Mark the Words: Early Music’s Representation in Writing

What is it about?

Before the introduction of musical notation in ancient Greek documents (ca. 450 BCE) musical realisation of poetry in delivery depended on verbal rhythm, the rhyhtm of natural unplanned speech. When deliver at normal rate of speech, the written language is self-evident with regard to rhythm and melody. Musical accompaniment was secondary, and presumably repetitive and not related to the prosody of recited speech. The presentation of written text on, e.g., vase paintings of performing artists predating the musical reforms that led to the introduction of musical notation suffice to identify the shape and the rhythm of the song performed.

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