| Music is one of those art forms which act as an accurate mirror of social and cultural structures. If the society or the culture of a certain area is in decline, it will be reflected in the music of that place promptly. Similarly, when the society or the culture is flourishing, the music will also thrive. Therefore, music has a major role in the tracking down the history of a country and its culture.
The music world owes much to the Ancient Greeks. In fact, the term "music" is originated from the 9 muses of Ancient Greece, who were goddesses controlling the arts and sciences. Modern day musicians refer to their muse, which is somebody who has an influence on another person's creative work. Different musical terms, such as tune, melody, rhythm and others originated from Greek. However, when Ancient Greece went into decline and the Byzantine and Roman Empires collapsed, Greek music stopped its development for a few centuries until it was renewed in the Nineteenth century.
It is believed that Greeks considered music a way of worshipping God. Music was also a part of their social life. It was played on all forms of social occasions. As drama was also popular in Greece, they also used music when drama was staged.
It is often believed that Greek music did not have harmony. It was mostly performed by one vocalist and not by a chorus as is normally shown in Greek plays. Ancient Greek music laws were observed very stringently, and one form was not permitted to mix with another. The rules were so stringent that the viewers or listeners could not even applaud. The aim of musical shows was not to amuse but to educate ordinary people.
Pythagoras suggested the use of numbers to denote musical scales. The concept was introduced to Ancient Greek Music, and Pythagoras became known as the father of music theory. Most musical works were monophonic. Therefore, they were similar to each other.
Contemporary Greek music is a combination of Greek traditional folk music and both Eastern and Western tendencies. |
