SM+Art&Entertainment+Music+and+Dance

= M u s﻿ i c a n d D a n c e = = =

Romans
Romans music and dance are of the same case with their art; it is heavily influenced by the Etruscans and the Greeks.

Music
Etruscan music based heavily on the flute, so much so that the Romans made it their principal instrument. King Numa established a guild of flutists, which was used at all public sacrifices. After the Punic wars, Greek culture gained familiarity in Rome and Italy, introducing stringed instruments. Greek music became very popular, joined by the dance.

Although most Roman youths were trained for music, performances of music was better off as a profession suited to foreigners or the lower classes. Slaves and members of the lower class social sturcture were responsible for preserving music in Greek style. They performed at concerts that were very popular at the start of the empire. At games and gladiatorial contests, musicians very often provided introductory music or intermission entertainment.

Like every other culture, there were string, blowing and plucking musical instruments of their own. The list below shows it all.

Buccinas are basically like horns. This instrument was anciently made out of shells. Later on, people carved them out of wood or metal so as to imitate the shell shape. The buccina was carved in full awareness of convenience for the performer. It had a large mouth that increase sound tremendously. It is often used as watches for the day and night. The buccina is blown at funerals and feasts.
 * Buccina**

A cithara is like a combination of a harp and a guitar. It is heavier and bulkier than the lyra, and is played on the lap of the performer sitting down. It preludes to poetry reciting, in between intervals and also accompanies it.
 * Cithara**[[image:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/88/Pompeii_-_Musician_with_Harp_and_Cithara_-_MAN.jpg width="146" height="198" align="left" caption="Cithara, courtesy of wikimedia commons)"]]

A Cornu is a horn as well, but is of different design compared to the buccina. The cornu is a blowing instrument. It was carved out of a horn a long time ago into a large C shape with a long piece that rests on the performer's shoulder. It was used to give signal.
 * Cornu**

Hydraulus is an impressive water organ. The hydraulus had a row of huge pipes capable of emitting powerful as well as soft sounds. Melodies were flexible by adapting keys that allow perforated sliders to open and shut the mouths of the pipes, obtaining wind as it does so. Its pipes were made out of bronze and reed.
 * Hydraulus**

Cymbalums are equivalent to the nowaday's cymbals. The cymbalum was in the shape of two half globes, and were held in both hands of the performer. They were used a lot in worship to the gods and goddesses.
 * Cymbalum**

The lituus is the trumpet of ancient Rome and is used in religious rites related to the military. It was first employed by Romulus when he proclaimed the title of his city. The lituus is often linked to the cavalry part of the military whereas the tuba belonged to the infantry. Its tones are very harsh and shrill.
 * Lituus**

A sambuca is a harp. The sambuca is taller than the performer and is heavy as well. It is placed on the ground and strummed by a sitting performer.
 * Sambuca**

A trigonum is a harp. The trigonum has the same design as the sambuca, but is smaller in size and handheld.
 * Trigonum**

A lyra is one of the most ancient stringed instruments. It is also a combination of a harp and a guitar. It is known as Testudo in Latin because it was made from tortoise shells. The lyra has two horns that point up like a gazelle's. The strings on a lyra number from three to seven. Like the cithara, it is also used for poetry reciting.
 * Lyra (also known as lyre or Testudo)**

The sistrum is a bronze rattle. The rattle was introduced to Rome from Egypt. It looks like a long strip of metal (usually made from bronze) that is bent to meet its beginning. Then bronze metal rods are poked through the metal strip, and is usually left a little loose. When shaked, it creates a very eerie and shrill melody. It is normally used in rituals.
 * Sistrum**

The tibia is a flute or pipe. It is made out of metal, a hollow cane or wood, with a few holes running through the middle. The flute is about 15 inches long and is blown at entertainment events or sacrifices. Surprisingly, it was common for Romans to play two flutes at a time.
 * Tibia**

The tinnabulum is a bell. It is made of bronze and is made according to the shapes of their uses. Some are hung on chariot horses' belts when they parade in processions. Some are made so huge that they are similar to the Chinese gong.
 * Tinnabulum**

