Ancient Egyptian music expert Jeffrey Goodman and musician Michael Levy discuss recreating ancient instruments and soundscapes. They explore instruments, musicians, and songs surviving from ancient Egypt. Chapters cover military instruments, compositions process, and the challenges of modern composers in capturing historical music essence.
Ancient Egyptian music was integral to daily life, with evidence of instruments, musicians, and songs.
Composers like Jeffrey Goodman recreate ancient Egyptian music using instruments, scales, and artistic representations.
Jeffrey Goodman's musical journey spans teaching, performing worldwide, and sharing music on platforms like YouTube.
Challenges in reconstructing ancient Egyptian music include avoiding anachronisms and respecting historical limitations.
Deep dives
Evoking Ancient Egyptian Music through Instruments and Scales
Looking at the physical form of ancient flutes and examining artistic representations, composers like Jeffrey Goodman draw insights into how ancient Egyptian music might have been played. Utilizing scales like the Aeolian pentatonic scale, they infer potential melodies that could have been produced with the available instruments, considering the limited range and capabilities of ancient tools.
Capturing Divine Sounds: Depicting Egyptian Mythological Music
Jeffrey Goodman explores the myths and religious life of ancient Egypt, composing varied pieces evoking narratives from Egyptian mythology and religious practices. Through compositions like the lamentation of Isis and Nephthys for Osiris's death, he delves into the divine and mournful aspects of Egyptian culture, incorporating elements like phonetic texts sung by a choir to recreate ancient sounds.
International Music Festivals and Music Teaching: Jeffrey Goodman's Journey
From discovering a passion for classical guitar inspired by Andrs Segovia to teaching at UCLA and organizing music festivals in Vienna, Jeffrey Goodman's musical journey spans decades. His experiences include collaborating with musicians worldwide, showcasing his talents at prestigious venues, and utilizing modern platforms like YouTube to share his music with a global audience.
Investigating Ancient Sounds: Musical Reconstruction Challenges
In the quest to reconstruct ancient Egyptian music, composers like Jeffrey Goodman face challenges such as avoiding anachronistic elements and respecting historical limitations. By aligning scales, instruments, and artistic representations from ancient Egypt, they strive to authentically evoke the music of that era, while acknowledging the inherent gaps in historical knowledge.
Contemporary Music Influences: Online Platforms and Global Reach
Jeffrey Goodman's music reaches a vast audience through platforms like YouTube and Spotify, connecting with over 20,000 monthly listeners worldwide. The internet's influence on music creation and distribution enables composers to share their work globally, discover new talents, and engage with diverse musical perspectives across borders.
Michael Levy's Musical Journey with Ancient Instruments
Michael Levy, a composer for Ancient Instruments, discusses his passion for re-creating ancient music with replicas of Egyptian instruments. From collaborating with lyre makers to composing albums like 'The Ancient Egyptian Lyre,' his dedication to capturing the essence of traditional Egyptian folk music shines through. By using replicas based on artifacts from ancient Egypt, such as the leaden lyre dating back to 1500 BC, he brings authenticity and historical significance to his compositions. Through understanding traditional playing techniques and scales, he skillfully merges modern musical expressions with ancient roots.
The Significance of the Leiden Lyre and Its Historical Afterlife
The Leiden Lyre, a replica commissioned by Michael Levy, is a recreation of an ancient Egyptian instrument dating back around 3,500 years. Discovered in Thebes, Egypt, its surviving design offers insights into ancient music practices. The replica, crafted with high-quality wood by Greek artisans, mirrors the original dimensions and playing techniques. With an inscription on its back dating a thousand years after its creation, this lyre from the New Kingdom era holds a unique place in musical history. Despite uncertainties about its exact wood and construction, the replica symbolizes a connection to ancient musical traditions and cultural heritage.
Music was everywhere in ancient Egypt: in the fields, in the temple, on the parade ground, and in the home. Songs and compositions were a part of daily life, and abundant evidence survives for the art of musicianship in the ancient world. In this compilation, we explore some of the notable evidence for ancient Egyptian music. We look at instruments, musicians and songs, unpacking the artwork and texts from this ancient profession. We also have interviews! Jeffrey Goodman and Michael Levy come on the show to discuss their work recreating ancient instruments and soundscapes...
