The Evolution of Music Notation: The Ancients

Ancient Greek Notation - 400 BC

 In ancient times, before a formal system of notation was created, music was transmitted orally, much like the epic poetry of old. Ancient civilizations, such as th those in Egypt, India, and Mesopotamia, had highly sophisticated musical cultures, relying on this method of memory and aural tradition.

However, of the eastern Mediterranean cultures, it was undoubtedly the ancient Greeks who created the most direct link with the musical development of western Europe by way of the Romans, who adopted much of Greek culture.

In ancient Greece, music was considered an art as well as a science. In the 6 century BC, the Greeks developed a form of notation using alphabetic symbols placed above text to indicate pitch. This was called the “Greater Perfect System". This system allowed melodies to be preserved. It can be seen through the works of philosophers like Pythagoras, who explored the mathematical basis of musical intervals, Aristoxenus, and Ptolemy.

This clay tablet from 1400 BC is inscribed with the Hurrian Hymn to Nikkal. It was excavated from the ancient city of Ugarit (in modern-day Syria) and is the oldest known substantially complete piece of notated music in human history. It is written in cuneiform and is composed in the Hurrian language.