2006 On the Survival of the Classical Kithara/Lyre in N.E.Africa

On the survival of the classical „kithara/lyre“in N.E. Africa‘s „krar/kisir/masinkoob/tambour“

The Claim:1. Claim: Europe lost the lyre – it survives in N.E. Africa2. Contacts of Cultures in the Roman Empire 200 A.D.3. Conservative Cultures in N.E.Africa- Beja- Ethiopia4. Kithara & Lyre- Shapes- Terms- Areas5. Technique6. Music Samples- Beja- Ethiopia7. Claim discussed d – Instruments t played

The Claim:• Today‘s musical practice answers questionswhich classical studies can‘t t, such as:• Do the mosaics reflect actual reality, or just iconography?• (Both of these– not just iconographic stereotypes)• What exactly was the technique – left hand, right hand?• (The left hand plucks, the right hand beats)• How man strings were there – given all those modes?• (Most likely around 6)• Did every string sound just one pitch or several?• (Just one. To start a different mode, re-tune)• How were the strings tuned?• (Using different mechanisms)

There are >200Orpheus mosaicsE.g. Mytilene Aisne Vienne Rottweil• But their musicologicali linterpretation isproblematic• Some interpretations don‘tstand a simple test oftechnical feasibility

In Europe, the tradition is lostA few traces are left• E.g., the column withthe song of Seikilos,200 A.D.(time of the mosaics)

There was a revival of the ”Lyre“around 1920 - Ireland

In Europe, lyres died c. 1000 ADA.D.• One of the last relics is a6-stringed lyre ofabout 600 A.D.• Grave of a musiciannear Tuttlingen

1. Claim: Europe lost the lyre - it survives in N.E. Africa2. Contacts of Cultures in the Roman Empire 200 A.D.3. Conservative Cultures in N.E.Africa- Beja- Ethiopia4. Kithara & Lyre- Shapes- Terms- Areas5. Technique6. Music Samples- Beja- Ehhiopia7. Claim discussed d – Instruments t played

The world around 200 A.D.as Romans saw it (Peutinger map)• Part of the sameworld:• Roman mosaic in“Arae Flaviae“• Mediterranean• Nile

The world around 200 A.D.as Europeans saw it (Alamanni)• Part of the sameworld:• Alamanni• Aegyptus– southernmosttRoman provice• Blemmyes (Beja)– east of the Nile(not west)

The world around 200 A.D.as Ethiopians (Axumites) saw it• Relations with:• Greece• Rome• Egypt• Beja (Blemmyer)

Indicators of cultural contactEthiopia (Axum) – Rome?• Ethiopia:Orix in the Afar area• Roman Mosaic:Orix horns on a lyre

Indicators of cultural contactEthiopia (Axum) – Greece?• Greek Lyreturtle body• Ethiopian Lyre - turtle ornament

1. Claim: Europe lost the lyre - it survives in N.E. Africa2. Contacts of Cultures in the Roman Empire 200 A.D.3. Conservative Cultures in N.E.Africa- Beja- Ethiopia4. Kithara & Lyre- Shapes- Terms- Areas5. Technique6. Music Samples- Beja- Ehhiopia7. Claim discussed d – Instruments t played

Why are these cultures conservative?• Beja desert:difficult to travel• even for a Toyota 2004• Ethiopian highlands:difficult to travel• even for a Toyota 1994

Conservative features: BejaMeja/Beja had a monopoly as leaders through the desert• 2000 B.C. Meja• Pharaon. Relief• 200 A.D. Blemmyes• Roman graffiti• 2000 A.D. Beja• Contemp. photo

Medja 2000 BC / Blemmyes 200 AD

Conservative features: Beja• The Beja people protect t andisolate their women in a verystrict traditional tadto a form ofIslam• The Beja people kept an olddesign for their swords –didn‘t switchtotheArabto the form• The Beja people were one ofthe last people groups ofseveral million to see theirlanguage written

Conservative features: EthiopiaEthiopian music uses the notation of the Middle Ages• Signs above the letters stillserve as musical notes

1. Claim: Europe lost the lyre - it survives in N.E. Africa2. Contacts of Cultures in the Roman Empire 200 A.D.3. Conservative Cultures in N.E.Africa- Beja- Ethiopia4. Kithara & Lyre- Shapes- Terms- Areas5. Technique6. Music Samples- Beja- Ehhiopia7. Claim discussed d – Instruments t played

