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About the Score

Epitaph of Seikilos is the earliest known complete example of a musical composition that scholars can accurately transcribe. Found on a tombstone near the southwestern edge of Turkey dating 100 A.D., the inscription on the marker prefacing the poem states: “I am a tombstone, an icon. Seikilos placed me here as an everlasting sign of deathless remembrance.” The poem is an epigram, which combines two opposing ideas in a clever, yet poignant voice. In this case, the poem encourages its reader to be untroubled, even happy, despite the turning of time and the inevitable certainty of death. Ethos is the ancient Greek philosophy that each person’s ethical character could be effected by the type of music (including which scale or key the piece is in) or poetry one listened to. The ancient Greeks actively sought music that would cleanse one's spirit and lead the soul to inner harmony. The ethos of Epitath of Seikilos is one of moderation between two extremes: one of sadness, and one of joy. The effect creates a moderate ethos – neither happy nor sad – instead the text encourages faith and cheerfulness in the face of sadness and the inevitability of death.

In Kira Rugen’s setting, she fuses Greek music theory with modern context and harmony. The piece begins and ends with meditative melodies, reminiscent of middle eastern ballads. While introducing Greek versions of Phrygian and Dorian scales, Rugen places the the Greek descending tetra chord scales (Harmonic and Melodic) within the counter melody. Greek music theories considered the melody female, and rhythm male therefore they advocated for mixed meters and tempi within a single song. Remembering Seikilos juxtaposes meters, while exhibiting the Greek prosody of long and short rhythms. The piece suggests, through the use of a drum, rhythms that might be found in a skolion – a drinking song sung at a banquet. Each attendee, extolling the virtues of men, expressed a deep personal feeling or made comments upon daily life.

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