Athens Celebrates World Music Day With Ancient Greek Instruments

Athens, Greece recently celebrated World Music Day, an annual celebration taking place on the summer solstice, at the National Archaeological Museum with a performance by Lyravlos. Using natural materials such as animal shells, bones, hides, and horns, this group of musicians recreated exact replicas of ancient instruments, including string and wind instruments called the phorminx, the kitharis, the krotala, and the aulos.

Panayiotis Stefos, a member of Lyravlos, travels to museums close to home and abroad in order to study ancient Greek antiquities and texts, which help him recreate the instruments. Stefos' son, another member of the musical group, told Reuters, "Music was an integral part of almost every aspect of ancient Greek society, from religious, to social to athletic events. Today only some 60 written scores of ancient Greek music have survived." Both Panayiotis and Michael rely on their interpretation of ancient Greek music to recreate the instruments as best they can.

Their performance included a hymn to the god Apollo, a piece played at the musical festival of the ancient Pythian Games in Delphi and during wine-laden rituals to the god Dionysus. One member of the audience commented that the performance was "inspiring."

Article Source: Reuters