Felipe Aguirre: A Reconstruction of the Concept of ἑρμενεία in Ancient Greek Music

Lecture delivered as part of the symposium
Approaches to Ancient Music
Jesus College – Oxford University

Although the notion of hermenéia in Ancient Greece is primarily associated with the field of literary criticism, it is possible to reconstruct the meaning this concept held in relation to music. Certain sources (notably Plato and Pseudo-Plutarch) highlight its importance in understanding the deeper implications of artistic creation and performance. This presentation, after examining the semantic characteristics of the term within its rhetorical and literary context, aims to address the essential aspects of musical ἑρμηνεία. In this sense the term is understood not only as the set of technical skills required for the practical mastery of a given instrument (such as the aulos or the kithára) but also as the artist’s capacity to act as a ‘mediator’ (ερμηνεύς) between the created work and the audience. This conception unveils a nuance still relevant—and perhaps more necessary than ever—in contemporary musical performance. It moves the performer’s activity away from the common idea of mímēsis as an aesthetic experience and positions it closer to the contemplative—and ultimately irrational—state characteristic of religious experience.