Epitaph Of Seikilos Essay

727 Words3 Pages
Listening Log 2 – Epitaph of Seikilos “Epitaph of Seikilos”, or Seikilos Epitaph, is an Ionic song which was recorded in the ancient Greek musical notation with its lyrics alongside. Being recorded in the Hellenistic period, it is the oldest surviving example of a complete musical composition, which is different to the Hurrian songs, which all of its notation is in fragments only. This song is a short composition in G Ancient Greek Phrygian mode (the key of the melody is transferred a major 2nd higher in Figure 1), which is a theme and a variation in terms of form. Throughout the whole song, the main theme indicated below keeps repeating and repeating with the same harmonization of the alternation between G major and F major chord:…show more content…
This section ends with the cadence in ritardando, followed by the two hollow G major chords in fifths. Then, the monodic melody of the soft but crisp solo female voice starts, accompanied by the gentle and slow and flowy lyre accompaniment sometimes with the elaboration of glissandi. After the whole section is repeated once, there is an interlude played by the solo lyre, followed by the monodic section repeated once again. The meter of the song remains in 6/8 throughout the song, but the mood of the song changes from slow and crisp to the fast and lively after a long pause. Also, the dynamics change from soft to loud, but the articulation remains in legato and being flowy. The fast section starts with the modified introduction in homophonic version, when the sonorous drum sound accompanies the theme in an octave higher played by the crisp Pan flute by making a sound at the accented first beat of every bar. Then, they repeated the theme once before the lyre comes in and play with the two instrument once more. After that, the solo female voice joins in and sings the main theme with the instruments twice, followed by the repeated interlude by the

    More about Epitaph Of Seikilos Essay

      Open Document