The Enduring Ancient Egyptian Musical System: Theory and Practice

This Expanded Version of the book: The Enduring Ancient Egyptian Musical System is divided into seven parts containing a total of 22 chapters.

Part I: Prelude consists of one chapter:

Chapter 1: The Egyptian Musical System will cover a quick background overview of the Egyptian musical system as evident in its archaeological findings.

Part II: The Harmony of The Spheres consists of four chapters—2 through 5:

Chapter 2: The Archetypal Cosmic Musical System will cover the basis and role of the harmony of the spheres in adopting the diatonic musical scale as the archetypal musical system.                                                                                                               

Chapter 3: Music All the Time (24 hours, 7 days) will cover and explain the correlations between the hours of the days of the week and their corresponding musical notes.

Chapter 4: Energizing the Diatonic Week will cover the natural musical scale, its two energy Centers,and the Egyptian Dorian D-scale.

Chapter 5: The Harmonic Three Components will cover the primary basics of the Egyptian harmonic canon, the three primary quantal vowels/sounds, and the triadic musical/linguistic core.

Part III: The Musical Notes consists of two chapters—6 and 7:

Chapter 6: The Derivatives of The Perfect Fifth will cover how the Perfect Fifth progression creates all harmonic musical notes; and how the natural progression of the Perfect Fifth leads to the determination of the Egyptian musical measuring units.

Chapter 7: The Musical Measuring Unit will cover how the Egyptian musical measuring units is the only measuring unit for all natural harmonic tones—east and west; its application to the twin-scale [authentic and plagal]; and its application to both the cyclic and divisive methods of instrument tuning.

Part IV: The Egyptian Musical Composition Code consists of six chapters—8 through 13:

Chapter 8: The Musical Framework Varieties will cover the overall tone system, an example of a scale based on the cyclic framework and another based on the divisive framework.

Chapter 9: Modes and Musical Structural Forms will cover the musical ethos—moods and modes and the overall basic design characteristics of modes.

Chapter 10: The Musical Lyrics will cover the Egyptian vocal musical themes; and the major parts of human's generating (vocal) sounds and its equivalent in the musical instruments.

Chapter 11: The Seamless Language of/and Music will cover the intimate relationship between the Egyptian alphabetical language and the musical system; significance of musicality in Ancient Egyptian literature; utilization of letters as musical notes; the modulation of individual sound values; and the intimate relationships between music pulsation and the rhythmic flow of syllables stream.

Chapter 12: The Musical Performance will cover the significance and roles of the fingers and their knuckles in producing and directing musical performances; as well as the varied methods for maintaining the rhythmic timing/tempo—including the use of syllables.

Chapter 13: The Egyptian Tonal Writing System will cover the preeminence of Ancient Egyptian tonal writings; as well as the primary writing components of lyrical/musical texts.

Part V: The Egyptian Musical Instruments consists of four chapters—14 through 17:

Chapter 14: The Wealth of Instruments will cover the general characteristics of Egyptian instruments as well the major components of the musical orchestra

Chapter 15: Stringed Instruments will cover various Ancient Egyptian stringed instruments such as lyres, tri-gonon (zither), Harps including playing techniques: Harps—Playing Techniques; The All-Encompassing Capacities of Ancient; string instruments with neck—such as short-neck Lute; the long-neck Egyptian guitars; and Bowed Instruments [Kamanga, Rababa].

Chapter 16: Wind Instruments will cover The end blown flute; transverse flute; pan flute; single reed pipe (clarinet); double Pipe; double clarinet; double oboe; arghool; others (bagpipe and organ); and horns/trumpets.

Chapter 17: Percussion Instruments will cover the membrano-phone instruments such as drums and tambourines; and the non-membrano-phone (idiophone) instruments such as percussion sticks, clappers, sistrums/sistra, cymbals, castanets, bells (chimes), xylophone and glockenspiel and human parts (hands, fingers, thighs, feet, etc.).

Part VI: Maintaining The Heavenly Rhythms consists of four chapters—18 through 21:

Chapter 18: The Universal Harmony will cover the role of music in maintaining the universal balance; the significance of alternating performance theme of balanced polarity; and the Dor-ian musical suites.

Chapter 19: Rhythmic Dancing will cover the significance of dancing as well as dancing types and formations.

Chapter 20: The Harmonic Practices will cover the profession of musicians in Ancient (and present-day) Egypt; the temple musical activities; the applications of music in the various public activities.

Chapter 21: The Harmonic Sound Man will cover the application of music in the various stages of human lives—from cradle to grave.

Part VII: Postlude consists of one chapter—22:

Chapter 22: And the Beat Goes On will cover the endurance of the Ancient Egyptian musical traditions into present times.

Appendices A through E provide expansions on some topics that were discussed in the various chapters.