The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1898-05-17

Sydian scale was imported from the
east. These were pleasing to the people
but were condemned by the teachers
and philosophers, as enervating and eff
Terminate.
During the time of the Athenian as
cendancy, Pisistratus, the tyrant, regu-
lated on grand scale the magnificent
Athenian professions held every four
years in honor of Palas Athena. He
added to the gymnastic displays and
horse and chariot races, contests of mu-
sicians, singers and dancers, as well as
recitations of portions of the Illiad and
Oddyssy, accompanied on musical in
struments. The frieze of the Parthenon
shows performers on the Tyre and flute,
and proves that the zithern also was used
in the festivals of Minerva.
The spring festival held in honor of
Bacchus, consisted of fantastic process
sions, dancing and singing of the Dith-
yrambus, a wild, rugged poetry of
jubilant character in praise of Bacchus
Arion is accredited with the first Dith-
yrambus, from which in later times
grew the Greek drama In time, speech
took the place of song, and accompany
ing gestures developed into dramatic
action, the whole assuming the character
of stage play. Thesp1s is said to have
been the first to complete the trans
formation by performing on rude stage
erected in wagon; thus the attic
tragedy was originally derived from the
worship of Bacchus
The Greek drama had more the char
acter of the modern opera than of the
drama as we know it. The chorus was
one of the leading features in all dramas.
The stately and more dignifed tragedy
was followed by the Satyric drama,
chorus sung by men dressed as satyrs
The chorus had a twofold object, in
siruction and entertainment. Some
were connected with stirring events,
such as the Fall of Troy and the
Labors of Hercules. The office di-
rector of the chorus was an important
one. 1t was the duty of the oldest and
wealthiest Athenian families to provide
members for the choruses, the success
full one being honored by his name being
engraved on tablet recording the fact.
The greatest poets interested themselves
in training the choruses and dances.
Stage professions and dramatic dances
arranged for performance around an
altar accompanied by choruses of an ap-
propriate nature are to be found in the
Antigone of Sophocles, the Bacchanalian
chorus, which has become SO celebrated
through Felix Mendelssohn's music to
Autigone, and which is commonly
known as the Bacchus chorus
We can form some notion of the popu-
larity of these musical representations
when we read that the people came
from all the country round and sat in
the theatre under an open sky all night,
in order that they might be in their
places for the performance the next day.
1t is interesting and worth remem-
bering that the father of Greek tragedy,
hcSCLiluS lOuSllb LII UuO UdGGlC VI Odld-
mis- and Sophocles led the dance of .
the Athenian youths celebrating
that victory on the same day that
Euripides was born, September, 4SO,
B. c..
In the beginning Of the fifth century /
B. c., Pythagoras and his disciples be- /
gan their musical theories. They con- {
ceived the idea that the universe is gov
erned by musical intervals founded {
upon mathematical rules. Pythagoras s
claimed there exists mysterious rela-
ton between the seven tones of the scale ,
and the seven planets. He believed
firmly that sweet harmony and flowing |
melody alone were capable of restoring |
the balance of disturbed mind, and of ,
renewing its harmonious relation with .
the world. Playing on the Tyre formed (,
a part of the daily exercises of his dis
,iples. 1t is to be regretted that all
search for any of their melodies has
been in vain. Pindar, the greatest of
;he lyric poets of Greece, was disciple
If Pythagoras and celebrated writer