Hurrian Hymn #6 - the oldest known melody in human history (circa 1400 BC)

The Hurrian Hymn No. 6 (h.6) is the world's oldest surviving substantially complete work of notated music. Discovered on clay tablet in the 1950s, it dates to 1400 BC in the Amorite-Canaanite city of Urgrit (present day Syria).

Background on the Hurrian Hymn, explains why this is the oldest KNOWN melody:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurrian...

Translation by musicologist Richard Dumbrill in 1998. He made this possible:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard...)

I'd had a long day at the office and decided to play this piece to unwind when I got home. I'm glad I pressed the record button because I think this take, although originally a warm-up to get into the mood to play, captured something of the music's magic.

I would normally edit out the first 20 seconds or so, but when I watched the clip, I thought it added something to the mood.

This recording is also a bit surreal because the juxtaposition of the age of the piece with the suburban background noises of birds, dinner being prepared by my loving wife, and an overhead plane.


Some more of my recordings:

Flamenco:    • Seguiriyas - looking deep  

Renaissance (Scarborough Fair):    • Scarborough Fair  

Romantic classical:    • The testament of Amelia (El Testament...  

Modern classical:    • Prelude Opus 14 no. 1 in E Minor - Pe...  

Star Wars:    • Star Wars - Binary Sunset / The Force...  


Guitar by Trevor Gore, recorded on iPhone with Shure MV88.