Aulos: Difference between revisions

<div class="center">[[Launeddas]]{{·}}[[Sorna]]{{·}}[[Rhaita]]{{·}}[[Suona]]<br />[[Sopila]]{{·}}[[Shawm]]{{·}}[[Zampogna]]{{·}}[[Tsampouna]]{{·}}[[Tulum (bagpipe)|Tulum]]{{·}}[[Zurna]]</div>

An '''''aulos''''' (plural '''''auloi''''';<ref>{{langCite MW|aulos|accessdate=2024-07-02}}</ref> {{langx|grc|αὐλός}}, plural {{lang|grc|αὐλοί}}, ''auloi''<ref>[https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0057%3Aentry%3Dau%29lo%2Fs αὐλός], Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, ''A Greek-English Lexicon'', on Perseus</ref>) or '''''tibia''''' ([[Latin]]) was a [[wind instrument]] in [[Music of ancient Greece| ancient Greece]], often depicted in [[Ancient Greek art| art]] and also attested by [[classical archaeology| archaeology]].

Though the word ''aulos'' is often translated as "flute" or as "[[double flute]]", the instrument was usually double-reeded, and its sound—described as "penetrating, insisting and exciting"<ref>The History of Musical Instruments, Curt Sachs, 1940</ref>—was more akin to that of themodern woodwind instruments such as [[Oboe|oboes]] or [[bagpipes]], with a [[chanter]] and (modulated) [[Drone (music) |drone]].<ref>The History of Musical Instruments, Curt Sachs, 1940</ref><ref>Arosemena-Ott, G. W. (2019). The aulos and tibia: Variation across the Ancient Mediterranean’s principal woodwind. ''Conservatory Students Academic Work.'' [https://spiral.lynn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1001&context=conservatory_studentpubs]</ref>

There were several kinds of ''aulos'', single or double. The most common variety was a reed instrument.<ref name="Howard" /> Archeological finds, surviving iconography and other evidence indicate that it was [[double-reed]]ed, like the modern [[oboe]], but with a larger mouthpiece, like the surviving [[Armenia]]n [[duduk]].<ref name="West">{{cite book |last= West |first= Martin L. |title=Ancient Greek Music |publisher= [[Clarendon Press]] |quote="The single reed or clarinet mouthpiece was known to other ancient peoples, and I should not venture to assert that it was not known to the Greeks. But the evidence of both art and literature indicates that it was the double reed that was standard in the Classical period. Under the Hornbostel-Sachs system, therefore, the aulos should be classified as an oboe. It must be admitted that 'oboe-girl' is less evocative than the 'flute-girl' to which classicists have been accustomed, and that when it is a question of translating Greek poetry 'oboe' is likely to sound odd. For the latter case I favor 'pipe' or 'shawm.'" |date=January 1992 |isbn= 0-19-814975-1 |page=84 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=So-Qpz6WDS4C&pg=PA84 }}</ref> A single pipe without a [[Reed (instrument)|reed]] was called the ''monaulos'' ([[wikt:μόναυλος|μόναυλος]], from μόνος "single").<ref name="Howard">{{cite journal|last=Howard|first=Albert A.|year=1893|title=The Αὐλός or Tibia|journal=Harvard Studies in Classical Philology|publisher=Department of the Classics, Harvard University|volume=4|pages=1–60|doi=10.2307/310399|jstor=310399}}<!--| access-date = 2006-08-16 --></ref> A single pipe held horizontally, as the modern flute, was the ''plagiaulos'' (πλαγίαυλος, from πλάγιος "sideways").<ref name="Howard"/> A pipe with a bag to allow for continuous sound, that is (a [[bagpipe]],) was the ''askaulos'' (ἀσκαυλός from ἀσκός ''askos'' "[[wineskin]]").<ref name="google15">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DOfuAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA15|title=The story of the bagpipe|first=William Henry Grattan|last=Flood|publisher=Рипол Классик|isbn=9781176344228|access-date=21 April 2021|via=Google Books}}</ref>

Like the [[Great Highland Bagpipe]], the ''aulos'' has been used for [[Military band|martial music]], but it is more frequently depicted in other social settings.<ref>Herodotus, ''The Histories'', [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Hdt.+1.17.1&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0126 1.17.1], on Perseus</ref> but it is more frequently depicted in other social settings. Note that aA normal flute (as per the translation of ''aulos'', flute having the connotation of a rather delicate sound.) would produce insufficient volume to be of any use in military application, where a [[double-reed]] could be heard over larger distances, and over the clamour of marching whilst wearing armour. It was the standard accompaniment of the passionate [[elegiac couplet#Greek origins|elegiac poetry]]. It also accompanied physical activities such as wrestling matches, the broad jump, the discus throw and to mark the rowing cadence on [[trireme]]s, as well as sacrifices and dramas.<ref name="West" /> [[Plato]] associates it with the ecstatic cults of [[Dionysus]] and the [[Korybantes]], banning it from his ''[[Republic (Plato)|Republic]]''<ref>''Rep'' 399d</ref> but permitting it in his ''[[Laws (dialogue)|Laws]]''.

