Greek history is a unique treasury of interesting facts and legends. Mythical gods, brave warriors and their exciting adventures conquered the whole modern world. Ancient historians, most of whom are known to this day, have made a huge contribution to this invaluable heritage. Their stories not only trace the thread of scientific and historical facts. They in bright colors were able to convey to future generations the whole plot and subtleties of ancient culture. Ancient Greece was at a certain period the most powerful world power. Even the Bible tells of the influence of Alexander the Great on the whole world.
Rich antique heritage
Of course, Greece is famous for its famous exploits and fascinating mythology. But what place did music occupy in the life and culture of ancient people? Many monuments of written historical and scientific literature say that at that time it was unusually developed. During the excavations, beautiful ancient Greek musical instruments were found. Their appearance delighted even the most experienced archaeologists. It was just a work of art. High-quality material, combined with the delicate work of ancient masters, made a strong impression on the researchers.
Lyra and kifara - what is it?
This is an interesting topic worth considering. Among the recently found instruments were the lyre, kiphara and harp, although the ancient Greeks used many others. Lyra is an elegant plucked instrument. She often appears in various myths and legends. According to the latest historical data, it had a fairly flat rounded body.
Its design also included a leather membrane, which often had up to eleven strings. With its help, mostly lyrical and romantic melodies were performed. One can only imagine how beautiful it sounded. Skillful musicians with the help of this unique instrument touched the hearts of listeners and caused tears in their eyes.
Kifara - what is it? First of all, it should be mentioned that this tool has some common features with the lyre. They can be called related items. She is plucked too the instrument also has strings, although its body is more trapezoidal. In its design there is a wooden box, which is sometimes rounded down. In the longitudinal direction, two handles are attached to the tool, to which the crossbar is subsequently attached. In general, a rather interesting design of this device called kifara. What it is? How and when was it used? What kind of sound did she make? Surely only ancient ancient musicians could give exact answers to these questions.
Unique in complexity tool
However, to date, this tool has attracted the attention of many researchers. Its feature is a surprisingly complex design. Although the strings of kifara are of the same length, their thickness and tension are significantly different. By tradition, they should be stretched, starting from the bottom of the instrument to the front of its body, where the handles or, as they are also called, “yokes” are placed. Together with various trends of culture and fashion, kifara throughout history has had from two to twelve strings.
Sound and use
So Kifara. What it is has already been clarified. What application did she find? It was used both as an independent instrument and as an element of the orchestra. Kifara was popular even when it was necessary to accompany singing. The ancient Greeks believed that she wore "divine inspiration." Her melody flowed softly and reverently, and the sound of the tree gave the song notes of melancholy or even tragedy.
Be that as it may, ancient music is an integral part of the history not only of Greece, but of the whole world.