La Musique de l'Antiquite / Music of the Ancient World A History of Music, Century, Vol. 1

I like the selection of this album very much. There is a number of tracks that I particular felt attracted to. Mainly the ancient Greek and sister Mary's old Arabic singing.Particularly I hated Gaules and few other tracks. The songs sound as if the singer is making up the language. Too many "sha-sha-sha" sounds in the lyrics. It reminded me of an older dude at an obscure church.HOWEVER, I recommend the album as it is well balanced and have tracks that can be relaxing.

The music is great -- authentic or not, it's still a pleasure to listen to. The most frustrating thing about this album are the liner notes -- no lyrics, no translations. The Bible section at least references passages from the Bible, which one can look up -- and it changes the experience of the music entirely. Why no translations for the Greek songs? Or the Byzantine chants? The fact that one cannot understand the songs -- however beautiful the songs might be -- was a huge, huge letdown. You can't find the translations of these song anywhere on the internet either, as far as I'm aware. If somebody knows otherwise, please let me know -- I'd love nothing better than to know what the words I'm listening to actually mean.

An awesome compilation yet again from the catalogue of the tremendous Harmonia mundi label. A selection from their finest albums on ancient music is presented here, giving a history of music from Ancient Greece to the early Middle Ages. I find this music genuinely spiritual.

Fascinating stuff. Can't say I "love" it, as much as I love, say, the Baroque, or Mozart, or Wagner. But it's an interesting historical experience. Check your local public library though before you buy it. Or do an inter-library loan. It's not something you're likely to listen to repeatedly. I don't.

A fascinating and inteligent collection, recorded excellently and comes with a rich linear notes.I have a serious doubts if something in this CD is even close to the music it trys to recreate, but nevertheles the outcome is always beautiful and thought provoking.1. GREEKUsually i prefer the version by Paniagua in respect of musicallity,but in respect of the authencity of the musical instruments, i incline to think that the reproduction of the instruments in the present version with Conrad Steinmann is more accurate.Listen to track no. 3.2. HebrewThis is a splendid rendering of some bibilical pieces, though to my mind they rest too much on the western music heritage. Adolphe Attia is simply exciting.Listen to track no. 9.3. Byzantine and MalchiteMarie Keyrouz is a superb singer and musician.She sings in Greek and in Arabic, but i wonder why to sing in Arabic in music that pretends to be from the first centuries of the first millenium? As far as i know, the Arabic language began to spread out of the Arabian peninsula just from the 7th century on.Listen to track no. 18.4. GaulsA meditative chanting by Iegor Reznikoff. Strange and dark.

"Astounding reconstructions of the music of the Mediterranean basin before and at the very beginning of the Christian era, from Athens to Jerusalem, from Constantinople to Lutetia" (back cover)The works on this recording:1. Ancient Greece - Akousate2. Ancient Greece - Melomai3. Ancient Greece - Eros4. Ancient Greece - Nomos M5. Ancient Greece - Dakylos amera6. Ancient Greece - Makrotatos7. Ancient Greece - Ekleipsis8. The Bible - Psaume 239. The Bible - Psaume 2410. The Bible - Cantique des Cantiques11. The Bible Lamentations I12. The Bible - Psaume 15013. The Bible - Esther14. Byzantine Chant - Alleluia15. Byzantine Chant - Exapostelarion (Arabic)16. Byzantine Chant - Exapostelarion (Greek)17. Byzantine Chant - Exapostelarion (Arabic)18. Byzantine Chant - Koinonikon19. Byzantine Chant - Canon, Ode 120. Byzantine Chant - Canon, Ode 221. Byzantine Chant - Canon, Ode 322. Melchite Chant - Axion esti23. Melchite Chant - Ya walidata-l-ilah24. Alleluias & Offertories of the Gauls - Allelulia Martinus25. Alleluias & Offertories of the Gauls - Offertoire Martinus igitur

Excellent CD. Historically interesting ,mystic and attractive music.

N'étant pas présent dans l'antiquité pour pouvoir comparer avec cette musique enregistrée, difficile de répondre.