SYNAYLIA

The Ensemble “Synavlia”
Musical direction : Petros Tampouris

SYNAVLIA in antiquity, was a set of musical instruments.
The ensemble SYNAVLIA is a set of musicians and researchers engaged in research, synthesis and interpretation of ancient Greek music, under the direction of Petros Tampouris
We often forget that the roots of Western literature literature - the Homeric epics, the poems of Anakreon, the tragedies of Euripides, the comedies of Aristophanes - were originally music, written to sing or even dance with the accompaniment of the flute and lyre.

Let us assume that in 2500 years from now, what would remain of a Mozart opera, would be the lyrics and excerpts of music alone. Imagine how important it would be to replay the complete Opera, using authentic instruments and listen to the verses to be sung again. This is exactly the case with ancient Greek music.

Musical discoveries from ancient Greece, either engraved in stone or written in Egyptian papyrus - already known to classics and some published since the 16th century - have been enriched through today with new discoveries, that allow to have a clear view of this music.
Besides, we always knew - thanks to the musical writings of Alypios, Aristoxenos and Ptolemy - what the musical signs of ancient music mean and how the modal scales of the ancient Greeks work.
The purpose of existence of SYNAYLIA is not the accurate reconstruction of ancient Greek music, because this is not only impossible, but it will probably disorient the listener. It is the presentation of the musical idiom of the ancient Greeks, so that they themselves would accept, assuming that they could hear it. The ancient Greek music, moreover, there has never been something static through the centuries of Greek Antiquity.
The ensemble SYNAVLIA includes in its program, the best preserved ancient Greek musical documents - selections from about 60 which survived even fragmentary - as well as reconstructions of ancient Greek music vocal or instrumental, that is approaches of ancient Greek lyric poetry and ancient Greek drama.
Indeed the words of ancient Greek poems define the rhythm of the new musical composition, based on the alternation of the long and short syllables
In addition to rhythm and melody, musical instruments are also an important tool for the approach of ancient Greek music.

The ancient musical instruments are known from descriptions, paintings and archaeological finds, so knowing both their form and their timbre and extent, we are able to make accurate copies.
In her recordings SYNAVLIA exclusively uses such copies of ancient Greek musical instruments like the lyre, barbitos, guitar and various kinds of flutes.
It is obvious, that the ancient Greek music, although ancestor of the West, has more in common with the music cultures of the Middle East or India. The techniques of handling the lyre are similar to the techniques we encounter in the peoples of Africa and these of the ancient Greek aulos with the techniques found in Sardinia or in Asia.
SYNAVLIA proposes to modern man the sound of ancient Greek music.