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    Kemetic Songs / Hymns / Musical Stuff

    I thought maybe instead of lumping this into the Kemetic Resources thread I'd start a thread devoted to Kemetic music. Lots of hymns have been translated over time, but there is huge speculation how it sounded since the Ancient Egyptians didn't notate music until the Graeco-Roman period. That said some ambitious attempts have been made. Some, conversely, just play New Age music with "Egyptian" flare. Nonetheless I've decided to include it in this thread.

    To start it off, I'm showing my favorite rendition of the Hymn to the Seven Hathors. This video also shows some of the funeral masks from Faiyum.



    A translation of the hymn is found here:

    Hymn of the Seven Hathors from the Temple of Dendera

    We play the tambourine for Your Ka,
    We dance for Your Majesty,
    We exalt You
    To the height of heaven.
    You are the Mistress of Sekhem,
    The Menat and the Sistrum,
    The Mistress of Music,
    For whose Ka one plays.

    We praise Your Majesty every day,
    From dusk until the earth grows light,
    We rejoice in Your Countenance, O Mistress in Dendera!
    We praise You with song.
    You are the Lady of Jubilation, the Mistress of the Iba-dance*,
    The Lady of Music, the Mistress of Harp-playing,
    The Lady of Dancing, the Mistress of Tying on Garlands,
    The Lady of Myrrh, and the Mistress of Leaping*.

    We glorify Your Majesty,
    We give praise before Your Face.
    We exalt Your Power
    Over the Gods and the Goddesses.
    You are the Lady of Hymns,
    The Mistress of the Library,
    The Great Seshat
    At the head of the Mansion of Records.

    We propitiate Your Majesty every day.
    Your heart rejoices at hearing our songs.
    We rejoice when we see You, day by day.
    Our hearts are jubilant when we see Your Majesty.
    You are the Lady of Garlands, the Mistress of Dance,
    The Lady of Unending Drunkenness.
    We rejoice before Your face; we play for Your Ka.
    Your heart rejoices over our performance.
    - - - Updated - - -

    This is a reconstruction by Michael Levy. I love his renditions and he plays so well!



    - - - Updated - - -

    Here's some more "authentic sounding" music by Ali Jihad Racy. I also highly recommend this artist if you're conducting rituals.

    my etsy store
    My blog


    "...leave me curled up in my ball,
    surrounded by plush, downy things,
    ill prepared, but willing,
    to descend."

    #2
    Re: Kemetic Songs / Hymns / Musical Stuff

    More Michael Levy:




    One person's attempt at a reconstruction of a harper's song. These were songs sung (possibly) at funerals which reflected on life and death.



    More from Rafael Perez Arroyo:

    my etsy store
    My blog


    "...leave me curled up in my ball,
    surrounded by plush, downy things,
    ill prepared, but willing,
    to descend."

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