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Archdiocesan School of Byzantine Music

Byzantine Music Theory and Practice Guide

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First Edition

Archdiocesan School of Byzantine Music

Byzantine Music Theory and Practice Guide

Copyright © 2011 by Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America8 East 79th Street, New York, NY 10075

www.goarch.org

All Rights Reserved

Printed in the United States of America

Byzantine Music Theory and Practice Guide

This book is made possible with the blessing and spiritual guidance of His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America

Publication OverseerReverend Archdeacon Panteleimon Papadopoulos

AuthorsReverend Deacon Aristidis Garinis

Dr. Demetrios Kehagias

Transcription & Audio Antonios KehagiasGeorgios Giavris

Academic OversightGrammenos Karanos, Ph.D.

Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of AmericaNew York, NY

commend the Archdiocesan School of Byzantine Music for the publication of the Byzantine Music Theory and Practice Guide, and for their continuous effort to promote Orthodox ecclesiastical chant throughout the Archdiocese. The rising desire to uphold this ageless musical tradition is indicative of its effectiveness to inspire the faithful in prayer through the intelligible and proper rendering of our Orthodox hymnology. Through this publication, a new generation of stewards will be educated who will strive to uphold our rich liturgical inheritance known as Byzantine music. Thus this book will prove to be a vital educational tool for the teaching of Byzantine music following in the tradition of our Ecumenical Patriarchate. It is my prayer that the Lord bless this book and secure the future of Byzantine music in the very fabric of the Orthodox identity and expression of faith.

With paternal love,

+DEMETRIOS Archbishop of America

This book is dedicated to the countless teachers who have preserved the art of byzantine music in the tradition of the ecumenical patriarchate. We continue, through their

efforts, to offer up prayer with one voice and one heart, glorifying our Almighty God.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments i Archdeacon Panteleimon Papadopoulos, ASBM Director

Foreword iiDr. Demetrios Kehagias, ASBM Instructor

Introduction: A Brief Overview of the Psaltic Art iiiGrammenos Karanos, Ph.D. in Byzantine Musicology Professor of Byzantine Music, Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology Byzantine Music: Theory and Practice 1

Chanting with Melos 35

A Synoptic Theory Chart & Reference 40

Index of Byzantine Music Characters 50

ASBM Calendar of Events 55

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Acknowledgments

t is with great enthusiasm that I welcome the publication of the ASBM Byzantine Music Theory and Practice Guide. It is my sincere hope that this book will prove to be the first step in decisively assisting students of Byzantine Music throughout the Archdiocese and will help share the beauty of our Byzantine liturgical heritage by training a new generation of church musicians. It was apparent to the administration and faculty of the Archdiocesan School of Byzantine Music that the need to produce a theory and practice guidebook for the students enlisted in the school was par-amount. From the beginning of ASBM in October of 2010, the textbook that we used in the school was ineffective in fully communicating the intricacies of Byzantine Music in a clear manner and in a language that was understandable to the majority of the students who were learning and seeing Byzantine Music for the first time. The first year of the school’s operation afforded us the opportunity to re-evaluate the teaching methodology being used and whether the resources given to the students were indeed helpful. The results of our study showed that a comprehensive theory book in English was needed to keep the students engaged both theoretically and practically. Thus a committee was formed to oversee the publi-cation of a guidebook, produced and written specifically for students enrolled in ASBM. While the scope of this guidebook was focused on serving the needs of the students enrolled in ASBM, it was by no means considered limited to them and could be used as a beginning resource by anyone interested in learning Byzantine Music. I offer my special appreciation to Rev. Dn. Aristidis Garinis and Mr. Demetrios Kehagias for the co-authoring, layout, and publication of this book. Additionally, I offer my thanks to Mr. Georgios Gia-vris for typing out all the exercises and to Mr. Antonios Kehagias for recording them onto audio CDs. I also thank Dr. Grammenos Karanos for his contribution and academic oversight to this book. Finally, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America for his continuous encouragement and support not only for ASBM but for our efforts to expand this musical ministry of our Archdiocese for the edification of God’s people and the glory of His Name.

With my warmest prayers for a fruitful study of Byzantine Music, I remain

Sincerely yours,

Archdeacon Panteleimon Papadopoulos Director, Archdiocesan School of Byzantine Music

