We have absolutely no idea of what Kemetian music might have sounded like not really what the Kemetian language might have been like. Despite these flaws,we know some instruments used by rural muscains in Egyt survive. Some like the Zaghoul,Zummra,and some lutes used are very much like the those depicted on the walls of various mastaba tombs.
According to Manniche in here book,she records local wedding ceremonies held by rural Egyptians reseble that of the tombs. She relates also about how tamborines are used in these celebrations,and later relates how Nubians use both tamborine in relgious and secular music.

To get a good glimpse what Kemetian music sounded like then we might just have to explore the rural Fellahin and the Nubians. The call and responce style singing is much like it always was.

The following instruments existed in Kemetian music:
1. The Zaghoul[type of Egyptian bagpipes]

2. zummra[also called the Nay] still survives in modern Kmt

3. lute[possibly came from foreigners]

4.lyre[possibly came from bedouins in Egypt]

5.arched harp is indigenous,but angular might have some from foreigners

6. end blown flute[still survives in other regions of Northern Africa]
7.barrel drum[author Lise Manniche says this was introduced by Nubians,and that it was only used for millitary] I am sure Kemetians used it for other activites,for the modern balady often use it for spirtual purposes

8. oboe[introduced into Egypt in the 18th dyansty]
Besides this,the music was very rhytumic that included hand clapping and clappers for percussion. Instruments like the sistrum seems to only have served relgious purposes.

The book goes further to indicate that sometimes glyphs of people making hand gestures would stand infront of the muscian and direct the muscian. Book is not really specific on what the purpose of these people are. Perhaps Dr. Alsaadawi may help me with the translation of these people.

Some questions for Dr. Alsaadawi?

Did the Kemetians have a notation system for music? If so,then was it based off the Mdu ntr[hieroglypics] Do any of these music forms survive in modern Egyptian music or in other parts of the world?

This hasn't changed one bit. The drums provide the base. WPut someone who knows how to use them with some tamborines in the mix, and you got a party. You'd know better than me what the Fellahin music sounds like, but I'm sure if not too much has changed, when it's time to party, they know how to get down. This is no different than the music you'd hear in some modern chruches around the world.

My guess is that a festival would've looked something like the scene before Eddie Murphy was to get married in Coming to America, if you've seen that movie. I once saw a Haitian church do a performance at a competition. But they were very rural. They didn't look Western at all. They were dressed like something straight out of Africa. When they came out, they we all making these cricket like sounds, something like "ki ki ki ki ki!!!" Theywere flipping and dressed in these colorful outfits. It was unlike anything I'd ever seen. But it did reming me of some scenes from AE:
http://www.umich.edu/~kelseydb/Exhibits/MIRE/Introduction/AncientEgypt/AncientEgypt.html

Ausar responds: Only a few instruments like the oboe and mizmar have changed in Sa3eadi music. However,instruments like the zummra and nay still survive amung the rural Egyptians.

For a good description of Fellahin music check out the following:

Luxor to Isna
Musicians Of The Nile

Music of Egypt: Upper & Lower [LIVE]
The World (Rykodisc/Mickey Hart Series)

Ensemble Mizmar Baladi Musicians Of The Nile > (Audio CD)

page 28

Egyptian clarinet today exists in two veisons:the zummara,which has its vibrating reed cut from the lower end of the mouthpiece ,and the mashura with the reed cut from the upper end.

page 29

Music and Musicians in Ancient Egypt
Lise Manniche
ISBN 0-486-27171-4

Here is some information on instruments that survive in modern Egypt from antiquity.

>>We have absolutely no idea of what Kemetian music might have sounded like not really what the Kemetian language might have been like. Despite these flaws, we know some instruments used by rural muscains in Egypt survive <<

No, we know **exactly** how the Ancient Egyptian music sounded, exactly like we know how the spoken Egyptian sounded. If some people insist to cast their distorted ideas and deficient information about the Ancient Egyptians then it's their own problem because the modern Egyptians are awakening now and started to realize what's really going on!

Wonderfully you answered this question yourself when you said:

>>To get a good glimpse what Kemetian music sounded like then we might just have to explore the rural Fellahin and the Nubians. The call and response style singing is much like it always was<<

This is true. None of the popular songs like in celebrations of wedding, new-born babies, mulids, children games, festivals, feasts, dancing parties, etc has changed. You can listen to the Egyptian popular songs gathered in the 1960's by "riDa band for the Egyptian folklore arts" then you'll listen to some of the real Ancient Egyptian music.

>>Some questions for Dr. Alsaadawi? Did the Kemetians have a notation system for music? If so, then was it based off the Mdu ntr [hieroglypics] Do any of these music forms survive in modern Egyptian music or in other parts of the world?<<

Yes, they had their own notation system for music, either tonally or mathematically. In fact the famous **do-re-mi-fa-so-la-si** is pure Ancient Egyptian (like the English alphabets) and every tone is represented by one bilateral phonetic Hieroglyph.

Also try to track the expressions that include the harp-sign [Y7] and you'll discover wonders!

Kem-Au said:

>>I think one thing is clear, that AE are not really gone, and if they're not gone, their music probably isn't either<<

Yes, this is a good sound of wisdom that comes from a knowledgeable man.

Thanks

Alsaadawi 4

quote:

---

Originally posted by neo*geo:
bump++

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by ausar:
No,website for ancient Egypt,but you can listen to samples of modern rural folkloric music on amazon.com. I believe also there is a cd there that was done by a scholar to reconstruct ancient Egyptian music.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Kem-Au:
There is no need for a scholar to recreate AE music. Just listen to the music of the rural Egyptians.

---

I agree but I also think that Lower Nubians might have a more similar music to AE because of less outside influences and the closeness and continuity of the nile valley civilization. The Coptic population is probably a good source too as the article says. But in order to get a good understanding of many issues of AE you have to examine the other african countries that surrounded AE. The keys to AE lies deep in Africa like so many recent facts and research has shown.

By the way, do any of you guys realize how some schools of thought try to relate and define Africa by the "middle east". I have this friend who tried to tell me that a particular noise "middle easterners" (Particularly Syrians and Lebonese) make with their tongue is middle eastern. I forgot the term for the sound but its common in many african populations.