The Greek Gods Must Have Loved Simplistic Singing
Fragment of Oxyrynchus hymn, Wikipedia
The ancient Greeks were primitive about
Their choral music. It was like a grade
School choir in unison, with notes devout
In worship of Apollo. One lyre played—
Or aulos with its two tubes and its reeds.
The melodies were more just tunes or chants
For Christian monks. The singing grew mere weeds
Before the best of horticulture, plants
With simple blooms, and negligible fruit.
For ancient Greeks what made their musicgreat
Was that it rhymed with patterns in the route
Of lengths of syllables—syllablic weight,
Ho hum. It seems too kiddy-like, too plain,
Since harmony had not begun its reign.