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Foreword

s we are now preparing to begin our second academic year of ASBM this book, the Byzantine Music and Practice Guide, should prove to be a most useful educational tool. The study of Byzantine music, as with any language or art, is filled with many practical complexities. For one, the student must be equipped with the sort of natural tools, what we call ‘God-given’ in colloquial language. In addition, the secondary factor, even more important, is the ability of the teacher to communicate with the students in a way that will convey not only music as an art, but a tradition deeply rooted in the faith of Orthodox Christianity known as Byzantine Chant. This book is an effort to preserve and pass on the beauty of proper liturgical music in the tradition of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, with the overall aim to inspire people into prayer. ASBM has the good fortune of having an increased participation of individuals wanting to learn Byzantine music. These individuals become students of music for reasons of personal enrichment of faith as well as communal. Our faculty is increasingly encouraging these students to serve the local parish as educated chanters and faithful Orthodox Christians. In this way, students of Byzantine music should be informed by the content of their study and able to inspire others through the proper rendering of our hymnology. I am personally thankful to God for allowing me this great opportunity and responsibility to train future chanters of our Greek Orthodox Church in the Direct Archdiocesan District. I am also thankful to be involved in the creative process of this book. It is my desire that prospective students of Byzantine music will emerge and acquire this book as a useful learning resource. Regretfully, many individuals have expressed their desire to learn how to chant but are unable to, due to a lack of resources in their area. I pray that the Archdiocesan School of Byzantine Music Theory Book and Practice Guide will find its place in each local metropolis and religious education department across the Archdiocese. This ambitious project would not be possible without the diligent spiritual guidance of His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America. On behalf of, the entire ASBM faculty I would like to express to him our deep sense of gratitude and reverence.

Sincerely,

Dr. Demetrios Kehagias Instructor, Archdiocesan School of Byzantine Music

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A Brief Overview of the Psaltic Art

“Is any among you afflicted? Let him pray. Is any merry? Let him sing psalms.”(James 5:13 KJV)

As is evident from St. James the Brother of the Lord’s exhortation, the history of the Christian Church has always been not only a history of prayer, but also a history of song. If in some contemporary Christian denominations music plays a secondary role, it would be no exaggeration to state that in the Greek Orthodox Church almost all of worship is musical. And how could it be otherwise if “chanting is an angelic ministry for [it] gives joy, but it is also prayer?1” Following the ancient Greek philosophers Plato and Aristotle, the Fathers of the Church recognized the beneficial impact music can have on souls and adopted it as an important pedagogical tool to lead humans to eternal salvation. St. Basil the Great expresses the Church’s attitude in very clear terms:

“For when the Holy Spirit saw that mankind was ill-inclined toward virtue and that we were heedless of the righteous life because of our inclination to pleasure, what did he do? He blended the delight of melody with doctrine in order that through the pleasantness and softness of the sound we might unawares receive what was useful in the words, according to the practice of the physicians, who, when they give the more bitter draughts to the sick, often smear the rip of the cup with honey.”2

Music then is the “sweet honey” with which the Church mixes the doctrines of the faith, in order to heal the sick souls of the faithful. It is through these lenses that the Psaltic Art of the Greek Orthodox Church ought to be viewed. In the present article, whose aim is to highlight the significance of the present publication, I will give a brief overview of this fine art, focusing on its essential characteristics, its composers and practitioners, its notational system, and the didactic methodology used by its teachers throughout history.

I. Definition - Characteristics

An American reader will naturally ask what exactly is the Psaltic Art. A very simple albeit limited definition is that it is the art of chanting3. More broadly, it can be defined as the strictly vocal, strictly monophonic music used in the worship of the Greek Orthodox Church4. Before looking at this definition more closely, let’s consider an alternative term, namely “Byzantine music.” Despite its common usage since the 19th century, it should not be the preferred term for three reasons. First, the inhabitants of the

1 «Όμως είναι και η ψαλμωδία διακονία αγγελική, διότι χαρίζεις χαράν εις τους άλλους, αλλά είναι επίσης και προσευχή.» Αρχιμανδρίτου Αιμιλιανού Σιμωνοπετρίτου, «Περί λατρείας και ευχής», Κατηχήσεις και Λόγοι 4, Θεία Λατρεία, Προσδοκία και Όρασις Θεού, Εκδόσεις Ορμύλια, Ορμύλια 2001, p. 160. 2 Basil of Caesarea, “Homily on the First Psalm,” ch. 1, in Strunk, Olliver, Source Readings in Music History, W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., New York 1998, p. 121.3 The word “psaltic” is derived from the Greek verb “ψάλλω,” which originally meant “to pluck the strings of an instrument,” but eventually came to signify chanting, i.e. singing ecclesiastical hymns.4 It should be noted, however, that the same musical art is also used in non-Greek-speaking Orthodox Churches (Patriarchate of Antioch, Patriarchate of Romania, et al.).

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Eastern Roman Empire never referred to themselves as Byzantines, but as Romans (Ρωμαίοι-Ρωμηοί). The term “Byzantine Empire” itself was invented in the 16th century by the German historian Hieronymus Wolf and later took on derogatory connotations5. Second, “Byzantine music” can be interpreted in an overly restrictive fashion if it is considered in topological or chronological terms. In other words, it may be taken to mean the music produced only in Byzantium or the music produced strictly from the foundation of the Byzantine Empire in 330 AD until its fall in 1453 AD. On the other hand, the term “Byzantine music” might more appropriately be applied to the entire musical output of the Eastern Roman Empire, both religious and secular. Nevertheless, secular music is generally excluded from the contemporary usage of the term. Third, the musicians of this once glorious Greek-Roman-Christian empire did not call their art “Byzantine music,” but rather Psaltic Art (Ψαλτική Τέχνη), Musical Art (Μουσική Τέχνη), Musical Science (Μουσική Επιστήμη) or Papadic Art (Παπαδική Τέχνη)6.

