Nomos (music)

Etymology#

The root sense of the Greek word νόμος is “that which is in habitual practice, use or possession”; its specific musical sense is “melody, strain”. In the particular application to these melody types called nomoi, it may be translated as “set piece”.

Types#

There are four types of nomoi, two vocal and two purely instrumental: # Kitharoedic nomoi, the earliest type, sung to the accompaniment of a kithara, associated with Terpander of Sparta (early seventh century BC) # Auloedic nomoi, sung to the accompaniment of an aulos, first devised by Clonas or Ardalus of Troezen # Auletic nomoi, extended compositions for solo aulos, introduced at the Pythian games in 586 BC # Kitharistic nomoi, solo instrumental works for kithara, introduced at the Pythian games in 558 BC

Composers/performers#

Chrysothemis of Crete, costumed as Apollo, was the first to sing a solo nomos, accompanying himself on the kithara. Lysias names as particularly skilled musicians in this genre Polymnestus, Olympus of Mysia, Mimnermus, and Sacadas.

Further reading#

• Crusius, Otto. 1888. “Über die Nomosfrage”. In Verhandlungen der 39. Versammlung deutscher Philologen und Schulmänner Zürich 1887, 258–76. Leipzig: B. G. Teubner.
• Del Grande, Carlo. 1923. “Nomos citarodico”. Rivista Indo-Greca-Italica 7:1–17.
• Del Grande, Carlo. 1932. Espressione musicale dei poetici greci. Naples: R. Ricciardi.
• Greiser, Hans. 1937. Nomos: Ein Beitrag zur griechischen Musikgeschichte. Quellen und Studien zur Geschichte un Kultur des Altertums und des Mittelalters 5. Heidelberg: Prof. F. Bilabel.
• Jan, Karl von. 1879. “Auletischer und aulodischer Nomos”. Jahrbücher für classische Philologie 119:577–92.
• Jan, Karl von. 1881. “Aulos und Nomos”. Jahrbücher für classische Philologie 123:543–52.