Chapter 1: Music in Ancient Greece and Early Christian Rome

MULTIPLE CHOICE

	1.	Why, throughout history, do scholars know more about the music-making activities of elite members of any given society than of others in that society?
a.	The elite suppressed information about music-making in lower socioeconomic groups.	
b.	Music-making activities of the elite are probably representative of the society as a whole.	
c.	Music of the elite constitutes most of what survives in written form.	
d.	People of lower social status did not make music.	
e.	The music of lower socioeconomic groups is not interesting.	

ANS:	C	DIF:	Medium	REF:	3	
TOP:	The Ancient and Medieval Worlds	MSC:	Conceptual

	2.	Monastic communities followed rituals and practices known as the Rule of
a.	Muhammad.	d.	Saint Benedict.	
b.	Pope Gregory.	e.	Saint Thomas Aquinas.	
c.	Saint Augustine.	

ANS:	D	DIF:	Medium	REF:	6	
TOP:	Overview of the Early Middle Ages			MSC:	Factual

	3.	The Byzantine Empire corresponds roughly to this modern region.
a.	Germany, France, Italy, and England	
b.	Greece, Turkey, and Eastern Europe	
c.	Iran, Iraq, and Pakistan	
d.	Israel, Lebanon, Egypt, and North Africa	
e.	Spain and Portugal	

ANS:	B	DIF:	Easy	REF:	8	
TOP:	Overview of the Early Middle Ages			MSC:	Factual

	4.	Charlemagne was a
a.	Holy Roman emperor.	d.	pope.	
b.	king of Spain.	e.	Roman emperor.	
c.	monk.	

ANS:	A	DIF:	Easy	REF:	8	
TOP:	Overview of the Early Middle Ages			MSC:	Factual

	5.	From about 1050 to about 1300, Europe experienced
a.	aggregation of wealth among the nobility.	
b.	economic, educational, and artistic growth.	
c.	invasions by the Arabs.	
d.	population decline due to disease and famine.	
e.	territorial expansion.	

ANS:	B	DIF:	Medium	REF:	10-11	
TOP:	Learning and the Arts, 1050-1300	MSC:	Conceptual

	6.	Broadly speaking, the fourteenth century is characterized by
a.	economic prosperity.	
b.	interest in the natural world and human nature.	
c.	political consolidation.	
d.	religious reform.	
e.	scholasticism as a form of critical thinking.	

ANS:	B	DIF:	Medium	REF:	14	
TOP:	Overview of the Fourteenth Century			MSC:	Conceptual

	7.	The history of Western music can be traced primarily to
a.	Africa.	d.	Greece.	
b.	China.	e.	India.	
c.	Egypt.	

ANS:	D	DIF:	Easy	REF:	15	TOP:	Prelude
MSC:	Factual

	8.	All of the following types of evidence about musical culture from ancient Greece and Rome survive today except
a.	musical instruments.	d.	visual images of music-making.	
b.	notated music.	e.	writings about music.	
c.	recorded sound.	

ANS:	C	DIF:	Easy	REF:	15	TOP:	Prelude
MSC:	Factual

	9.	The Epitaph of Seikilos is a musical composition from
a.	ancient Babylon.	d.	ancient Rome.	
b.	the Bronze Age.	e.	the Stone Age.	
c.	ancient Greece.	

ANS:	C	DIF:	Medium	REF:	16	
TOP:	Music in Ancient Greek Life and Thought		MSC:	Factual

	10.	In ancient Greek mythology, the lyre was associated with
a.	Apollo.	d.	Homer.	
b.	Aristotle.	e.	Plato.	
c.	Dionysus.	

ANS:	A	DIF:	Medium	REF:	17	
TOP:	A Closer Look: Ancient Greek Music: Kithara and Aulos		
MSC:	Factual

	11.	In this image a woman is playing the

a.	aulos.	d.	lyre.	
b.	bone flute.	e.	panpipes.	
c.	kithara.	

ANS:	A	DIF:	Medium	REF:	17	
TOP:	A Closer Look: Ancient Greek Music: Kithara and Aulos		
MSC:	Applied

	12.	All of the following wrote about Greek music except
a.	Aristides Quintilianus.	d.	Plato.	
b.	Aristotle.	e.	Pythagoras.	
c.	Orpheus.	

