Ancient Greek Tortoise Shell Lyre - Spontaneous Improvisation Creation!
34Another completely, on the spot, unrehearsed, spontaneous improvisation on my wonderful custom made, replica ancient Greek tortoise shell lyre, handmade in modern Greece by Luthieros:
https://en.luthieros.com/
In this improvisation, I attempt to illustrate just what sort of diverse variations in timbre and texture are possible on a lyre, authentically made with an actual tortoise shell, skin soundboard, gut strings & a carved bone plectrum - anything I can conjure up on this instrument could have been similarly conjured up by any ancient Greek musician with an ounce of timeless musical imagination!
In this particular improvisation, I explore some of the rhythmic possibilities which can be created with the replica ancient Greek carved bone plectrum - ranging from hitting the strings like a hammered dulcimer, to tapping rhythm with the edge of the plectrum on the body of the lyre; rather like innovative acoustic guitarists sometimes do in the present day.
The improvisation is in the poignant ancient Greek Phrygian Mode - misnamed the 'Dorian' mode in the Middle Ages, this mode is the equivalent intervals of D-D on the white notes of the piano:
http://ancientlyre.com/blogs/composing_new_music_in_the_original_ancient_greek_modes/
Please note - no tortoises were harmed in the creation of this lyre! The shell was locally sourced, lying discarded by the already long deceased Greek land tortoise - for their regular commercial models, Luthieros actually use 3D scanning technology to make an exact acoustic replica in epoxy resin of one of these naturally occurring shells they find in the forests near Thessaloniki.
Support:
https://www.patreon.com/Michael_Levy_Ancient_Lyre_Music
Subscribe:
http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=Klezfiddle1
Official Artist Links:
Official Website:
http://www.ancientlyre.com/
Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/beautifullyre
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/AncientLyre
iTunes:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/michael-levy/id4324920
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7Dx2vFEg8DmOJ5YCRm4A5v
Amazon:
http://amzn.to/2zmJph3
Bandcamp:
https://michaellevy.bandcamp.com/
CD Baby:
http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/MichaelLevy
Support:
https://www.patreon.com/Michael_Levy_Ancient_Lyre_Music
Subscribe:
http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=Klezfiddle1
Official Artist Links:
Official Website:
http://www.ancientlyre.com/
Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/beautifullyre
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/AncientLyre
iTunes:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/michael-levy/id4324920
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7Dx2vFEg8DmOJ5YCRm4A5v
Amazon:
http://amzn.to/2zmJph3
Bandcamp:
https://michaellevy.bandcamp.com/
CD Baby:
http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/MichaelLevy