MUSICVIM: Musical Instruments as Conveyor of Visual Messages. The case of Ancient Near Eastern Lutes

Description du projet

Écouter l’héritage des luths mésopotamiens

Alors que les instruments électroniques et numériques dominent de plus en plus la musique, le rôle des instruments acoustiques traditionnels est souvent négligé. Soutenu par le programme Actions Marie Skłodowska-Curie, le projet MUSICVIM cherche à remettre en cause cette tendance, en soulignant que ces instruments font appel à différents sens au-delà de l’ouïe. En se concentrant sur les luths du Proche-Orient ancien, en particulier la tigidla de Mésopotamie, le projet examine l’importance culturelle et acoustique de l’utilisation de cuir teinté en noir pour leurs résonateurs. En créant des répliques avec différents types de cuir et en analysant leur son, le projet explore l’impact socioculturel et acoustique de ces matériaux. Combinant des compétences en philologie, ethnomusicologie, archéologie expérimentale et acoustique, MUSICVIM apporte un éclairage sur les traditions musicales anciennes et la valeur de l’artisanat durable dans le monde d’aujourd’hui.

Objectif

At a time when electronic and digital musical instruments are increasingly replacing acoustic musical instruments, this project will show that acoustic instruments are complex objects that have historically appealed to multiple senses beyond hearing, suggesting that they cannot easily be excluded from performance. The case of Ancient Near Eastern lutes will be used to explore this idea. While modern long-necked lutes have a resonator covered with rawhide, the cuneiform texts from the 'Craft Archive' in the Mesopotamian city of Isin during the second millennium BCE specifically describe the use of black-dyed leather to make the cover for the resonator of a tigidla ('lute' in Sumerian). This project will explore the acoustic and socio-cultural implications of this particular fabrication by combining ANE Philological & Material Studies, Ethnomusicology, Experimental Archaeology, and Acoustics, and by bringing together academic and non-academic expertise (tanners, dyers, and instrument makers). Four tigidla replicas with covers of rawhide, black-dyed rawhide, undyed leather, black-dyed leather will be made using the extant ANE evidence. The sound of these replicas will be analysed by considering different textures, playing techniques, and recording spaces. The information from these recordings will be finally used to shed new light on many aspects of musical traditions and societies in the ANE region and beyond. This project will scientifically impact the fields of Musicology, most notably Sound Archaeology, and ANE Studies on economy, society, music, and colour. The value of traditional tanning, dyeing, and instrument-making will also be highlighted. They currently lack guaranteed generational handover but can contribute to the climate emergency, since they use eco-friendly products. Under the guidance of leading sound archaeology expert Rupert Till, the experienced researcher will be trained in tanning, dyeing, instrument making, and sound recording and analysis.