Learn To Play The Ancient Greek Kithara of Classical Antiquity! (2 of 6)

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• published: 29 Feb 2016
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The kithara was the highly advanced, large wooden lyre favoured by only the true professional musicians of ancient Greece, which reached its pinnacle of perfection during the “Golden Age” of Classical Antiquity, circa 5th century BCE. My forthcoming album "The Ancient Greek Kithara of Classical Antiquity" (out in Spring, 2016) features the wonderfully recreated Kithara of the Golden Age of Classical Greece - hand-made in modern Greece by Luthieros: http://en.luthieros.com/ This video demonstrates how by a simple re-tuning of just 2 strings on this wonderful 9-string replica of the ancient Greek kithara of Classical antiquity, it is possible to play all of the ancient Greek musical modes... Since late 2014, I have been collaborating with Luthieros in their inspirational "Lyre 2.0 Project" - dedicated to reintroducing the wonderful lyres of antiquity back into the modern world, to make these beautiful instruments accessible to each and every modern musician. This new recording hopefully demonstrate why the kithara was so venerated in antiquity, as the instrument of the professional musician - perfect for both accompanying the human voice and for as an incredibly versatile solo instrument. In particular, I attempt to demonstrate the wonderfully reconstructed 2500 year old vibrato mechanism, for which there is an almost overwhelming body of visual evidence to support this theory: http://ancientlyre.com/the_kithara_of_ancient_greece__rome/ The video closes with a brief clip of track 3, "Hymn to the Stars", from my forthcoming new album, "The Ancient Greek Kithara of Classical Antiquity" – this track is my evocation of the type of melody which may have once accompanied a recitation of the 6th Orphic Hymn, “To The Stars (Astron)”: “With holy voice I call the stars [Astron] on high, pure sacred lights and genii of the sky. Celestial stars, the progeny of Night [Nyx], in whirling circles beaming far your light, Refulgent rays around the heav'ns ye throw, eternal fires, the source of all below. With flames significant of Fate ye shine, and aptly rule for men a path divine. In seven bright zones ye run with wand'ring flames, and heaven and earth compose your lucid frames: With course unwearied, pure and fiery bright forever shining thro' the veil of Night. Hail twinkling, joyful, ever wakeful fires! Propitious shine on all my just desires; These sacred rites regard with conscious rays, and end our works devoted to your praise.” The main musical concept of the album is to imagine the sort of melodies which once may have accompanied recitations of some of the classic legends and epic poems of ancient Greece, which would have almost certainly have been accompanied by the kithara; the lyre of the true professional musicians of Classical antiquity. Indeed, almost all the great works of literature from ancient times were originally meant to be sang; the music giving weight and emotional emphasis to the text and in doing so, helping to convey its true meaning... Subscribe Here: http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=Klezfiddle1 http://www.ancientlyre.com/ https://www.facebook.com/beautifullyre https://twitter.com/AncientLyre http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/MichaelLevy https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/michael-levy/id4324920