Let’s move on to dissect the definition given above. The Psaltic Art is strictly vocal. This means that it is a form of music always performed a capella. Instruments were excluded from worship since early Christian times because they were associated with pagan rites, but also because the voice was regarded as the most pure and perfect instrument. Additionally, instrumental music was believed to excite the senses and was consequently considered unsuitable for worship. The Psaltic Art is also strictly monophonic. In other words, it is performed by a single cantor or a choir singing one melody in unison. A few qualifying remarks should be made here. Polyphony was introduced in Greek Orthodox worship as early as the 15th century, but its usage remained very limited except in the Ionian Islands. In the mid-19th century polyphonic settings of ecclesiastical melodies appeared in Greek diaspora communities in Western Europe, despite an official promulgation by the Ecumenical Patriarchate in 1848 of an encyclical banning four-part harmony7. In the 20th century harmonized settings of hymns were adopted in the Divine Liturgy in the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. Nonetheless, the original monophonic version of the Psaltic Art, which is almost exclusively used in other Greek-speaking Orthodox Churches (Patriarchate of Jerusalem, Church of Cyprus, Church of Greece, et al.), has remained the norm in the rest of the liturgical services. It should also be noted that psaltic melodies are frequently accompanied by the ison (drone), which is a constant humming of a single note (the root of the main tetrachord in which the melody is moving). This century-old practice8 is sometimes considered a form of proto-polyphony. However, its primary function seems to be tonal stability rather than “harmonic” enrichment of the melody. Thus, even though it may enhance the aesthetic satisfaction of a performance, ison accompaniment is not an indispensable element of a psaltic composition.

In addition to vocal performance and monophony, the Psaltic Art has the following fundamental characteristics:

5 See Μεταλληνού Γεωργίου, Ελληνισμός μετέωρος, Η Ρωμαίικη Ιδέα και το όραμα της Ευρώπης, εκδ. Αποστολικής Διακονίας της Εκκλησίας της Ελλάδος, Αθήναι 1992, pp. 18-19. 6 See Στάθη Γρηγορίου, Τα χειρόγραφα βυζαντινής μουσικής, Άγιον Όρος, Κατάλογος περιγραφικός των χειρογράφων κωδίκων βυζαντινής μουσικής των αποκειμένων εν ταις βιβλιοθήκαις των Ιερών Μονών και Σκητών του Αγίου Όρους, Ίδρυμα Βυζαντινής Μουσικολογίας, τόμος Α΄, Αθήναι 1975, p. 21 (κα΄) of the Introduction. The term “Papadic Art” should be interpreted as the art of the priests, where among the “priests” are included the lower-ranking members of the clergy, such as readers and cantors. Cantors (ψάλται) are ordained by bishops, they have the right to wear a rasson (black robe) during the performance of their ministry, and they are expected to live an exemplary Christian life. 7 See the text of the encyclical at http://www.stanthonysmonastery.org/music/encyclical.pdf.8 Evidence of ison accompaniment can be found as early as the 14th century. For instance, see MS. Koutloumousion 457 (2nd half of the 14th c.), fol. 6r: “Ενταύθα άρχεται ο δεξιός χορός, ί σ α και αργά, οι όλοι ομού· πλ. δ΄ Πάντα εν σοφία.”

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· Primacy of the word versus the music. Music is used as a means to express and illuminate the meaning of the text. Even though it is certainly meant to provide a degree of aesthetic pleasure to the listener, its primary role is to contribute to a prayerful atmosphere in worship. Therefore, excessive musical embellishment is seen as detrimental and distractive.

· Microtonal intervals. Intervals that are smaller than the western semitone are frequently used. In fact, it is primarily this microtonal quality that makes the Psaltic Art sound foreign and exotic, hence strangely attractive to the modern American ear. The existence of microtones is closely related to the tendency of the structural notes of a scale (generally, the root and upper note of a tetrachord) to attract the non-structural ones, which consequently display a tonal instability.

· Modality. Psaltic compositions do not conform to the western major and minor scales, but rather to the eight Byzantine authentic and plagal modes and their numerous variants. A mode is defined by the tonic, the scale, the genus (i.e. the intervallic internal structure of the tetrachords and pentachords), and the melodic formulae and cadences, and can easily be identified by the intonation formula that precedes any hymn.

· Formulaic composition. All psaltic compositions are built from pre-existing melodic formulae, called theseis, which are combined with short transitional bridges. Theseis can be short, long and even very elaborate and melismatic, depending on the particular compositional genre to which a hymn belongs. One might wonder how there can be any originality in the Psaltic Art if a hymn cannot be composed out of entirely new material. The answer lies in the very large number (thousands) of theseis, the difference in their particular musical content depending on the mode and the starting note on which they are placed, and the infinite number of ways in which they can be combined to produce a new acoustic experience. Additionally, throughout the history of the Psaltic Art composers kept composing new theseis, thereby renewing and enriching the material that later composers would have at their disposal9.

