Michael Levy: Composer for Lyre

One of the main goals I have in both creating this website and in creating my albums for solo lyre, is the in doing so, I may one day hope to create a future legacy, where once again, the lyre…

LEARN HOW TO PLAY ANCIENT LYRES!
 

Several years ago, due to the lack of any publication, anywhere, on how to play the lyre, I posted a few series of somewhat unique "online lyre lesson" videos on my YouTube Channel! Please…

HOW TO ACQUIRE A LYRE!

In this extensive blog, I list all the makers of replica lyres I know of, from around the world! 

These include makers of modern evocations of the Biblical lyres, makers of replica Classical lyres of…

Music is a unique form of art with a Greek origin that denotes “art of the Muses”. Since the dawn of human civilisation music has been performed through numerous means. It is not known what led to its creation…

ANCIENT LYRE PLAYING TECHNIQUES
 

From all of my extensive research and practical experimentation, I have discovered that the range of possible playing techniques for the lyre is only limited by one's musical imagination! To begin this analysis of some of…

INTRODUCTION

In attempting to demonstrate a variety of ancient tunings for my 10 string lyre to the layman with an interest in ancient music, I have decided to compromise and use modern equal temperament terminology ie. a 12 note chromatic…

THE "432 HERTZ THING"?


 
In the West, modern standard concert pitch for the note A has constantly been changing over the centuries and since 1955, it has currently been set by the International Organization for Standardization at 440 Hz -…

INTRODUCTION

What follows is a list of tunings which I have researched & used in all my albums of ancient lyre music. These tunings include ancient Middle Eastern scales derived from my experience as a Klezmer musician, and which according…

The ancient Greek Kithara & Lyra generally had 7 strings - for the ancient Greeks, music represented the harmony of the Universe & so for them, the number 7 was spiritually significant - it could represent for them, the Seven…

THE BOUNTY OF HIDDEN ANCIENT TRUTHS WAITING TO BE FOUND IN MODERN 'DIGITAL ARTIFACTS'

Never underestimate the power of 'Google Search' in unearthing new 'digital artifacts' - I have recently found the answers to several intriguing questions regarding the lyres…

One of my greatest musical discoveries, was re-discovering the beauty and unique musical expression of each of the original ancient Greek Modes...
 

THE ORIGINAL ANCIENT GREEK MODES
 

The names of musical modes in use today, (e.g. Dorian, Mixolydian etc.) although…

THE CONCEPT OF MUSIC - A PHILOSOPHICAL ANALYSIS

What is music? A usual response would be a pleasant melody...but to the tortured philosopher like myself, one has to dig deeper and ask, when is a collection of notes a "melody"…

THE BEGINNINGS OF MY FASCINATION WITH ANCIENT MUSIC

My interest in ancient music all started when I was just 14 - I happened to find an old cassette tape of the late great David Munrow's reconstruction of early medieval music…

HARMONY OF THE SPHERES



In March 2019, I had the unique pleasure of being briefly interviewed on the BBC Radio 3 "Sunday Feature" series, in a programme about the ancient Greek musical and cosmological concept of the "Harmony of…

Music is the only true magic of the ancients which we have left - only through music, is it possible to spontaneously conjure up, literally from from nothing, the most sublime sounds, which like a magic carpet, can transport the…

THE LYRE 2.0 PROJECT:
REINTRODUCING THE BEAUTIFUL LYRE OF ANTIQUITY INTO THE MODERN WORLD

Since June 2014, I have been delighted to announce an exciting new collaboration entitled "The Lyre 2.0 Project", between myself and the specialist ancient Greek…

Sadly, the wonderful Classical lyre of antiquity fell into disuse and eventually oblivion at the end of the Dark Ages in the West, not replaced by the harp, but by the increasing preference for and resulting development of the fretted…

MY ANCIENT GREEK LYRE MUSIC - LICENSED BY PEARSON EDUCATION

I am delighted to announce, that from June 2019, a selection of my ancient Greek-themed lyre tracks are to be featured in a new immersive online world history course, "Imagine…

USE OF MY HISTORIC LYRE MUSIC AT INTERNATIONALLY ACCLAIMED MUSEUMS ALL AROUND THE WORLD!


One of the greatest rewards of my 'new ancestral' musical mission, is the recognition of my music as a 'time machine', by internationally acclaimed museums…

ANCIENT-THEMED PODCASTS FEATURING MY LYRE MUSIC

As an independent artist, with no record company to promote my music on my behalf, one of the best means I have so far found, of getting my ancient-themed lyre music heard by vast…

ANCIENT LYRE MUSIC WAFTING ACROSS 21ST CENTURY AIRWAVES!

One of the most awesomely exciting happenings for any 'independent artist' like myself, is those blissful occasions when out of the blue, I have been randomly contacted by both radio and television…

MOVIES FEATURING MY ANCIENT-THEMED LYRE MUSIC

I am always willing to consider the licensing of my music to film makers - be it independent film makers interested in producing cinematic work to present at film festivals...(or of course, any ancient-themed…

CULT PC GAMES FEATURING MY LYRE MUSIC!

I am always willing to consider the licensing of my music in any relevant, ancient-themed PC game platform - the more exposure of my music to new potential target audiences out there…

MY WORK FEATURED IN INTERNATIONAL ACADEMIA

One of the most amazing rewards for all the efforts I have put into my 'New Ancestral Musical Mission' I have had, is the almost surreal interest in my musical quest by international acclaimed…