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THE PHILOSOPHERS. |
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were, however, also chanted by his followers, and were adapted to various occasions, as for example, at the opening of Spring, the scholars would gather in a circle around the harper, who played the accompaniment, and sing paeans of welcome to the opening season. Other philsophers also allowed music to enter into their teachings, though not to so great a degree, but almost all of .hem understood enough of music to form an opinion.
Plato seemed decidedly to object to instrumental music, for he says " the using of instruments without the voice is barbarism and charlatanry.''*
Aristotle was disposed to allow more freedom, for he spoke of music as a delicious pleasure, either alone (instrumental) or accompanied with voice; but in instrumental solos he admitted the lyre and kithara only, and rejected the flute, which he thought not to be a moral instrument, and only capable of inflaming the passions.
The philosophers as a class were really not very advantageous to musical progress, for they fought tooth and nail for the old school of music.
They sought only moral effects by the means of great simplicity, and any intricate innovations displeased them; but in spite of their resistance the art began to improve.
The Skolion, or banquet song had a great influence on the music of Athens. At the banquet, or s}Tmposium, the harp was passed from hand to hand, and each person who made any pretence to education or good breeding waa
* Legum II. |
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