II. Composers – Cantors

A quick glance into the manuscript tradition of the Psaltic Art immediately reveals that its history is full of eponymous and anonymous personalities from all walks of life: saints and sinners (or self-proclaimed sinners out of humility), hymnographers, composers and scribes, teachers and disciples, patriarchs and bishops, priests and deacons, cantors and readers, monks and nuns, jewellers and merchants, fishermen, painters, schoolmasters, tailors. Among them all the most prominent position belongs to the over 1,000 composers who almost always were also cantors and to the tens of thousands of cantors who often were also composers. Let’s look at some of them.

St. Romanos the Melodist (6th c.)

Romanos was born in Syria and flourished in the 6th century. He served as a deacon in Beirut and Constantinople. He is considered the greatest Orthodox hymnographer of all time and has often been called

9 See Καράνου Γραμμένου, Το Καλοφωνικόν Ειρμολόγιον, Διδακτορική διατριβή κατατεθείσα στο Τμήμα Μουσικών Σπουδών του Εθνικού και Καποδιστριακού Πανεπιστημίου Αθηνών, Αθήνα 2011, p. 431.

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“the Christian Pindar.” Some 85 surviving kontakia10 are attributed to him. The title “melodist” indicates that he not only wrote the hymns, but also composed their music. The Orthodox Church celebrates his memory on October 1.

St. John of Damascus (ca. 676 – 749)

A Syrian hieromonk and a brilliant theologian and defender of the veneration of icons, John is also regarded as the “Father of Byzantine Music” and patron saint of cantors. He was a prolific composer and was largely responsible for the codification and standardization of the system of eight modes (Octoechos), according to which the yearly cycle of liturgical services of the Orthodox Church is arranged. The Orthodox Church celebrates his memory on December 4.

St. Ioannis Papadopoulos Koukouzelis (ca. 1270 – ca. 1340)

Once an imperial musician and later an Athonite monk, Ioannis is perhaps the greatest figure of the Psaltic Art. He was the disciple of Ioannis Protopsaltis the Sweet and a fellow student of Xenos of Koroni. These three composers along with Nikeforos Ethikos constitute the “tetrandria” that solidified the new kalophonic style of ecclesiastical music11. The defining characteristics of this highly ornate style, which had its beginnings in the late 13th century, are (i) long, melismatic melodies, (ii) restructuring of the poetic text, and (iii) insertion of kratimata, i.e. free compositions using meaningless syllables (e.g. terirem, tenena, tototo, etc.) as “text.” Koukouzelis’ name first makes its appearance in MS. Leningrad 121 written in 1302. The admiration of contemporary and later musicians for the great composer is shown by the title “Maistor” (i.e. Master) that almost unfailingly follows his name. It was probably under his guidance that one of the most significant manuscripts in the history of the Psaltic Art, namely MS. Athens 2458, was composed in 1336. The Orthodox Church celebrates his memory on October 1.

Manuel Doukas Chrysaphes (15th c.)

Manuel Chrysaphes was the last Lampadarios12 of the imperial palace prior to the Fall of Constantinople in 1453. His autograph, MS. Iviron 1120, written in 1458, is a monumental anthology of works marking the transition from the Byzantine to the post-Byzantine period of the Psaltic Art. His theoretical treatise “On the theory of the art of chanting and on certain erroneous views that some hold about it” is a primary source for the modern study of the Byzantine repertory.

Petros Bereketis (17th – 18th c.)

Petros Kouspazoglou the Sweet, more widely known as Bereketis, was a member of the second “tetrandria” of composers (the other three were Panagiotis Protopsaltis the new Chrysaphes, Germanos Bishop of New Patras, and Balasios the Priest) who contributed greatly to the flourishing of the Psaltic Art in the 17th and

10 A kontakion is a long, poetic sermon that consists of 18-30 stanzas, which are metrically and structurally alike.11 See Στάθη Γρηγορίου, Στάθη Γρηγορίου, Οι αναγραμματισμοί και τα μαθήματα της βυζαντινής μελοποιίας, Ίδρυμα Βυζαντινής Μουσικολογίας, Αθήνα 1998, pp. 126-127. 12 Leader of the left choir of cantors.

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18th centuries. He was the greatest composer of the newly developed para-liturgical genre of kalophonic heirmos, which was not intended for official worship ceremonies, but rather for soloistic performance after the end of the Divine Liturgy as well as at banquets, visits of eminent secular or religious figures, and other festive occasions. Many regard his famous eight-mode setting of Θεοτόκε Παρθένε (O Theotokos and Virgin), a work that lasts about 40 minutes, as the greatest psaltic composition ever written.

Petros the Peloponnesian (ca. 1735 – 1778)

Petros was the greatest Greek Orthodox ecclesiastical musician of post-Byzantine times. He served as Lampadarios at the patriarchal church of St. George in the Phanar district of Constantinople. He transcribed the oral tradition of hymns, which formed the core of the repertoire chanted in Greek churches to this day. Among his numerous compositions special mention must be made to his settings of the Anastasimatarion13 and Doxastarion14. Petros was also a teacher and composer of Ottoman classical music.

