Louvre aulos: basic and expanded harmoníai, Imperial setting
Description
This figure (forthcoming in Lynch 2023) represents the basic harmoníai that could be played by the Louvre aulos in its Imperial setting, as well as some of the modulating scales that could be produced by 'expanding' the basic scales through partial-covering of up to two finger-holes of this instrument.
Each of these modes is matched to the corresponding Greek notes employed in the Imperial musical documents, as well as the corresponding tunings recorded by Aristides Quintilianus and Ptolemy. The practical use of these modes in the Imperial musical documents shall be discussed in detail in a book currently in preparation (https://zenodo.org/record/7524698#.Y-oUwy8w1pR).
As discussed on my website, this reconstruction is based on the 3D model I produced in 2021: https://www.emousike.com/louvreaulos
For the sake of methodological rigour, my analysis of the Louvre aulos scale is based on the frequencies published in Hagel 2014. Thanks to the chamber pitch calculator included in Lynch 2021b, the musical value of these frequencies is however established on the basis of the standard pitch set by the Koilē flute (~432 Hz, Terzēs 2020).
Among other things, this diagram shows the basic scales produced by the Louvre aulos conform to the Phrygian and Hypophrygian tunings recorded by Ptolemy (Hypértropa and Iástia) not only with regard to their general octave species but also in connection with the fine tuning of key intervals. For instance, the septimal tone d–e (8:7) that is featured in Ptolemy’s Phrygian tuning (Hypertropa) corresponds to the interval produced by the relative holes of the L pipe of the Louvre aulos (Φ and C). Likewise, the septimal tone A–B that was distinctive of the ‘relaxed’ Iastian mode (Iastia) is produced by the lowest holes of the H pipe.
This diagram also shows that the Imperial kithára tunings were doubled an octave higher by the Louvre Aulos. This octave shift suggests that the Louvre aulos was a ‘kitharistic’ aulos (kitharistḗrios), which was also known as mágadis (Ath. Deipn. 14.634e–35c) after the special ‘harp-like’ effect produced by playing melodies in parallel octaves (magadízein).
Unlike the note-for-note (próschorda) accompaniment that was typical of traditional lyre playing, ‘kitharistic’ auloi replicated the male register characteristic of kithara scales an octave higher (cf. e.g. Ps.-Plut. De Mus. 1141b).
Callum Armstrong will produce audio recordings of these scales in the near future, and they will be made available on the website in due course.
References:
Lynch, T. A.C. (2023) 'Singing with the Muses: new paths into ancient Mousikē'. Dramaturgias (forthcoming). https://www.researchgate.net/publication/368832615_Singing_with_the_Muses_new_paths_into_ancient_Mousike
Hagel, S. (2014b). Better Understanding the Louvre Aulos. In Eichmann, R., Jianjun, F., Koch, L.- Ch. (eds), Papers from the 8th Symposium of the International Study Group on Music Archaeology. Rahden, Westf.: Marie Leidorf, pp.131–142.
Terzēs, C. (2020). Musical Instruments of Greek and Roman Antiquity. In Lynch, T. A.C. and Rocconi, E. (eds), A Companion to Ancient Greek and Roman Music, Malden: Blackwell, pp. 213-227.