Shapes / Terms• Kithara-shaped instruments:box shaped resonance, artful design– Nubian term „Kísír“ (Greek κιθάρα)– Eritrean term „Krar“ (ãVXãVX)– Er.& Ethiop. „Krar“ (ãVX)) & „Begenna“ (k≤|)– Arab term „Simsimiyya“ ‏(سمسمي ‏(سمسمي)‏• Lyre-shaped instruments:bowl shaped resonance, simple design– Ethiopan term „Krar“ (ãVXãVX)– Beja term „Masinkoob“ (Eth. L]}f “fiddle“)– Sudanese „Tambour“ (Arab. „instrument“)

Kithara-shaped Instrumentstoday• Resonance box• The braces are not part ofthe resonance box• 5-6 Strings• (Only the Ethiopian i Begennak≤| has 10 strings)

Lyre-shaped instrumentstoday• Bowl shaped resonance body• metal dish or carved wood• 5-6 Strings• NB The Ethiopian artist knew thatakrarhas6 strings, not 12

Shape / Area• Kithara-shaped– Krar / Simsimiyya–Box

Shape / Area• Kithara-shaped, large– Begenna– Box

Shape / Area• Lyre-shaped– Krar / Basinkoob / Tambour– Bowl

1. Claim: Europe lost the lyre - it survives in N.E. Africa2. Contacts of Cultures in the Roman Empire 200 A.D.3. Conservative Cultures in N.E.Africa- Beja- Ethiopia4. Kithara & Lyre- Shapes- Terms- Areas5. Technique6. Music Samples- Beja- Ehhiopia7. Claim discussed d – Instruments t played

First Technique: Plucking• The left hand plucks• Illustration: Ashenafi K.• Each finger is assigned1 string• The right hand rests orsupports the instrument

Second Technique: Beating• The right hand beatsfull chords• Illustration: Ashenafi K.• The left hand stopsthose strings whichare not supposed tovibrate

Again:First Technique: Plucking• Ethiopian krar player• The left hand plucks• The right hand rests

Again:Second Technique: Beating• Ethiopian krar player:• The right hand beats chords• The left hand stops thesilend strings• NB: Both techniques areused for both tpetypes ofinstruments (lyre & kithara)

Technique:Beating the Lyre in Egypt• Fadil K., a Beja musician ofthe Bishari people(N. of Aswan)– Click picture to activate film clip• He beats a lyre type ofinstrument called basinkoob

Technique:Beating the Lyre in Sudan• Mohammed Safla, a Sudanesemusician of the Shaydiya people(W. of Beja)– Click picture to activate film clip• He beats a type of lyre calledTambour (see newspaper)

Technique:Tuning the Strings• Cloth (Beja)• Sticks (Ethiopia)• Screws (Eritrea, Nubia)

1. Claim: Europe lost the lyre - it survives in N.E. Africa2. Contacts of Cultures in the Roman Empire 200 A.D.3. Conservative Cultures in N.E.Africa- Beja- Ethiopia4. Kithara & Lyre- Shapes- Terms- Areas5. Technique6. Music Samples- Beja- Ehhiopia7. Claim discussed d – Instruments t played

Beja: Ballad of a Bard• Both plucking &beating– Free rhythm, epic mood– Diatonic pentatonic scale(like c d f g h)– Two freedom fighters(colophon records 2001)تحيات يبلد دى لكW-haash-ii-yook-da salaam a-barithe-landland-ofof-youSgyouSg-for peace 1SgPresSgPres-have“I have peace for your land“

Beja: Dance• Technique ofbeating chords– Beja radio musician• Tuning for heroicsongs: B d e f a• There are 3 modesfor tuning thestrings II IV I III V– Beesaay y( (Heroic)– Shambar (Love)– Dawarbaay (Nature)

Ethiopia: Love Song• Numbers are strings plucked• The mood is Tizzita (qõp)(comparable to c d e g a)

Ethiopia: Love Song• Scale without whole tone(comparable to E F A Bb c# e)

The future: Arab music• Beja lyre– 5 tone scalesis being replaced by• Arab lute–7 tone scales– ¾ notes (bayyati)– prestigious

Access to the film clips and sound filesFilm clips (pages 35-3636)can ce accessed as follows:"www.kwedekind.de/Eingang1/Orpheus/35.wmv"likewise, “.../36.wmv”Sound files (pages 22, 33-3636, 40-4343)can be accessed as follows:"www.kwedekind.de/Eingang1/Orpheus/22.mp3"likewise, “.../33-34.mp3” and “…/4040-43.mp3”Sources: Baden-Wuerttemberg Roemerjahr (Rottweil), Beja websites, Dtv Atlas Musik, Dtv AtlasWeltgeschichte, Colophon Records CD Basbar, Ashenafi Kebede, Manley: Historical Atlas ofAncient Egypt , Ethiopian Orthodox liturgy manual. (Film clips, fotos and music samplesother than Basbar items are based on personal interviews and recordings.)