Bamboozle

I was wondering about the musical history of the Eastern Roman Empire. Were there bards or troubadours? What were famous songs, if any still survive? How much of this musical heritage is evident in Greece or Turkey, or other territories Byzantium ruled?

Zenon

Bamboozle try to listen to Greek Orthodox Church Hymns, this is Byzantine Music and remains unaltered up until today.

Zenon

If you are interested in Byzantium art in general I believe that you should check the interior of a Greek Orthodox Church, all its interior is also based on Byzantine Art.

Check the below link for example:

Bamboozle

It's really unchanged from the music of a thousand years ago? Interesting.

Were there other famous songs that were not of a religious nature?

Zenon

As far as I know no other songs/music survived asides from religious music.

There are people who compose modern music based on the Byzantine Music Notation however.

A modern greek artist that supposedly uses Byzantine like instruments and possibly byzantine notation is Xylouris. I might be wrong however.


Maybe someone with more expertise in this field can help us out.

Kirialax

A group known as Cappella Romana sings surviving examples of Byzantine music. Authenticity seems to be key for them - they list their songs in the CD case by manuscript number!

Zenon

Thank you Kirialax