Thrasyvoulos Stanisas (1910 - 1987)

While his activity as a composer was limited, Stanitsas is widely regarded as the greatest performer of chant of the 20th century. His unparalleled virtuosity in all psaltic genres earned him the title of “greatest cantor of the Balkans15.” He served as Protopsaltis16 of the patriarchal church of St. George between 1960 and 1964. Other great cantors of the 20th century include Stanitsas’ predecessors Iakovos Nafpliotis and Konstantinos Pringos, Leonidas Asteris (the current Archon Protopsaltis of the Ecumenical Patriarchate), Chrysanthos Theodosopoulos, Athanasios Karamanis, Athanasios Panagiotidis, Harilaos Taliadoros, Spyridon Peristeris, Photios Ketsetzis, Theodoros Vasilikos, Emmanuel Hatzimarkos, Deacon Dionysios Firfiris, et al.

III. Byzantine neume notation

While Christian hymns were in all probability notated in the first millennium AD, surviving samples of music from this period are extremely scarce. The destruction by Iconoclasts of manuscripts that were adorned with miniature images of Christ and saints may have been a contributing factor. Byzantine musical manuscripts have survived from around 950 AD. The number of extant manuscripts is approximately 7,500. The majority of them are held at monastic libraries on Mount Athos and elsewhere. In these manuscripts we can study the history and development of the various compositional genres and the psaltic notational system.

Unlike western staff notation, Byzantine neume notation does not indicate absolute pitches on a scale, but rather the movement of the melodic line in relation to the preceding notes. The origins of this notation can be traced back to the alphabetic notations of the ancient Greeks. Most of the symbols are derived from the Greek letters and prosodic signs (vareia, oxeia, etc.), while some are stylistic representations of the melodic movement they signify or the hand gesture (χειρονομία or νεύμα, hence the term “neume notation”) which a

13 A collection of resurrectional hymns chanted in the services of Saturday evening Vespers and Sunday morning Orthros.14 An anthology of moderately embellished settings of hymns chanted throughout the ecclesiastical year. Most are preceded by the Small Doxology (Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit), while some are inserted between psalmic verses.15 See Τσιούνη �ρήστου, Τσιούνη �ρήστου, Θρασύβουλος Στανίτσας, Άρχων Πρωτοψάλτης της Μ.Χ.Ε. (1910-1987), Αναμνήσεις και αφηγήσεις, Εκδόσεις Φανάριον, Αθήνα 2003, p. 54.16 Chief cantor and leader of the right choir of cantors.

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choir director used to indicate the melodic motion. Furthermore, Byzantine notation is more stenographic and descriptive rather than prescriptive, as it outlines the overall shape of the melody, but often omits more nuanced details, which are executed according to rules transmitted by the oral tradition17.

From its earliest appearance in the mid-10th century until today Byzantine neume notation has undergone a number of gradual developments, which were generally an outgrowth of organic developments in the compositional process itself. The basic “rule” can be summed up as follows: as the notation was improved, composers could use it to express new musical ideas more effectively and to create new, more elaborate styles and genres. And vice versa, as composers developed new musical styles, they needed a more refined notation to write down their more elaborate melodies, which led to improvements in the notation18. The history of the notational system can be divided into four distinct periods, based on (i) the number of symbols and the appearance of new ones, (ii) the function of each symbol, (iii) the obsolescence or disappearance of certain symbols, and (iv) the conversion of the older repertory into newer versions of the notation19.

First Period: Early Byzantine Notation (ca. 950 – 1177)

In this period there are still few signs and their function is unstable and ambiguous. There are two main subdivisions of the notation, namely Chartres or Athonite notation, and Coislin or Hagiopolite notation.

Second Period: Middle Byzantine (Round) Notation (1177 – ca. 1670)

There are over 40 signs whose function is quite clearly defined. Most signs indicate specific diastematic movements, while some indicate time. A special category of signs, the Great Hypostases of Cheironomia (Μεγάλαι Υποστάσεις Χειρονομίας), has been interpreted as signifying vocal expression or, alternatively, as mnemonic devices that denote entire melodic formulae (theseis). Some very elaborate theseis are notated with very few signs, which necessitates a great deal of memorization by the cantor. A vast repertory of Byzantine and post-Byzantine chants is written in this notation. Despite our relatively extensive knowledge about this period, the correct and accurate transcription of this repertory into the New Method or western staff notation is a hotly debated subject among contemporary musicologists20.

