Muzyka Sumerów - posłuchaj najstarszej melodii świata

Sumerowie (sum. 𒊕𒈪, saĝ-ĝi6-ga, tłum. „czarnogłowi”) – starożytny lud nieznanego pochodzenia, który pod koniec IV tysiąclecia p.n.e. stworzył wysoko rozwiniętą cywilizację w południowej Mezopotamii – Sumer. Posługiwali się językiem sumeryjskim i pismem klinowym. Na początku II tysiąclecia p.n.e. Sumerowie zostali podbici przez napływających Amorytów i wchłonięci przez nowo powstałe państwo – Babilonię. Z czasem ulegli semityzacji.W Muzeum Narodowym w Damaszku w Syrii, można zobaczyć starożytną glinianą tabliczkę, na której Sumerowie spisali swoje pieśni ku czci swojej bogini Ningal. Znajdują się na niej 36 pieśni, które zawarte są w zbiorze Pieśni Hurrian.

Archeolodzy znaleźli tabliczkę w latach 50. ubiegłego wieku w syryjskim Ugarit i teraz postanowili odegrać jedną z nich, poświęconą bogini matce Słońca i żonie Księżyca.

Zadania podjął się Michael Levi, słynny instrumentalista i kompozytor na co dzień zajmujący się badaniami nad starożytną muzyką. Oto melodia, która grana była i słuchana ponad 3 tysiące lat temu.



This unique video, features my first of 2 arrangements for solo lyre, of the 3400 year old "Hurrian Hymn no.6", which was discovered in Ugarit in Syria in the early 1950s, and was preserved for 3400 years on a clay tablet, written in the Cuniform text of the ancient Hurrian language - The Hurrian Hymn (catalogued as Text H6) was discovered in Ugarit, Syria, in the early 1950s, and was preserved for 3400 years on a clay tablet, written in the Cuniform text of the ancient Hurrian language - except from a few earlier Sumarian fragmentary instructional musical texts from c.1950 BCE (Musical Instructions for Lipit-Ishtar, King of Justice) the Hurrian Hymn it is the oldest written song yet known, in History!
My arrangement here, is based on the that the original transcription of the melody, as interpreted by Prof. Richard Dumbrill. Here is a link to his book, "The Archeomusicology of the Near East":  http://bit.ly/d3aovp
It is played here, on a modern evocation of the ancient Kinnor Lyre from neighbouring Israel; an instrument almost tonally identical to the wooden asymmetric-shaped lyres played throughout the Middle East at this amazingly distant time...when the Pharaoh's still ruled ancient Egypt. A photograph of the actual clay tablet on which the Hurrian Hymn was inscribed, can be seen here: http://www.phoenicia.org/music.html
The melody is one of several academic interpretations, derived from the ambiguous Cuneiform text of the Hurrian language in which it was written. Although many of the meanings of the Hurrian language are now lost in the mists of time, it can be established that the fragmentary Hurrian Hymn which has been found on these precious clay tablets are dedicated to Nikkal; the wife of the moon god. 
There are several such interpretations of this melody, but to me, the fabulous interpretation  just somehow sounds the most "authentic". Below is a link to the sheet music, as  arranged by Clint Goss: http://www.flutekey.com/pdf/HurrianTa...
In my arrangement of the Hurrian Hymn, I have attempted to illustrate an interesting diversity of ancient lyre playing techniques, ranging from the use of "block and strum" improvisation at the end, glissando's, trills & tremolos, and alternating between harp-like tones in the left hand produced by finger-plucked strings, and guitar-like tones in the right hand, produced by use of the plectrum.  I have arranged the melody in the style of a "Theme and Variations" -  I first quote the unadorned melody in the first section, followed by the different lyre techniques described above in the repeat, & also featuring improvisatory passages at the end of the performance. My arrangement of the melody is much slower than this actual specific academic interpretation  of the melody- I wanted the improvisations in the variations on the theme to stand out, and to better illustrate the use of lyre techniques by a more rubato approach to the melody.
The purpose of the accompanying slide show was to give a sense of historical perspective to the age of the Hurrian Hymn, by painting a brief picture of the rest of the ancient world (for example, images of ancient Egypt etc) at about 1400 BC - at least a century or more before the birth of Tutankhamun, for instance!
For full details about my albums of lyre music, and the fascinating ancient historical background, please visit my official website: http://www.ancientlyre.com