Actual Greek/Roman/Egyptian/Ancient World music

[Greylock]

I think that album is the same as this one on Amazon:

Amazon.com: Musique de la Grece Antique: Greek Anonymous, Gregorio Paniagua, Madrid Atrium Musicae: Music

Yep. Same album. Should've checked there first.

Thanks for the album leads! It's exactly the sort of thing I was looking for.

I don't know as I'd play this stuff at the next party I throw, but it's definitely evocative and doesn't remind me of Hollywood movies. I get sick and tired of people suggesting the 300 soundtrack for a Greek-style setting. This Musique de la Grece Antique is really cool--it'll be nice to have something exotic to play for the temples and agora of the setting.

You are welcome! But when you get it, make sure you watch the volume, as there are parts where you can blow out your speakers. Seriously. [Unless they've edited the album in the last 20 years.]

 

[johnmarron]

My limited experience with actual ancient music confirms Greylock's description. I picked up an album called [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Synaulia-Music-Ancient-Rome-Instruments/dp/B00000DMKM/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1222448119&sr=8-4"]Synaulia[/ame] of ancient Roman music for a game set in Rome, and it is practically impossible to sit through.

For my own ancient games I use the Rome and Gladiator soundtracks, along with sort of Dead Can Dance knock-off groups (and I say that with much affection) like [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Feast-Silence-Vas/dp/B00020HDJO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1222448301&sr=1-1"]Vas[/ame], [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Serpent-Rouge-Arcana/dp/B0009PLMCG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1222448325&sr=1-2"]Arcana[/ame], [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Seven-Valleys-Stellamara/dp/B000AE8G8Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1222448407&sr=1-1"]Stellamara[/ame], [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Ishati-Rajna/dp/B00005BGUE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1222448483&sr=1-1"]Rajna[/ame], and [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Mirror-Pool-Lisa-Gerrard/dp/B000002MYI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1222448511&sr=1-1"]Lisa Gerard[/ame] solo albums.

John

 

[Minicol]

I have a few suggestions :

Synaulia - an italian group trying to revive the roman music.
There's a group called ensemble Kerylos as well which does ancient greek music.

Good to see a fellow DM-bard.

If you want to go to for the mystery/mystic music, however, nothings beats Dead can dance for me.

Are you interested in medieval music ? There is plenty more to choose from there.

DAMN : john marron ninjaed me

 

[Inferno!]

For middle eastern/biblical flavor, Peter Gabriel's [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Passion/dp/B000W1W8X4/ref=sr_f3_1?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1222456681&sr=103-1"]Passion[/ame] is very good. It is a soundtrack (for the Last Temptation of Christ), but the movie is 20 years old and doesn't seem to have been overdone like gladiator, 300, etc.

BTW, if you are familiar with Peter Gabriel's other work, this is completely different. Its nearly all instrumental with traditional middle eastern instruments and occasional singing on a few tracks.

 

[Kishin]

Thunderfoot nailed it pretty well, as did a couple other posters. Real Ancient World music is very grating on the modern ear, as we're accustomed to an entirely different structure and method of tonal organization. The stuff Thunderfoot linked actually gives me a headache after awhile, and you're talking to a guy who used to write essays in college while listening to Emperor's In the Nightside Eclipse.

Also, be aware in your search for authentic stuff that a lot of transcriptions and reproductions of these ancient melodies will sound very little they actually *would* have sounded, as they are extrapolated from relativistic forms of notation that are very abstract in comparison to standard.

That said, the Musique de la Grece Antique CD linked in the thread is actually fairly listenable.