RELIVING ANCIENT MUSIC. SOUNDSCAPES OF ANTIQUITY REVISITED TODAY.
Channel: European Association of Archaeologists
Date: 2020-11-20

The paper introduces some experiences about reconstructing sounds and music of ancient civilitzacions, with a special focus on Pharaonic Egypt and the Graeco-Roman Antiquity. These experiences have been driven by a transversal team composed by archaeologists, musicians, actors and dancers, among others. The basis considered for this reconstruction consists of archaeological findings, iconographical elements, ethnomusicological tracks and written sources (manuscripts, papyri and inscriptions). Written sources are analysed focusing on all kind of contents, taking into account both text and context. Iconography and material culture provide objective information about real practice of ancient music: instruments, functions, places of performance, musicians, other individuals involved and other useful references or features. The ethnomusicological tracks help us to understand or reorient some problems encountered whilest performing ancient music with replicas of instruments based on archaeological remains. The results obtained through the research made on all these elements are collected toghether and processed in order to find out objective criteria for performance. Next step deals with experimentation, which is one of our main purposes. Collaborative work with all team members is crucial at this stage, contributing each one from his/her field (Music, Dance, Archaeology, Philology, Communication, etc.). The second purpose, being derived from the research and experimentation pursued, consists of a real proposal for the public dissemination. It requires to find a concrete solution for re-acting ancient music towards contemporary audiences. This constitutes in itself a difficult challenge, since we create performances for cultural dissemination today based on experimental hypotheses: every concert, every play is a work in progress. Interpreting Past in Present requires always renewed approaches to connect as well with contemporary spectator’s point of view.


Author(s): Panosa Domingo, Maria Isabel (Associació Cultural Arqueoescena)