Players of the Aulosaulos used a tool known as the ''Phorbeia'' or the ''Capistrum''. It was a device that consisted of two straps. One was placed on top of the head and another was placed on the back of the head and stretched from ear to ear to support the cheeks.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Moore |first=Timothy J. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tzyVADDprSUC |title=Music in Roman Comedy |date=2012-04-19 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-1-107-00648-5 |pages=44 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Bundrick |first=Sheramy |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KgSuo-A3cO8C |title=Music and Image in Classical Athens |date=2005-10-17 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |page=35 |isbn=978-0-521-84806-0 |language=en}}</ref> It was used by ancient musicians to play the aulos by allowing them to create noise through circular breathing and steady the instrument.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Hanson |first=Victor Davis |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=z2WIAgAAQBAJ |title=Hoplites: The Classical Greek Battle Experience |date=2002-11-01 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-134-96190-0 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last1=Murray |first1=Penelope |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tC79KhiftxMC |title=Music and the Muses: The Culture of 'mousikē' in the Classical Athenian City |last2=Wilson |first2=Peter |date=2004 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-924239-9 |page=201 |language=en}}</ref> It may have also been used to prevent the reeds of the instrument from falling down the throat of the player.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Montagu |first=Jeremy |page=75 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=l1ztKVmMbSsC |title=Origins and Development of Musical Instruments |date=2007-10-29 |publisher=Scarecrow Press |isbn=978-0-8108-7770-2 |language=en}}</ref> Another potential use for the ''phrobeia'' was holding the [[Lip|lips]] in place, taking some strain off of the lip muscles.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Landels |first=John G. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7u6FAgAAQBAJ |title=Music in Ancient Greece and Rome |date=2002-01-31 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-134-70486-6 |language=en}}</ref>[[File:Britannica Aulos Plagiaulos.jpg|thumb|Drawing of a ''plagiaulos''.]]

King [[Midas]] was cursed with donkey's ears for judging Apollo as the lesser player. Marsyas's blood and the tears of the Muses formed the river Marsyas in Asia Minor.<ref name=goldhill>{{cite book|editor=Simon Goldhill |editor2=Ron Osborne|title=Performance Culture and Athenian Democracy|publisher=Cambridge University Press|location=Cambridge|year=2004}}</ref>

The battle scene on the [[Chigi vase]] shows an aulos player setting a lyrical rhythm for the [[hoplite]] [[phalanx]] to advance to. This accompaniment reduced the possibility of an opening in the formation of the blockage; the aulete had a fundamental role in insuringensuring the integrity of the phalanx. In this particular scene, the phalanx approaching from the left is unprepared and momentarily outnumbered four to five. More soldiers can be seen running up to assist them from behind. Even though the front four are lacking a fifth soldier, they have the advantage because the aulete is there to bring the formation back together.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Hurwit|first=Jeffrey M.|title=Reading the Chigi Vase|journal=Hesperia: The Journal of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens|volume=71|issue=1|year=2002|pages=1–22|doi=10.2972/hesp.2002.71.1.1|jstor=3182058|s2cid=190736363}}</ref>

The sounds of the aulos are being digitally recreated by the Ancient Instruments Sound/Timbre Reconstruction Application (ASTRA) project which uses [[physical modeling synthesis]] to simulate the aulos sounds. Due to the complexity of this process the ASTRA project uses grid computing to model sounds on hundreds of computers throughout Europe simultaneously.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.astraproject.org/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150627231112/http://www.astraproject.org/index.html|url-status=deadusurped|archive-date=27 June 2015|title=The ASTRA Project website|date=27 June 2015|access-date=21 April 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.isgtw.org/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905091435/http://www.isgtw.org/|url-status=dead|archive-date=5 September 2015|title=iSGTW {{pipe}} iSGTW|date=5 September 2015|access-date=21 April 2021}}</ref>

Modern evolutions of the aulos exist in [[Southeastern Europe]]. In southern [[Albania]], specifically, a double non-free [[aerophone]] resembling the aulos – called the cula diare or longari – is still played in the [[Labëria]] region to accompany [[Albanian iso-polyphony]].<ref>Eno Koço, [https://books.google.com/books?id=zoPI3exolloC&dq=cyla+dyjare&pg=PA112 "Vocal Iso(n)"], Art and Humanities Research Council (British Research Council), July 2012</ref> These instruments are [[woodwind]] andbut not double-reeded like the aulos of antiquity.