ANS:	C	DIF:	Medium	REF:	18	
TOP:	Music in Ancient Greek Life and Thought		MSC:	Factual

	13.	Plato asserted that music was an essential component of education because
a.	music and poetry are inseparable.	
b.	music is enjoyable to listen to.	
c.	musicians were valued in society.	
d.	studying music helps to balance mental and physical activity.	
e.	studying music helps to understand mathematics.	

ANS:	D	DIF:	Medium	REF:	18	
TOP:	Music in Ancient Greek Life and Thought		MSC:	Conceptual

	14.	According to Aristotle, different kinds of melodies could cause the listener to experience
a.	emotions.	d.	physical health.	
b.	hallucinations.	e.	religious epiphanies.	
c.	philosophical thoughts.	

ANS:	A	DIF:	Medium	REF:	18	
TOP:	Music in Ancient Greek Life and Thought		MSC:	Conceptual

	15.	________ discovered the relationship between consonant intervals and mathematical ratios.
a.	Aristotle	d.	Ptolemy	
b.	Aristoxenus	e.	Pythagoras	
c.	Plato	

ANS:	E	DIF:	Medium	REF:	19	
TOP:	Music in Ancient Greek Life and Thought		MSC:	Factual

	16.	Diatonic, chromatic, and enharmonic are three types of
a.	dialects of chant.	d.	modes.	
b.	harmonia.	e.	tetrachords.	
c.	melos.	

ANS:	E	DIF:	Medium	REF:	19	
TOP:	Music in Ancient Greek Life and Thought		MSC:	Factual

	17.	Who is likely to have written this: “It is . . . plain that music has the power of producing certain effects on the ethos of the soul, and if it has the power to do this, it is clear that the young must be directed to music and must be educated in it”?
a.	Aristides Quintilianus	d.	Homer	
b.	Aristotle	e.	Pythagoras	
c.	Aristoxenus	

ANS:	B	DIF:	Medium	REF:	19	
TOP:	Vignette: Aristotle on the Doctrine of Imitation, Ethos, and Music in Education
MSC:	Applied

	18.	The group of influential Christian writers known as the Church Fathers includes all of the following except
a.	Saint Augustine.	d.	Saint John Chrysostom.	
b.	Saint Basil.	e.	Saint Paul.	
c.	Saint Jerome.	

ANS:	E	DIF:	Medium	REF:	20	
TOP:	The Early Christian Church: Musical Thought	MSC:	Factual

	19.	The Church Fathers advocated the singing of psalms because it
a.	distanced Christian worship from pagan rituals.	
b.	made it easier to remember the words.	
c.	provoked devout thoughts and ideas of divine beauty.	
d.	reminded worshippers of Jesus of Nazareth’s Jewish heritage.	
e.	was enjoyable and gave pleasure.	

ANS:	C	DIF:	Hard	REF:	21 | 23	
TOP:	The Early Christian Church: Musical Thought| The Early Christian Church: Musical Practice
MSC:	Applied

	20.	The main practice shared by early Judaism and early Christianity was
a.	the chanting of psalms.	d.	sacrificing a lamb.	
b.	dancing.	e.	the singing of hymns.	
c.	living in monasteries.	

ANS:	A	DIF:	Easy	REF:	23	
TOP:	The Early Christian Church: Musical Practice	MSC:	Applied

	21.	The focal point of the Christian Mass is a symbolic reenactment of
a.	the birth of Christ.	d.	the last supper.	
b.	the choir of Levites singing psalms.	e.	the ritual sacrifice of a lamb.	
c.	the crucifixion of Christ.	

ANS:	D	DIF:	Medium	REF:	23	
TOP:	The Early Christian Church: Musical Practice	MSC:	Factual

	22.	When did the Roman Empire split into the Eastern (Byzantine) Empire, centered in Constantinople, and the Western Empire, centered in Rome and Milan?
a.	70 C.E.	d.	395 C.E.	
b.	313 C.E.	e.	476 C.E.	
c.	392 C.E.	

ANS:	D	DIF:	Hard	REF:	23	
TOP:	The Early Christian Church: Musical Practice	MSC:	Factual

	23.	Beginning in the ninth century, monks and nuns from this region played an essential role in copying the chant melodies associated with Christian worship.
a.	Egypt and Turkey	d.	North Africa	
b.	France and Germany	e.	Spain and Portugal	
c.	Italy and Greece	

ANS:	B	DIF:	Medium	REF:	25	
TOP:	The Early Christian Church: Musical Practice	MSC:	Factual

	24.	The idea that the harmonious relationship of the planets as they revolved around the earth created unheard music is called
a.	harmonic proportions.	d.	perfect melos.	
b.	music of the spheres.	e.	the quadrivium.	
c.	musica mundana.	

