Podcast Summary
Discovering the Oldest Recorded Sounds: A team unearthed the first recorded sounds from 1857 and played them back, sparking curiosity about older sounds worldwide. Historians and scientists aim to create a 'time machine orchestra' with these discoveries.
The first recorded sound was made by a French inventor named Edouard Leon Scott de Martinville in 1857, using a device that resembled a human eardrum and recorded sound by creating squiggles on soot-covered paper. For over a century, these recordings were considered just visual artifacts until a team of scientists and historians called First Sounds discovered a way to play them back. However, there are older recorded sounds from around the world that Brian Gutierrez, from the Overheard team, is on a quest to find, in an attempt to create a "time machine orchestra" of the oldest music humanity has ever made. This discovery showcases the importance of preserving and rediscovering historical artifacts, and the endless possibilities that can arise when we push the boundaries of technology and knowledge.
Exploring ancient music through history: Historians and musicians collaborate to recreate the oldest known complete piece of music using ancient instruments and deciphered symbols
A group of individuals are embarking on a unique musical journey through history, starting with ancient Greece. They plan to collect and combine musical instruments from various eras and create a massive, eclectic song. The first stop on this adventure is Greece, where they spoke with historian Bettina Joy de Guzman about an ancient artifact called the stone of Sikulus. This stone contains the oldest complete piece of music with lyrics, and although it doesn't resemble modern sheet music, the text and accompanying symbols reveal the melody and the notes. The melody was likely intended for a lyre, an ancient musical instrument believed to have been made from a tortoiseshell. This fascinating exploration of musical history continues as they delve deeper into the past, collecting and learning about various instruments and the stories behind them.
Ancient civilizations grappled with life's transience, as evidenced by the Siculus lyre's inscription and Marquis Yi's ornate tomb.: Discoveries of ancient artifacts like the Siculus lyre and Marquis Yi's tomb provide a personal connection to the past and remind us that history is about more than just great leaders, but also the shared experiences and emotions of people throughout time.
Ancient civilizations, much like our own, grappled with the human condition and the transience of life. The discovery of a replica Siculus lyre and its inscription, "While you live, shine," speaks to this universal truth. Similarly, the tomb of Marquis Yi of Zheng unearthed in China reveals an ornate Bronze Age palace filled with 7,000 artifacts, including a complete bronze age orchestra. These instruments, including oval-shaped bells, provided multiple tones, and were played occasionally for scientific reasons. The discovery of these artifacts offers a personal connection to the past and highlights the eternal concerns of humanity. These findings remind us that history is not just about great leaders but also about the shared experiences and emotions of people throughout time.
Ancient civilizations engineered music for specific acoustic effects: Ancient cultures intentionally designed their musical instruments and performance spaces for optimal acoustic properties, highlighting the significance of music in their societies
During ancient times, music played a significant role in political proceedings and was deeply ingrained in various cultures around the world. For instance, in Peru, the Chavin civilization created temples with unique acoustic properties, including underground galleries where they discovered numerous conch shell trumpets. These trumpets, which were intentionally broken to create musical instruments, were found in chambers with architecture designed to enhance their sounds. The specific acoustic properties of these chambers amplified the central range of tones from the conch shell trumpets. This discovery suggests that the people of Chavin deliberately engineered their musical instruments and performance spaces for specific acoustic effects. This practice indicates the importance of music in ancient cultures and the lengths to which they went to create meaningful musical experiences.
Discovering Ancient Musical Instruments in the Serengeti: Ancient musical instruments like rock gongs, discovered in the Serengeti, date back tens of thousands of years and challenge our understanding of the past, emphasizing the significance of preserving cultural heritage, potentially indicating music as an innate human trait.
Ancient musical instruments, such as the rock gongs discovered in the Serengeti, have been a part of human history for tens of thousands of years. These boulders, which were likely moved and used as percussion instruments, have been discovered with wear patterns indicating frequent use. The Hadzabe tribe, one of the last true hunter-gatherer tribes, did not use these instruments but believe they were played by the people who inhabited the area before them. The size of these rocks is significant, with some being several feet in diameter and weighing over a ton. The discovery of these ancient musical instruments challenges our understanding of the past and highlights the importance of preserving cultural heritage. Furthermore, the existence of such instruments suggests that music may be an innate human trait, transcending time and culture.
Ancient Instruments: Vulture Bone Flutes in a 40,000-Year-Old German Cave: Ancient musicians used diverse materials for their instruments, such as a vulture bone for flutes, and their music was likely distinct from modern Western tradition, with potential for exploring polyrhythms and unconventional sounds.
Ancient musicians used various materials to create their instruments, including a vulture bone for making flutes. This discovery was made in a 40,000-year-old cave in Germany, predating agriculture and the time of Neanderthals and wooly mammoths. The way these ancient instruments were played is largely unknown, and some researchers suggest that they may have been used to create unconventional sounds, such as replicating the roar of a jaguar through a conch shell. Ancient music was likely quite different from the Western tradition we are familiar with today, and composers can explore these differences by experimenting with polyrhythms and unusual sound combinations. For instance, in a modern composition, a flute, conch shell, rockdong, bells, and lyre can be combined to create a unique musical experience.
Exploring ancient instruments and their significance: Ancient instruments like conch shells can evoke a sense of shared human experience when played together. Preserving these cultural artifacts and their stories is important.
The use of ancient instruments, like conch shells, can serve as a powerful connection to the past. When played together, these instruments can create unique sounds that resonate and evoke a sense of shared human experience. This was highlighted in the episode as the hosts explored the history and significance of various ancient instruments. Additionally, the episode emphasized the importance of preserving these cultural artifacts and the stories they tell. For those interested in learning more, the episode provided links to National Geographic articles on topics such as overfishing and the discovery of a possible Neanderthal cave bear bone flute. Overall, the episode showcased the value of exploring our history through sound and the connections that can be made across time and cultures.