multiple single-pitch tubes)
- Organs (bellows-operated, appeared ca.200 BC, disappeared after fall of Rome until ca. AD 800)
- Bagpipes
- Horns (animal horn)
- Trumpets (wood, or shell)
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