Third Period: Transitional Exegetical Notation (ca. 1670 – 1814)

This period commences with the exegesis (conversion) of the Athenian Trisagion (a melismatic setting of the text “Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us” in plagal second nenano mode, which 17 If we were to utilize Ter Ellingson’s terminology, we would characterize Byzantine notation as an analog (rather than digital) encoding of musical information. See Ellingson, Ter, “Notation,” Ethnomusicology, An Introduction, Norton/Grove Handbooks in Music, ed. Helen Myers, London 1992, p. 159.18 According to Gregorios Stathis, “η αναζήτησις τελείας εκ�ράσεως της μελοποιίας βοηθεί εις την εξέλιξιν και τελειοτέραν to Gregorios Stathis, “η αναζήτησις τελείας εκ�ράσεως της μελοποιίας βοηθεί εις την εξέλιξιν και τελειοτέραν to Gregorios Stathis, “η αναζήτησις τελείας εκ�ράσεως της μελοποιίας βοηθεί εις την εξέλιξιν και τελειοτέραν Gregorios Stathis, “η αναζήτησις τελείας εκ�ράσεως της μελοποιίας βοηθεί εις την εξέλιξιν και τελειοτέραν Gregorios Stathis, “η αναζήτησις τελείας εκ�ράσεως της μελοποιίας βοηθεί εις την εξέλιξιν και τελειοτέραν Stathis, “η αναζήτησις τελείας εκ�ράσεως της μελοποιίας βοηθεί εις την εξέλιξιν και τελειοτέραν Stathis, “η αναζήτησις τελείας εκ�ράσεως της μελοποιίας βοηθεί εις την εξέλιξιν και τελειοτέραν , “η αναζήτησις τελείας εκ�ράσεως της μελοποιίας βοηθεί εις την εξέλιξιν και τελειοτέραν συμπλοκήν και ενέργειαν των στοιχείων της σημειογρα�ίας. Και τανάπαλιν· όταν η σημειογρα�ία έχη �θάσει εις τέλειον σύστημα με απείρους δυνατότητας εκ�ράσεως, η μελοποιία κινείται ανετώτερον εις αυτόν τον ωκεανόν και ανοίγεται προς κατάκτησιν θαυμαστών επιτηδεύσεων, στοιχείων α�οριστικών μιας υψηλής τέχνης, της Ψαλτικής Τέχνης”. See Στάθη Γρηγορίου, Οι αναγραμματισμοί και τα μαθήματα της βυζαντινής μελοποιίας, Ίδρυμα Βυζαντινής Μουσικολογίας, Αθήνα 1998, p. 47.19 Ibid., pp. 47-59..20 For a good overview of this subject see Αλεξάνδρου Μαρίας, Εξηγήσεις και μεταγραφές της βυζαντινής μουσικής, Σύντομη εισαγωγή στον προβληματισμό τους, University Studio Press, Θεσσαλονίκη 2010.

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is chanted during funeral processions) by Balasios the Priest21. Several scribes rewrite the older repertory, using more signs and in different combinations. Less memorization is now needed to perform a piece, as the content of its melodic formulae is more analytically written.

Fourth Period: New Method of Analytical Notation (1814 – present)

In 1814 Archimandrite Chrysanthos of Madytos (who was later ordained a bishop), Gregory Levitides (then Lampadarios and later Protopsaltis of the Ecumenical Patriarchate) and Chourmouzios the Archivist, collectively known as the Three Teachers, invented the New Method, which is the current official notation of the Psaltic Art. In this system, which is essentially the last stage of development of the previous Exegetical Notation, only 15 signs remain and they are assigned very clearly defined functions. Students no longer have to memorize entire melodic phrases. Rather they can read the notation “note by note,” much like in western staff notation. The Three Teachers also developed a system of solfeggio based on the first seven letters of the Greek alphabet. Additionally, in 1832 Chrysanthos’ Great Theory of Music (Θεωρητικόν μέγα της μουσικής), which is the first systematic exposition of the revised notational system as well as the overall theoretical framework of ecclesiastical chant, was published in Trieste. The New Method was rapidly disseminated and was used to transcribe almost 75% of the Byzantine and post-Byzantine repertory, but also new compositions and secular Greek and Ottoman works. Moreover, in 1820 the first printed books of Psaltic Art appeared. Very soon the composition of manuscripts would become a thing of the past, as press publications began to abound.

IV. The teaching and transmission of the Psaltic Art; the present publication

For hundreds of years the transmission of the Psaltic Art has been achieved primarily through three media: live liturgical performance, study of musical scores, theoretical treatises and didactic pieces22, and systematic training involving a teacher-disciple relationship. The latter has historically received the greatest emphasis by church musicians, as can be deduced from the thousands of references to teacher-disciple relationships in the manuscript tradition23 as well as the establishment and operation of seven – most of them unfortunately short-lived – “Patriarchal Musical Schools” in Constantinople from 1727 to 1882. Even though the importance of training under the guidance of a master as well as frequent attendance of church ceremonies cannot be underestimated, these two media of transmission of ecclesiastical chant may become secondary in the near future, due to modern technological advances and especially the all-pervasive and life-changing influence of the Internet. A student can nowadays find hundreds of excellent recordings24 and even attend online classes of Byzantine chant25. Yet the role of musical scores and teaching manuals remains

