Melodies for the Orphic Hymns?
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Olympianismos :: Practice :: Hymns
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Melodies for the Orphic Hymns?
Are there traditional melodies to sing the hymns (Thomas Taylor's translation) to, or do you just pick the melodies you like best? If the latter, do you have any suggestions for us people who aren't gifted in music composition? I've just been reciting the hymns as poems, and that makes it seem a bit monotonous to me.
Thrasyvoulos- God Member
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Join date : 2013-04-15
Age : 30
Location : Misery (Missouri)
Re: Melodies for the Orphic Hymns?
They are poems — in the Classical world, there was no distinction between a poem and a song. In both Latin and Greek, the terminology for types of song and poetry is the same. Poems were songs — meant to be sung/recited, not read silently. Scholars believe that silent reading did not really become a 'thing' until the Middle Ages.
In English, at least, we recite them. But the Taylor translation is quite melodic and poetic — not at all monotonous.
However, I'm posting here a link to an album recording of a few of the Hymns as sung in Greek:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/thyepoleo-orphic-mysterial/id539286761
In all actuality, however, ancient hymns and lyric poetry would have been recited/chanted to the accompaniment of some sort of instrumentation — often to the lyre — the tune often being improvised on the spot from a set of customary musical elements, which themselves sound a little odd to modern ears.
For an interesting example of the difference between ancient and modern music, I would recommend listening to the Oxyrhynchus Hymn, which is the earliest written Christian hymn we have discovered. It sounds nothing whatsoever like what we think of today as a church hymn.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLYfLEZW3bc
Personally, I would describe the biggest difference between ancient and modern Western music as that ancient music tends to have what to us sounds like a relatively random sequence of notes — it's a lot more meandering, and less repetitive/patterned.
In English, at least, we recite them. But the Taylor translation is quite melodic and poetic — not at all monotonous.
However, I'm posting here a link to an album recording of a few of the Hymns as sung in Greek:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/thyepoleo-orphic-mysterial/id539286761
In all actuality, however, ancient hymns and lyric poetry would have been recited/chanted to the accompaniment of some sort of instrumentation — often to the lyre — the tune often being improvised on the spot from a set of customary musical elements, which themselves sound a little odd to modern ears.
For an interesting example of the difference between ancient and modern music, I would recommend listening to the Oxyrhynchus Hymn, which is the earliest written Christian hymn we have discovered. It sounds nothing whatsoever like what we think of today as a church hymn.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLYfLEZW3bc
Personally, I would describe the biggest difference between ancient and modern Western music as that ancient music tends to have what to us sounds like a relatively random sequence of notes — it's a lot more meandering, and less repetitive/patterned.
Re: Melodies for the Orphic Hymns?
Icarus wrote:Are there traditional melodies to sing the hymns (Thomas Taylor's translation) to, or do you just pick the melodies you like best? If the latter, do you have any suggestions for us people who aren't gifted in music composition? I've just been reciting the hymns as poems, and that makes it seem a bit monotonous to me.
You might be interested in Daemonia Nymphe. They're a band of musicians who set Orphic and Homeric hymn to original music influenced by ancient Greek music, performed on such instruments such as the lyre, kithara and double flute. The hymns are in Greek but if you're looking for musical inspiration you might be able to use the music for a guide.
Callisto- Sinior Member
- Posts : 136
Join date : 2013-03-21
Re: Melodies for the Orphic Hymns?
If you are interested in the Orphic genre specifically, you may also want to take a look at the musical compositions of Yannis Markopoulos. His album "The Liturgy of Orpheus" is stunning, and is available on iTunes as well.
Re: Melodies for the Orphic Hymns?
Thank you both for your suggestions I've got several things to go searching for, now
Thrasyvoulos- God Member
- Posts : 283
Join date : 2013-04-15
Age : 30
Location : Misery (Missouri)
Re: Melodies for the Orphic Hymns?
On the principle of better late than never, I thought I'd add to this old thread. I know of two English hymn tunes that fit Taylor's hymns (he used an unusual metre)
Woodlands
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43wnrzFb73c
Eventide
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7OS6m5K1Mg
Woodlands
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43wnrzFb73c
Eventide
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7OS6m5K1Mg
DavidMcCann- Sinior Member
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Join date : 2014-04-20
Location : London
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» Hymns of Proclus
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» A Set of Hymns | by Erodius
Olympianismos :: Practice :: Hymns
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