The Origins of Musicology: The Ancient World and Antiquity

Abstract

The initial grounds of knowledge about music appeared virtually at the same time as it
emerged as an art, i.e. tens of thousands of years ago. The earliest testimonies to this could be found
in the mythological perceptions of various peoples, which has been realized most perceptively and
diversely in the Greek myths. The primal elements of music theory were generated in the ancient
hearths of civilization. Some of the outlooks widespread in the ancient world appeared in the
cultures of Egypt and Mesopotamia. The Ancient Jewish artistic practice has also created its impact
on the musicians of antiquity. The peoples of India and China also forged their own paths. Ancient
Greek, as well as Ancient Middle Eastern musical knowledge was characterized by a syncretic
connection of musical perceptions combined with scientific and philosophical systems, in what
connection the musical perceptions of the ancient civilizations were frequently endowed with a
cosmological character. Since the music of the ancient peoples was predominantly monophonic
and, consequently, presented a culture of a monodic type, the theory of music in its entirety turned
out to be essentially a teaching about melody. Musical aesthetics absorbed into itself an extremely
broad circle of questions concerning the examined period, whereas the ethos of ancient peoples by
its practical sides was aimed at the goals of musical upbringing.

Keywords: music in mythological perceptions, connection with scholarly-philosophical systems,
teaching about melody, goals of musical education