Re[2]: Ancient notation?

[richard_wolpoe <richard_wolpoe...>]

Does any of this relate to the "trop" notation?

Rich Wolpoe


______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Re: Ancient notation? 
Author:  <jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org > at Tcpgate
Date:    3/15/98 5:48 PM


There is an old system of numic notation used in southeastern Europe.  I've 
seen it, but don't know it.  The shape of the melody is described by a 
series of squiggles resembling Arabic calligraphy.  There is no absolute 
tonal reference, so the same marks can be used in any key.  The numes tell 
you where the music goes, but not where it is.  They refer only to where you 
were before, and if you lose your place, all you can do is go back to the 
beginning and retrace your path.  The system seems similar to Torah trope,
but I'll leave that matter to someone else on the list who knows more about it.

Apropos of the model of music as pathway, the Greeks call their melodic 
modes "dhromi," or "roads."

OBD

At 03:55 PM 3/15/98 EST, you wrote:
>Given the enormous antiquity of Jewish music, it occurs to me that there may 
>be (or may have been) a writen version of tone/tune recording antedating the 
>modern staff convention that began to emerge, I suppose, around the Dark Ages. 
>Does anyone know?
>
>Stan Thompson
>
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