21 See Balasios’ autograph, MS. Iviron 1250, fols. 211v-212v.22 E.g. Nikolaos Kampanis’ Method of Metrophonia (late 13th or early 14th c.), Ioannis Koukouzelis’ Mega Ison (14th c.), Gregory Bounis Alyatis’ Method of Metrophonia (15th c.), etc.23 For instance, see MS. Xiropotamou 324, fol. 267v: “Το παρόν εγρά�η παρ’ εμού Σταυράκη, και μαθητού κυρ Δανιήλ λαμπαδαρίου.”24 Websites devoted exclusively to the Psaltic art include www.psaltologion.com, www.ieropsaltis.com, www.cmkon.org, and many others.25 The American Society of Byzantine Music and Hymnology recently established an online program of chant instruction called “Multimodal School of Byzantine Chant, Practice and Theory” (http://www.asbmh.pitt.edu/Educational/Videos/Live/Live.html).

x

primary.Since the invention of the New Method several manuals providing instruction in the Psaltic Art26

have been published and used in conservatories as well as church, state and private schools of Byzantine music in Greece. Besides a book by the late Savas Savas27, these same manuals or poorly made translations of selections from them have generally been used in the United States as well. At the same time, interest in the Psaltic Art has been increasing in the western hemisphere at a very fast pace during the past two decades. Scholarly works are being published, concerts given, studio recordings made, schools of Byzantine music founded, websites created, etc. Hence the need for a teaching manual that can help bridge the gap between American-born, English-speaking church musicians and the sacred art of chanting is paramount. It is this need that the present publication is coming to fulfill.

Byzantine Music Theory and Practice Guide is the first manual in English produced for use in the recently established Archdiocesan School of Byzantine Music in New York City. It is a clearly written introduction with multiple exercises and a concise explanation of the notational and modal system of the Psaltic Art. As such, it will serve the purpose of providing solid training to the future generations of American church musicians and preserving the tradition of patriarchal chanting in posterity. I enthusiastically embrace it and recommend it to all teachers and students of Byzantine music throughout the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, but also to the entire academic community. The introduction of the Greek Psaltic Art in the curriculum of American conservatories and institutions of higher learning is long overdue. This manual can be a first step in this direction.

In conclusion, I wish to thank His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios for his godly zeal and unceasing efforts to preserve the liturgical and musical riches of our Church. I also commend the book editors, the Reverend Archdeacon Panteleimon Papadopoulos, the Reverend Deacon Aristidis Garinis, Demetrios Kehagias, Antonios Kehagias, and George Giavris, for their enviable vision and their outstanding accomplishment. Through their work it is now easier for Greek Americans to “sing unto the Lord a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth” (Isaiah 42:10 KJV)!

Grammenos Karanos, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Byzantine Liturgical Music Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology

26 E.g. �ρυσάνθου Μητροπολίτου Δυρραχίου, .g. �ρυσάνθου Μητροπολίτου Δυρραχίου, g. �ρυσάνθου Μητροπολίτου Δυρραχίου, . �ρυσάνθου Μητροπολίτου Δυρραχίου, Εισαγωγή εις το θεωρητικόν και πρακτικόν της εκκλησιαστικής μουσικής, Παρίσι 1821; Αγαθοκλέους Παναγιώτου, Θεωρητικόν της εκκλησιαστικής μουσικής, Αθήναι 1855; Στοιχειώδης διδασκαλία της εκκλησιαστικής μουσικής, Κωνσταντινούπολις 1888; Ευθυμιάδου Αβραάμ, Μαθήματα βυζαντινής εκκλησιαστικής μουσικής, Θεσσαλονίκη 1972; Μαργαζιώτου Ιωάννου, Θεωρητικό βυζαντινής εκκλησιαστικής μουσικής, Αθήνα 1974; Καρά Σίμωνος, Μέθοδος της ελληνικής μουσικής, Αθήνα 1982, et al. 27 Savas Savas, Byzantine Music: Theory and Practice, Holy Cross Orthodox Press, Boston 1975.

xi

Works Cited

Ellingson, Ter, “Notation,” Ethnomusicology, An Introduction, Norton/Grove Handbooks in Music, ed. Helen Myers, London 1992.

Savas Savas, Byzantine Music: Theory and Practice, Holy Cross Orthodox Press, Boston 1975.Strunk, Olliver, Source Readings in Music History, W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., New York 1998.Αγαθοκλέους Παναγιώτου, Θεωρητικόν της εκκλησιαστικής μουσικής, Αθήναι 1855.Αιμιλιανού Σιμωνοπετρίτου, «Περί λατρείας και ευχής», Κατηχήσεις και Λόγοι 4, Θεία Λατρεία, Προσδοκία και

Όρασις Θεού, Εκδόσεις Ορμύλια, Ορμύλια 2001.Αλεξάνδρου Μαρίας, Εξηγήσεις και μεταγραφές της βυζαντινής μουσικής, Σύντομη εισαγωγή στον προβληματισμό

