#4017: The Earliest Music
From what may be the oldest surviving musical composition in the world, found on a tombstone in today’s Turkey, as interpreted by Gyða Valtysdóttir (formerly of múm), to music by the 12th-century mystic, the abbess Hildegard von Bingen and on to plainchant of Leonin (founder of Notre Dame school) as interpreted by the Ergodos Musicians in present-day Dublin, listen to some old sounds for this New Sounds show.
Gyða Valtysdóttir was one of the two twin singers in the original lineup of múm, but she left the band to return to her studies; she went to Russia to study classical cello, before finishing her master’s degree studies in Switzerland. Last year, she released, Epicycle, a “covers album” of some of her favorite classical compositions from throughout musical history. It was only available in Iceland, but finally a worldwide release is imminent. This tune, “Seikilos Epitaph” is, according to Wikipedia, “the oldest surviving complete musical composition, including musical notation, from anywhere in the world.”
Also, looking backwards in time, hear music from 10th century Armenia. But wait, there’s more: go back further in time to the 7th century as a song of praise to the King Tiridates III of Armenia - who, as a sign of gratitude for Gregory the Illuminator having cured his lycanthropy, made the Armenian kingdom the first state to embrace Christianity.
There’s also music from Jan Garbarek & the Hilliard Ensemble from their record Mnemosyne, in an ancient Greek tune. Plus, hear Syrian-American composer and pianist, Malek Jandali and more.
PROGRAM #4017, the earliest music (First Aired: 8/30/2017)
ARTIST: Gyða Valtysdóttir
WORK: Seikilos Epitaph, excerpt [1:00]
RECORDING: Epicycle
SOURCE: 12 TÓNAR CD SMC25
INFO: shop.12tonar.is
ARTIST: Steindor Andersen & Sigur Ros
WORK: Á Ferð Til Breiðafjarðar [5:41]
RECORDING: Rimur EP
SOURCE/INFO: sigur-ros.co.uk
ARTIST: Jocelyn Montgomery & David Lynch
WORK: Clarissima (Hildegard) [7:22]
RECORDING: Lux Vivens
SOURCE: Mammoth Records #354 980-183.
INFO: Out of print. Try Amazon.com
ARTIST: Ergodos Musicians
WORK: Song for Magister Léonin [5:20]
RECORDING: All the ends of the earth
SOURCE/INFO: ergodos.ie/shop
ARTIST: Sharakan Early Music Ensemble
WORK: Havik (Little bird) [3:02]
RECORDING: The Music of Armenia, Vol. 2
SOURCE: Celestial Harmonies 13116
INFO: harmonies.com
ARTIST: Sharakan Early Music Ensemble
WORK: Ov yeranelid (Oh you Blessed) [2:26]
RECORDING: The Music of Armenia, Vol. 2
SOURCE: Celestial Harmonies 13116
INFO: harmonies.com
ARTIST: Hilliard Ensemble & Jan Garbarek
WORK: Hymn to the Sun [7:30]
RECORDING: Mnemosyne
SOURCE: ECM #1700/01
INFO: ecmrecords.com
ARTIST: Hilliard Ensemble & Jan Garbarek
WORK: Delphic Paean, fragment [1:00]
RECORDING: Mnemosyne
SOURCE: ECM #1700/01
INFO: ecmrecords.com
ARTIST: Gyða Valtysdóttir
WORK: Seikilos Epitaph [4:39]
RECORDING: Epicycle
SOURCE: 12 TÓNAR CD SMC25
INFO: shop.12tonar.is
ARTIST: Michael Levy
WORK: Hurrian Hymn #6 (Mesopotamian musical fragment) [:30]
RECORDING: An Ancient Lyre
SOURCE/INFO: https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/mlevy4
ARTIST: Malek Jandali
WORK: Hurrian Hymn #6 [4:29]
RECORDING: From the Aga Khan Museum, 5/2017
SOURCE: Youtube
INFO: The melody appears within the work “Echoes from Ugarit”, recorded with the The Syrian Symphony Orchestra and recorded with The Russian Philharmonic Orchestra in Moscow. Available for purchase via store.cdbaby.com