ANS:	B	DIF:	Medium	REF:	24	
TOP:	In Context: Sounding and Silent Harmony: Music and Astronomy	
MSC:	Factual

	25.	The regional styles of chant used in Christian worship were absorbed into a uniform practice known as
a.	Beneventan chant.	d.	Gregorian chant.	
b.	Byzantine chant.	e.	Old Roman chant.	
c.	Frankish chant.	

ANS:	D	DIF:	Medium	REF:	24 | 26	
TOP:	The Early Christian Church: Musical Practice| Postlude	MSC:	Factual

TRUE/FALSE

	1.	Scholars have been able to reconstruct a well-rounded view of musical culture from the ancient Near East (Babylonia, Mesopotamia, etc.).

ANS:	F	DIF:	Medium	REF:	4	
TOP:	The Ancient and Medieval Worlds	MSC:	Conceptual

	2.	From around 800 to around 1300, the Holy Roman Empire included most of modern-day France and Germany.

ANS:	T	DIF:	Medium	REF:	8	
TOP:	Overview of the Early Middle Ages: Political Change and Economic Development
MSC:	Factual

	3.	Ancient Greek musical notation indicates pitches and durations.

ANS:	T	DIF:	Medium	REF:	16	
TOP:	Music in Ancient Greek Life and Thought		MSC:	Factual

	4.	Surviving examples of Greek music show a close correlation between theory and practice.

ANS:	T	DIF:	Medium	REF:	16	
TOP:	Music in Ancient Greek Life and Thought		MSC:	Conceptual

	5.	The musical repertory of the early Christian world can be directly traced to that of ancient Greece.

ANS:	F	DIF:	Medium	REF:	16	
TOP:	Music in Ancient Greek Life and Thought		MSC:	Conceptual

	6.	Music was used in ancient Roman religious, state, and military ceremonies.

ANS:	T	DIF:	Easy	REF:	20	
TOP:	Roman Music, 200 B.C.E.-500 C.E.			MSC:	Factual

	7.	There is much evidence that ancient Roman musical culture influenced western European musical culture.

ANS:	F	DIF:	Medium	REF:	20	
TOP:	Roman Music, 200 B.C.E.-500 C.E.			MSC:	Applied

	8.	Early Christians had a thorough and accurate understanding of ancient Greek music theory.

ANS:	F	DIF:	Hard	REF:	21 | 26	
TOP:	The Early Church: Musical Thought| Postlude	MSC:	Conceptual

	9.	The early church leaders discouraged the use of music for pleasure.

ANS:	T	DIF:	Medium	REF:	22-23	
TOP:	The Early Christian Church: Musical Practice	MSC:	Applied

	10.	The music of ancient civilizations was largely improvised.

ANS:	T	DIF:	Medium	REF:	26	TOP:	Postlude
MSC:	Conceptual

SHORT ANSWER

	1.	What were the three social classes into which society was organized in the Middle Ages?

ANS:	
Nobility (nobility and knights); clergy (priests, monks, and nuns); and peasants.

DIF:	Medium	REF:	9 | 10, Figure 1.5		
TOP:	Political Change and Economic Development	MSC:	Conceptual

	2.	What is the word used to describe the architectural style of churches built in the Middle Ages, such as the one pictured?

ANS:	
Gothic

DIF:	Medium	REF:	10 | 11, Figure 1.7		
TOP:	Learning and the Arts, 1050-1300	MSC:	Conceptual

	3.	Describe medieval courtly love literature.

ANS:	
This is literature in the vernacular that presents a highly idealized image of love featuring knighthood and chivalry. The lover (knight) assumed a subordinate role to his lady as her loyal vassal.

DIF:	Medium	REF:	11	TOP:	Learning and the Arts, 1050-1300
MSC:	Conceptual

	4.	What is a kithara?

ANS:	
A kithara is a large lyre that was used in ancient Greek processions and sacred ceremonies.

