DRAMATIC ARIA

MS 2260
MS Short Title DRAMATIC ARIA
Text DRAMATIC ARIA, PROBABLY FROM A LOST TRAGEDY, SET TO MUSIC
Description MS in Greek on papyrus, Egypt, ca. 300, 1 fragment from a scroll, 6x3 cm, part of 1 column, 3 lines in Greek semi-cursive book script, above the text 4 lines in Greek vocal musical notation in the diatonic Hyperionian scale, including the diseme, stigme and hyphen.
Binding London, 1996-2000, black folding case, together with MSS 2261-2264.
Context Only 35 Greek papyri bearing texts with musical notation are known. All except the present papyrus are in public collections, extending from ca. 250 BC to ca. 300 AD. One of these, from the 1st-2nd c., is in Oslo, University Library, P.Osl.inv.no. 1413.
Provenance 1. Professional musician, Egypt (ca. 300); 2. Mohammed Sha'ar, Cairo (1920'es); 3. Issa Marogi Collection, Jerusalem (ca. 1955-1984); 4. Heirs of Marogi family, Bank Collection (1984-1996); 5. Sam Fogg, London, Dec. 1996.
Commentary The preserved notes extend over the range of an octave, and would suit a tenor voice. The ability to read the musical notation was, we assume, largely limited to professional musicians. The 35 existing papyri were prepared by and for them. The notation fell out of general use in the 4th c. About 600 years older than any other musical MS in private hands, cf. MS 96, Antiphonal leaf, France, 9th c., one of the 3 dozens earliest European music MSS on vellum. The above information kindly supplied by Dr. Martin L. West, All Souls College, Oxford.
Published E. Pöhlman and M.L. West: Documents of Ancient Greek Music, Oxford 2001, p. 195, no. 60. Papyrologica Florentina, vol. XXXV. Rosario Pintaudi: Papyri Graecae Schøyen. Firenze, Edizioni Gonnelli, 2005 (Manuscripts in The Schøyen Collection V: Greek papyri, vol. I), p. 35.
Exhibited
Mentioned
Boxing
Colophon
See also
Place of origin Egypt
Dates ca 300