Synaulia - Music from Ancient Rome Vol. 1. Wind Instruments (1996)

1. Pavor	2:38
2. Anima Vagul	2:34
3. Etruria	2:01
4. Baccus	2:29
5. Magna Mater	2:30
6. Mare nostrum	2:43
7. Imperium	3:34	                  play
8. Diana	1:06
9. Arena	1:22
10. Lares	2:09
11. Acutus	1:25
12. Pastorale	1:27	
13. Tibiae Impares	1:45	
14. Pompei	3:11	
15. Aetherius	3:14
16. Venus	4:24
17. Isis	3:13	                  play
18. Fortuna	1:08
19. Oraculum	2:47	
20. Tibia Duplex	2:23
21. Tympanum	3:31
22. Ludi Inter Pana Atque Nymphas	1:56	
23. Neniae	2:52	
24. Juppiter	1:45	
25. Salii	1:06

Synaulia:
 Athon Veggi, Caterina Welffens, Cristina Majnero, Elvira Impagnatiello, Gaetano Delfini, Luce Maioli,
 Natalia Van Ravenstein, Renata Chiesa, Roberto Stanco, Romeo Mangino, Wjnand Simons
Performer, Research, Text By – Walter Maioli

Synaulia is a team of musicians, archeologists, paleorganologists and choreographers dedicated to the application of their historical research to ancient music and dance, in particular to the ancient Etruscan and Roman periods. The name comes from the Greek synaulia, which in ancient Rome referred to a group of instruments consisting mainly of wind instruments.

This is CD-hypothesis. You would hear the modern "newly imagined" music written mainly by Walter Maioli for Ancient Roman instruments. You would hear the sounds of the antique music, not the music from the Roman sources itself. And the music performed by Syanaulia on this CD is very lively, interesting, theatrical, visible, so you would start to believe that this music is really authentic. It would help you to understand the spirit of the Pax Romana (Peaceful Universe of the Roman Empire). Beautiful booklet with the colour illustrations is included with this CD. So as a modern art form this record is very impressive. Well, it is a kind of fantasy music, but it gives you 3D vision of Roman Empire. Second CD by Synaulia with the music for strings is less interesting - this record sounds more fresh and emotional. But it wouldn`t satisfy your hunger for the real music of the Antiquity. I highly recommend you CDs by ENSEMBLE DE ORGANOGRAPHIA "Music of the Ancient Greeks", "Music of the Ancient Sumerians, Egyptians and Greeks"!!!

Also try other CD with modern "newly imagined" music in Ancient Greek style -"Melpomen" by Conrad Steinmann and Schola Cantorum Basilensis. Try also European CDs with the music from the Greek and Roman sources (I think that Ensemble De Organographia - the best performers of this music, but to compare different approaches to Antique music is also very interesting): Ensemble Kerylos and Annie Belis "Ancient Greek Music" (label K 617); Musica Romana "Mesomedes" (maxi-single with the music by Mesomedes of Crete) and "Symphonia Panica" (label Emmuty Records; these CDs available only directly from this label). ---Sergey Lenkov

This CD is a wonderful collection of music for wind instruments from ancient Rome's imperial period played on accurate replicas of various Roman instruments. This is a great buy for anyone interested in ancient music or the study of ancient Rome. There are unfortunately few direct sources on the composition of Roman music. Most of the work in this CD is a recreation of what the music would have sounded like based on the range of the instruments, various classical sources, and anthropological studies of present Mediterranean cultures. I strongly disagree with a previous reviewer's giving of a low rating on the basis that the music is not the direct product of Roman sheet music. Although there may be certain inaccuracies in the recomposition of such music, the number of different scholars who participated in producing this work from various disciplines probably makes such inaccuracies rather slim. Furthermore, since there is no direct source for such music nor is it likely that we will ever uncover any, it's better to have this than nothing at all. The music is primarily brass and percussion but it also has string accompaniments for certain pieces. The music is charming and makes one feel as if they are reclining on their sofas, eating dates, and drinking wine in praise of Baccus. The package makes this CD worth every penny as it has a very detailed synopsis of all the instruments, the works themselves, and the work that was involved in this music: the pamphlet is also filled with photographs and drawings of the instruments as well as various Roman frescoes from Pompey depicting Roman social life and the instruments in question. This is a great contribution to the study of antiquity and a valuable tool for teachers of ancient music, antiquity, or anthropology. This also a great buy for anyone who has broad interests in music and its development. For what you get with this CD it's a steal. ---Octavius

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