DIF:	Medium	REF:	17	
TOP:	A Closer Look: Ancient Greek Music: Kithara and Aulos		
MSC:	Applied

	5.	The concept in Greek philosophy that the universe is an orderly, unified system integrating everything from mathematical proportions, astronomy, philosophy, and social structures to a person’s soul is called

ANS:	
harmonia.

DIF:	Medium	REF:	18	TOP:	Music in Ancient Greek Life and Thought
MSC:	Conceptual

	6.	In 1969 the British band The Who created a rock opera called Tommy, an album of rock and roll songs produced in a recording studio that tells a story about a visually, hearing-, and speech-impaired youth who excels at pinball despite his disabilities. The songs on the album are sung by the different vocalists, each representing a character in the story. Eventually the album was turned into a film, a live theater work, and a ballet. Would Plato have approved of this fusion of classical and popular idioms and adaptations to different mediums? Why or why not?

ANS:	
No. Plato did not approve of the mixing of genres and instruments and thought that musical conventions should not be changed. This reflected a well-ordered society. Opera is a classical genre and rock is a popular genre, so Plato would not have approved of a “rock opera.” Breaking conventions, such as turning a film into a live theater work, could lead to anarchy.
or
Yes. “Perfect melos” is when melody, text, and stylized dance are conceived as a whole. Any opera, whether “classical” or “rock,” is conceived as whole (music, text, dance, staging, costumes, etc.). One can argue that opera is an extension of perfect melos.

DIF:	Hard	REF:	16-18	TOP:	Music in Ancient Greek Life and Thought
MSC:	Applied

	7.	Why did early Christians regard music as a mathematical discipline, along with geometry, astronomy, and arithmetic?

ANS:	
Precise numerical relationships were a key to explaining the universe, including music. In music, numerical relationships and proportions determine intervals, consonances, scales, and tuning.

DIF:	Medium	REF:	21 | 24	
TOP:	The Early Christian Church: Musical Thought| In Context: Sounding and Silent Harmony: Music and Astronomy		MSC:	Conceptual

	8.	This music theorist divided music into three categories: musica mundana (music of the universe), musica humana (human music), and musica instrumentalis (instrumental music).

ANS:	
Boethius

DIF:	Easy	REF:	22	TOP:	A Closer Look: Boethius’s Fundamentals
MSC:	Factual

	9.	Why did the Church Fathers disapprove of using musical instruments in church?

ANS:	
They believed that only music that delivered Christian teaching and holy thoughts was worthy of hearing in church and that music without words could not do this. The ban on musical instruments also distanced them from pagan spectacles involving large choruses, instruments, and dancing.

DIF:	Hard	REF:	23	TOP:	The Early Christian Church: Musical Thought
MSC:	Conceptual

	10.	Why did different dialects of chant develop in various regions of western Europe in the fifth through the ninth centuries?

ANS:	
After the fall of the Roman Empire, Europe was controlled by different groups of people in different regions, such as the Franks in Gaul (approximate modern-day France). They all had different local and regional rites with their own bodies of chant, or dialects.

DIF:	Hard	REF:	23 | 25	TOP:	The Early Christian Church: Musical Practice
MSC:	Conceptual

MATCHING

Match each event to the correct date.
a.	era of Charlemagne	d.	Papal Schism	
b.	Crusades to retake Jerusalem	e.	writings of Boethius	
c.	Hundred Years’ War	

	1.	ca. 480–524

	2.	742–814

	3.	1095–1270

	4.	1337–1453

	5.	1378–1417

	1.	ANS:	E

	2.	ANS:	A

	3.	ANS:	B

	4.	ANS:	C

	5.	ANS:	D

Match each author to the correct title.
a.	Aristotle	d.	Plato	
b.	Boethius	e.	Saint Augustine	
c.	Martianus Capella	

	6.	Confessions

	7.	De institutione musica (The Fundamentals of Music)

	8.	The Marriage of Mercury and Philology

	9.	Poetics and Politics

	10.	Republic and Timaeus

	6.	ANS:	E

	7.	ANS:	B

	8.	ANS:	C

	9.	ANS:	A

	10.	ANS:	D

ESSAY

	1.	Discuss how theories and practices of music-making in ancient Greece are similar to those still in use today.

ANS:	
Answers will vary.

	2.	In what ways is the history of Western music indebted to and intertwined with Christianity?

ANS:	
Answers will vary.