Music is an essential element of ancient and modern cultures. It often shapes chronological periods, as did the Motown recordings of the 1960’s and 70’s, and marks what we grieve and celebrate. While many of the uses of music in the ancient Near East are similar to those of today, the sound and experience of music in ancient times was different. It is hard for us to imagine not being able to pull music from the air and download it upon request. In antiquity, people only heard music in live musical performances. Nothing was recorded, sampled, mixed, or mass-marketed. Although we don’t know how ancient music sounded, judging from the ways it was used we do know that music was important then as it is now. By studying the ancient remains of instruments, descriptions of musical activity in texts like the Bible, and artistic representations, we gain valuable information about these enigmatic past societies and peoples—from aspects of relationships between men and women, the types of instruments used in sacred and secular performances, and occasions when music was performed. A glance at several biblical stories reveals the importance of music in the daily life of antiquity. For instance, writers describe how people used music to express an array of emotions, convey valuable information, and entertain. Moreover, there are numerous ceremonies and celebrations in the Bible where musical performance was a major part. Several passages contain descriptions of actual instruments, names of musicians, as well as places and times music was played. Pictures found on the remains of walls, stamp and cylinder seals, and pottery sherds also show different types of musical activity. All of these data show that music was an ubiquitous component of nearly every aspect of Near Eastern culture, particularly in ancient Israel. Following is a brief discussion of some the primary musical instruments and their uses in the worlds of the Old and New Testaments.
Posted on: Fri, 12 Sep 2014 17:57:11 +0000
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