Posted on 04/21/2018 12:35:05 PM PDT by mairdie
9 of the very many bronze shapes of vessels made in China, mostly from the Shang and Zhou dynasties, 1600 to 256 BC. Music is Feng Ru Song playing Wind Through the Pines from the Taoist Music Orchestra CD, available through Amazon.
By the way, I tried to find ancient Egyptian music for another video, but it all sounded like something fake out of Casablanca. Can anyone point me to something authentically antique? In the meantime, on to the Venetian Renaissance.
PING
The problem with ancient music is that, although there are pictographs and remnants of instruments from that time period - know one knows exactly what pitch strings were tuned to, how/what rhythms were performed - there was no standardized notation. Even in western history music notation wasn’t standardized until the 15th - 16th centuries.
The ancient Greeks left written documents about the affect of different modes (major/minor/Phrygian modes, etc) on human emotions but there are several schools of thought on exactly how all this is to be interpreted.
We’re not even sure exactly how ancient Gregorian Chant is to be performed (Catholic music that dates back to between 4th and 9th centuries AD). Tradition and some written treatises give us a good idea of how some of this music is supposed to be performed, but a lot of it is a “best educated guess”.
Of course, archeologists are always turning up new finds that sometimes sheds light on such things abs so I may be ignorant of latest developments.
You been busy. This is very well done. As usual the music fits the art and is excellent. Thank you.
My deepest thanks, Captain.
What does one do with a compulsive personality and a deep desire to create? This phase will, eventually, be over but I’m trying to make good use of the time while I’m still in the art mode instead of Captain Kirk. I want to recover my memories of portraiture, and Greek and Roman sculpture, and Egyptian tomb paintings. I’d follow up on my love of the Lascoux caves if I had the vaguest idea what music would work with cave paintings. Besides the them to the Flintstones.
Do understand that, and was quite impressed that it was possible to separate the antique Chinese music from the more recent works with Western influence. Just don’t have the ear to separate the Egyptian music since none of what I was hearing had a European flavor in the mix.
There’s so much antique Chinese art commentary that there has to be an equal amount of music commentary. We all had to have research languages along with the art. I took French when my science Russian wouldn’t make it, but I did know people who were brave enough to tackle the Chinese characters. This research is reminding me why the calligraphy was art.
For Gregorian Chant, I have Benedicta from the Monks of Morcia album and Thomas Tallis’ Spem in Alium and Complete English Anthems. Once I go back to Medieval, I’ll use something from those. Any other Gregorian suggestions much appreciated.
Thank you. Very interesting video.
Did the ancient Chinese also have ceramic vessels?
Yes. Pottery is how you date much of the archeological sites, looking for style changes. The bronzes are fancy copies of the pottery, which was really used for cooking and storage. The bronzes, by the way, don’t use the lost wax method. They use molds which are created inside out, so bumps have to be made as depressions.
The only pottery I really studied was Hittite. And it’s more intellectually interesting than visually beautiful.
Now AFTER the Shang and Zhou periods, they made some incredible ceramic copies of the earlier bronzes. And even made versions in JADE! Even today, you can buy reproductions of the bronzes and of the ceramic versions.
Cool!
Thanks for the primer on Chinese ceramics.
One other question on the bronzes...
Since the written Chinese language has a distinct geometric quality, I wondered if any of the geometric “decorations” on the bronze vessels were actually words?
Here's a good example. This is a Pan shape from the Zhou Dynasty inscribed with the accomplishments of the earliest Zhou kings, circa 10th century BC.
Your instincts are excellent!
Thanks, chainmail. Now that’s a topic I never studied, but I do know that there were some incredible versions of chainmail.
Wonderful! Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us. I learn something from each of your videos.
You’re most welcome!
My first masters was in elementary education. I never forgot that teaching adults, as well as kids, involves entertainment. I’m teaching me, too! I’ve always thought of myself as a storyteller. These are little stories about the past. The music just helps focus attention.
At some point, I want to try to do something like this with history. I’d probably start with the early Rev War, or Lincoln’s assassination, or the opening of the Erie Canal, since those are topics I know.
What you assert may be correct but aren't you so very pleased what has been done in an effort to understand it; I know I Am.
WILD!
bump
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