Singing

[Primus Pilus]

I suppose the quote was mediated so that the English translation would rhyme.

 

Yeah, clearly there is some liberty taken for dramatic effect.

[Antiochus of Seleucia]

I had a thumb through Suetonius, and according to him the song actually goes:

 

'Home we bring our bald whoremonger; Romans, lock your wives away!

All the bags of gold you lent him Went his Gallic tarts to pay.'

 

Thank you WotWotius! I couldn't find the blasted book so I had to use the memory from a year ago. That's exactly how it went. (Now I'm embarrased )

 

Hey, I was close!

Edited September 8, 2006 by Antiochus of Seleucia

[WotWotius]

...that you were.

[WotWotius]

I've been looking into the matter of Roman singing, and it seems that it was a part of the everyday life of common plebs. Tibullus informs us that:

 

'Weaving women in unremitting service to Minerva sing while the loom clatters as the clay weights swing.'

 

Singing was also a popular with a certain emperor:

 

'While he was singing no one was allowed to leave the theatre even for the most urgent reasons. And so it is said that some women gave birth to children there, while many who were worn out with listening and applauding, secretly leaped from the wall, since the gates at the entrance were closed, or feigned death and were carried out as if for burial.'

 

While you are all probably aware of the amusing musical antics of Emperor Nero, the source does confirm that most public choral performances took place in theatres.

 

There are also reports of complaints for bad singing in the bathhouses. Does anybody know a source for this?

[Gaius Octavius]

Nice work! And thanks again to all.

[caldrail]

I've been looking into the matter of Roman singing, and it seems that it was a part of the everyday life of common plebs. Tibullus informs us that:

 

'Weaving women in unremitting service to Minerva sing while the loom clatters as the clay weights swing.'

 

Singing was also a popular with a certain emperor:

 

'While he was singing no one was allowed to leave the theatre even for the most urgent reasons. And so it is said that some women gave birth to children there, while many who were worn out with listening and applauding, secretly leaped from the wall, since the gates at the entrance were closed, or feigned death and were carried out as if for burial.'

 

While you are all probably aware of the amusing musical antics of Emperor Nero, the source does confirm that most public choral performances took place in theatres.

 

There are also reports of complaints for bad singing in the bathhouses. Does anybody know a source for this?

 

I'm not sure of the source but I remember a quote saying that the noise of living above a bathouse was undesirable.

Edited September 10, 2006 by caldrail

[Gaius Octavius]

I'm not sure of the source but I remember a quote saying that the noise of living above a bathouse was undesirable.

 

Did people live above bath houses?

Edited September 10, 2006 by Gaius Octavius

[WotWotius]

Residences were only built above back-street bathhouses known as balneae; they were often privately owned and therefore the owners had planning permission to exstras to the buildings. It seems unlikely that the state owned thermae baths--the larger, more famous Imperial baths--were built to accommodate people.

 

In his Moral Epistles the 1st Century philosopher, Seneca complained about the horrendous noise he had to endure when he lived above a balneae:

 

'I'm surrounded by the most terrible racket.... When the top gymnasts are training and swinging their lead dumb bells, when they are labouring or pretending to labour, I hear them groan.... And if I get some lazy bather who wants no more than a cheap massage, then I hear the sound of the hand slapping the shoulders.... And let us not leave out the picker of quarrels, the petty thief caught in the act, the man who is in love with the sound of his own voice in the bath.'

Edited September 11, 2006 by WotWotius

[WotWotius]

I have found another reference that relates to Roman song:

 

The 5th Century Poet Apollinaris Sidonius tells us via poetry that singers and musicians were often trained at schools:

 

'From her town between the two seas let Corinth send harping-girls who have learned stage singing and dancing at the warm training-school, and whose musical fingers replacing the pick shall ply the strings that wake to life at their touch, while their tongues sound in harmony.'

 

Hope that was of some use.

Edited September 17, 2006 by WotWotius

[Gaius Octavius]

WW, thanks. The article reminds me of another point of interest, "Counts and Dukes". I'll ask a question in a new topic.

[caldrail]

Trainee singers would spend time lying on their backs with lead weights on their chest. This would improve breathing and allow better sustain. Apparently. Probably true though.

[WotWotius]

Do you have a source for this?

[Gaius Octavius]

Do you have a source for this?

I can't cite a source, but the reaches of my memory tell me that that is so.