Music during the time of Christ

[Bogey]

Just wondering what there was and has there been any recordings of it.  Thanks.

[david johnson]

speaking of the temple musicians; many lived in musician villages around jerusalem and they worked on a rotating schedule providing the music service for the temple in that city.  i think there were usually 24 on duty at a time...but i can't really recall the data.

by reading the superscripts of the psalms, one can tell that some of them were intended to sung to extant folk tunes (the dove on the far oaks, etc.).  others have instructions to use certain melodic formulas, really short phrases that were combined by the director of temple music to produce the song.

there were plenty of string, woodwind, brass, and percussion type instruments around the area by then, and all were used in ceremonial, secular, religious musics along with singing/chanting.

none of it was actually notated as we understand it, so accurate modern reproduction is iffy.
well...i've already said more than i know! 

find some recordings of the oldest middle eastern/mediterranean music you can and give a listen.  maybe that'll help.

dj

[Bogey]

Appreciate the effort here David.  My brother-in-law was an actor in a recreated Bethlehem village at his church (really well done) and everything was made to be as historically accurate as possible.  However there was music being played throughout and it had a modern flavor.  Was going to suggest they go HIP, but before I suggest I thought it might be wise to have suggestions.

[david johnson]

i don't think there is enough of it around to really learn how to be hip with that stuff 
just make it sound old.

dj

[pjme]

http://www.forcedexposure.com/labels/ocora.france.html

Try recordings of the French OCORA label. You may find music that fits. All kinds of Flutes, drums (derbouka), lutes,stringed instruments can be used.

[jochanaan]

I can imagine that the music of Jesus' day would be a mix of Hebrew, Greek and Roman styles.  You'd hear the ancient Psalms in the Temple, Greek-like music at the Jerusalem palaestra, Roman brass at the stadium, and who knows what kind of popular music on the streets.

But wouldn't it be wonderful to know how the Psalms were originally sung and played?

[M forever]

I can imagine that the music of Jesus' day would be a mix of Hebrew, Greek and Roman styles.  You'd hear the ancient Psalms in the Temple, Greek-like music at the Jerusalem palaestra, Roman brass at the stadium, and who knows what kind of popular music on the streets.

Looks like you derive your knowledge of music history mostly from Hollywood epics. But hey, I like movies like "Ben Hur", too. Especially the "Roman brass" in the stadium which play stuff on valveless trumpets which can't realy be played on valveless trumpets, that's pretty impressive, isn't it?

[jochanaan]

Looks like you derive your knowledge of music history mostly from Hollywood epics. But hey, I like movies like "Ben Hur", too. Especially the "Roman brass" in the stadium which play stuff on valveless trumpets which can't realy be played on valveless trumpets, that's pretty impressive, isn't it?

Oh, I have no illusions on that score.  And I also doubt that the music played during Salome's dance before her father-in-law Herod would sound like either R. Strauß' Dance of the Seven Veils or Saint Saëns' Bacchanale from Samson et Dalila.   No, I said I was just imagining, to remove the impression that I have any specific knowledge.

[M forever]

like either R. Strauß' Dance of the Seven Veils

Who is R. Strauß?

[PerfectWagnerite]

There is this recording from Harmonia Mundi, does it qualify?

http://www.classicstoday.com/review.asp?ReviewNum=2529

[Wendell_E]

Who is R. Strauß?

I'm betting you know very well who the composer of the Dance of the Seven Veils was.  Even if, unlike Johann, he didn't spell his name with an ß.