The tuba is a straight bronze trumpet. Its diameter gradually increases from the mouth piece to the tip, looking a lot like a narrow bell flower. The trumpet was the signal in the battlefield, at the games, festivals as well as during funerals.
 * Tuba**

The tympana is similar to a drum or tambourine. It is covered with oxen hide, and beaten rhythmically with a stick or hand. Wild religious festivals often had tympanas playing.
 * Tympana**

Dance
Roman dance was also influenced heavily by Greeks and Etruscans. Romans danced only for religious ceremonies such as funerals and festivals. Lower class people danced in theatres. The education in dancing and gesture were very important for the actor, as masks hid their faces. The job of being a dancer was considered infamia. Eventually the performers of lower class occupied the dancing platform, and the higher class was happy to be entertained.

The Pyrrhic Dance was introduced into Rome by Julius Caesar.

Many of the musical instruments nowadays are similar to the ancient ones. However, they weren't made of gold or precious metals. Modern generations found an unreliable solution, plastic.

**Egyptians**
In Ancient Egypt, music was mainly played for feast, festival and for the gods which includes pharaos as they are seen as god. Pictures in various tombs show women dancing, playing instruments and singing for the god in the courtyards of the temple. Music became more complicated with more melodies during the Middle kingdom and the New kingdom with more range of instruments. The musicians in tempple courtyard have a high status as they perform chants and provide entertainment for the gods.

**Instruments**
The Ancient Egyptian also played other instruments except for the sistrum. They palyed the castanet a percusion instrument and clarinets made out of clay or wood. Oboes and lutes made out of wood and strings made out of reeds. Tambourines and cymbals were also played.

**Sistrum[[image:Sistrum.jpg width="59" height="155" align="left" caption="Sistrum, courtesey of google images"]]**
The main music played for the god was an instrument called the sistrum which was a rattle. This instrument was to be played during rituals and symbolised the goddess, Hathor. Made out of mainly brass and sometimes other metals, it was sometimes accompanied voice and other instruments. It makes a very high piched, shrill sound that is said soothing to the gods and goddesses.

**Zummara (double reed flute) and single reed flutes[[image:300px-Zummara.jpg align="right" caption="Zummara(double flute) by google images"]]**
====It is believed that the instrument flute was invented by the Ancient Egyptians. the flute was made out of reeds with holes in them as we know it as the modern flute. The zummara are two reed flutes that are joind together with reed strings and is played so that each flute creates a different melody according to the hand movement on the holes.====

They were drumbs held with one hand and played with clapper made for it.Clappers are curved stick which is similar to the modern drum sticks. Ivory clappers were found near on of the tombs.
Rattes were like sistrums but were not made of a metal. Usually made of wood or clay, it was used by poor families for rhythm and for their children to play with.
 * Rattles**

The rebab, also called many other names, was a string instrument that was to be played like a base but is very small. It had a small round body with the top of the pot like shape covered with parchment or sheep skin. The handle is thin with two to three strings. It is either rested on the lap or floor therefore having an inverse U type of shape for resting. The bow is made out of animal hair and more curved than a violin bow.
 * Rebab[[image:Rebab.jpg width="190" height="173" align="left" caption="Rebab, courtesey of google images"]]**

Ney is a type of flute that is used to accompany folk and religious music. The ney was made of a cane with holes in them.
 * Ney**

Music played for the pharaos was important. Musicians were payed a good amount of money by the pharaos and by hosts of feasts and festivals.

**Dance**
With music goes dance. Ancient Egyptian dance was a graceful, rhythmic gymnastics. This included back bends, high kicks amd somersalts. Men and women in ancient Egypt never danced together. Dance was performed for feasts, festivals and for the gods. Ancient Egyptians believed that god needed entertainment, hence the dancing and mucsic in the courtyards of temples. Some dances had women wearing weight discs tied to their pigtails and swiniging the disc aroung in graceful and rhythmic movements. Dancers wore costumes suitable to perform the rythmic movements. In some of the tomb paintings it was chown that dancer wore a sort of short skirt under the costume which never gets in their way. Pharaos enjoyed watching dance perfomances as well. There are scenes on the tomb walls of dance girls regularly performing gymnastics for the pharaos. Dancers were not payed much as they were usually slaves just like some of the musicians. Slaves were not payed much at all no matter what profession they took.

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