Ancient Greek frets |

Ancient Greek modes are systems of melodic modes in the music of ancient Greece, which did not know polyphony in the modern sense. The basis of the modal system was tetrachords (initially only descending ones). Depending on the interval composition of the tetrachords, the Greeks distinguished 3 moods, or genera (genn): diatonic, chromatic and enharmonic (differences are indicated with some simplifications):

In turn, diatonic. tetrachords consisted of 3 types, differing in the location of large and small seconds:

Fret formations of a higher order arose as combinations of tetrachords. There were two principles of unification: “fused” (synapn) with the coincidence of adjacent sounds in tetrachords (for example, d1-c1 – h – a, a – g – f – e) and “separate” (diasenxis), with which adjacent sounds were separated by a whole tone (for example, e1 – d1 – c1 – h, a – g – f – e). The most important of the associations of tetrachords are octave modes (the so-called “types of octaves” or armoniai – “harmonies”). Main frets were considered Dorian, Phrygian and Lydian, to-rye were formed by combining two correspondences. tetrachords identical in structure; Mixolydian (“Mixed-Lydian”) was interpreted as a special combination of Lydian tetrachords.

Side – hypolades were made from the main ones by rearranging the tetrachords and adding the scale to the octave (the names of the Greek modes do not coincide with the later European ones). Scheme of seven octave modes:

Full view of other Greek. the modal system generally represents sustnma teleion – “perfect (i.e. complete) system”. Below is the so-called. “fixed” (or “non-modulating”) system – ametabolon:

Name steps come from the place of extraction of a given tone on the strings. cithara instrument. The identity of the names of the steps within an octave (eg, vntn applies to both a1 and e1) reflects the tetrachordal (and not octave) principle of ext. structure of the system. Dr. a variant of the perfect system – metabolon is characterized by the insertion of a “retractable” tetrachord synnmmenon (lit. – connected) dl – c1 – b – a, expanding the volume of the system.

When the perfect system was transferred to other stages, so-called. transpositional scales, with the help of which it was possible to obtain within the same range (lyre, cithara) dec. modal scales (tonoi – keys).

Frets and genera (as well as rhythms) were attributed by the Greeks a certain character (“ethos”). So, the Dorian mode (fools – one of the indigenous Greek tribes) was considered strict, courageous, ethically the most valuable; Phrygian (Phrygia and Lydia – regions of Asia Minor) – excited, passionate, Bacchic:

The use of chromatic and anharmonic. genera distinguishes Greek music from later European. Diatonism, which dominates in the latter, was among the Greeks, although the most important, but still only one of the three modal intonations. spheres. A wealth of melodic possibilities. intonation was also expressed in a variety of mixtures of moods, the introduction of intonational “colors” (xpoai), which were not fixed as special moods.

Greek the system of modes has historically evolved. The oldest frets of antique. Greece, apparently, were associated with the pentatonic scale, which was reflected in the tuning of the archaic. strings. tools. The system of modes and inclinations formed on the basis of tetrachords developed in the direction of expanding the modal range.

References: Plato, Politics or the State, Op., Part III, trans. from Greek, vol. 3, St. Petersburg, 1863, § 398, p. 164-67; Aristotle, Politics, trans. from Greek, M., 1911, book. VIII, ch. 7, p. 372-77; Plutarch, On Music, trans. from Greek, P., 1922; Anonymous, Introduction to the harmonica, Preliminary remarks, translation and explain, notes by G. A. Ivanov, “Philological Review”, 1894, vol. VII, book. 1-2; Petr B. I., On compositions, structures and modes in ancient Greek music, K., 1901; Ancient thinkers about art, comp. Asmus B. F., M., 1937; Gruber R. I., History of musical culture, vol. 1, part 1, M.-L., 1941; Ancient musical aesthetics. Enter. essay and collection of texts by A. F. Losev. Foreword and general ed. V. P. Shestakova, M., 1960; Gertsman EB, Perception of different pitch sound areas in ancient musical thinking, “Bulletin of Ancient History”, 1971, No 4; Bellermann, F., Die Tonleitern und Musiknoten der Griechen, B., 1847; Westphal R., Harmonik und Melopüe der Griechen, Lpz., 1864; Gevaert fr. A., Histoire et théorie de la musique de l’antiquité, v. 1-2, Gand, 1875-81; Riemann H., Katechismus der Musikgeschichte, Bd 1, Lpz., 1888; pyc. trans., M., 1896; Monro DB, The modes of ancient Greek music, Oxf., 1894; Abert H., Die Lehre vom Ethos in der griechischen Musik, Lpz., 1899; Sachs C., Die Musik der Antike, Potsdam, 1928; pyc. per. otd. chapters under head. “Musical-theoretical views and instruments of the ancient Greeks”, in Sat: Musical culture of the ancient world, L., 1937; Gombosi O., Tonarten und Stimmungen der antiken Musik, Kph., 1939; Ursprung O., Die antiken Transpositionsskalen und die Kirchentöne, “AfMf”, 1940, Jahrg. 5, H. 3, S. 129-52; Dzhudzhev S., Theory on Bulgarian folk music, vol. 2, Sofia, 1955; Husmann, H., Grundlagen der antiken und orientalischen Musikkultur, B., 1961.

Yu. H. Kholopov