τους, University Studio Press, Θεσσαλονίκη 2010.Ευθυμιάδου Αβραάμ, Μαθήματα βυζαντινής εκκλησιαστικής μουσικής, Θεσσαλονίκη 1972.Καρά Σίμωνος, Μέθοδος της ελληνικής μουσικής, Σύλλογος προς Διάδοσιν της Εθνικής Μουσικής, Αθήναι 1982.Καράνου Γραμμένου, Το Καλοφωνικόν Ειρμολόγιον, Διδακτορική διατριβή κατατεθείσα στο Τμήμα Μουσικών

Σπουδών του Εθνικού και Καποδιστριακού Πανεπιστημίου Αθηνών, Αθήνα 2011.Μαργαζιώτου Ιωάννου, Θεωρητικό βυζαντινής εκκλησιαστικής μουσικής, Αθήνα 1974.Μεταλληνού Γεωργίου, Ελληνισμός μετέωρος, Η Ρωμαίικη Ιδέα και το όραμα της Ευρώπης, εκδ. Αποστολικής

Διακονίας της Εκκλησίας της Ελλάδος, Αθήναι 1992.Στάθη Γρηγορίου, Οι αναγραμματισμοί και τα μαθήματα της βυζαντινής μελοποιίας, Ίδρυμα Βυζαντινής

Μουσικολογίας, Αθήνα 1998.---, Τα χειρόγραφα βυζαντινής μουσικής, Άγιον Όρος, Κατάλογος περιγραφικός των χειρογράφων κωδίκων

βυζαντινής μουσικής των αποκειμένων εν ταις βιβλιοθήκαις των Ιερών Μονών και Σκητών του Αγίου Όρους, τόμος Α΄, Ίδρυμα Βυζαντινής Μουσικολογίας, Αθήναι 1975.

Στοιχειώδης διδασκαλία της εκκλησιαστικής μουσικής εκπονηθείσα επί τη βάσει του ψαλτηρίου υπό της Μουσικής Επιτροπής του Οικουμενικού Πατριαρχείου εν έτει 1883, Κωνσταντινούπολις 1888.

Τσιούνη Χρήστου, Θρασύβουλος Στανίτσας, Άρχων Πρωτοψάλτης της Μ.Χ.Ε. (1910-1987), Αναμνήσεις και αφηγήσεις, Εκδόσεις Φανάριον, Αθήνα 2003.

Χρυσάνθου Μητροπολίτου Δυρραχίου, Εισαγωγή εις το θεωρητικόν και πρακτικόν της εκκλησιαστικής μουσικής, Παρίσι 1821.

1

Theory and Practice

What is Music? The art or science of combining sounds to produce beauty of form, harmony, and expression of emotion.

What is a Musical Note? A musical note is a specific sound or pitch identified by a symbol used in musical notation.

The Names of the Notes

p[]\’P{}’p’The Eight Modes

The names of the eight modes are as follows:

(Πρώτος) First Mode (Δεύτερος) Second Mode (Τρίτος) Third Mode (Τέταρτος) Fourth Mode (Πλάγιος του Πρώτου) Plagal of the First Mode (Πλάγιος του Δευτέρου) Plagal of the Second Mode (Βαρύς) Grave Mode (Πλάγιος του Τετάρτου) Plagal of the Fourth Mode

Ne Pa Vou Ga De Ke Zo Ne- - -

2

Theory and Practice

Νη

Πα

Βου

Γα

ΔιΚε

Ζω

Νη´

Ζω

ΚεΔι

Γα

Βου

Πα

Νη

8

10

12

12

8

10

12

Nη´

Ζω

Κε

Δι

Γα

Βου

Πα

Νη

Instructions:

Practice memorizing the scale by ascending and descending the pyramid in parallage. The numbers in the center scale (Μόρια - Moria/Microtones)indicate the distances between any two notes.

WHAT IS A TETRACHORD? The Tetrachord (Το Τετράχορδο) translated from Greek means four-chords or notes. Each scale is comprised of eight notes with two equal parts adding up to 72 total moria. ATetrachord is one part of the scale and has an identical internal intervallic structure as its opposite tetrachord.

WHAT IS A Disjunctive Tone? The Disjunctive Tone (Ο Διαζευκτικός Τόνος), separates the lower tetrachord from the upper tetra-chord. This note is actually a distance/interval (sum of moria between two notes).

-

Lower Tetrachord

Upper Tetrachord

(Separating/Disjunctive)Tone

(Base Note)

´ ´

´

3

Theory and Practice

Diatonic Marterees (Διατονικές Μαρτυρίες)

How to Count time in Byzantine Music

This process is called Χρόνος meaning “Time”. One counts time with simple hand gestures, down/up and left/right.

Time is counted in this case with two motions (down and up), each motion equal to one full beat.

What is Parallage and Melos?

Parallage (Η Παραλλαγή) is what we call in Western music Solfege. It is a sort of musical exercise, chanting a hymn note by note before applying the Μέλος (melos-words in melody). There is a saying among chanting teachers: “Practice Parallage 100 times and melos once.” Practicing this technique is the secret to learning Byzantine music.

Keep same pitch as previous note.

Example 1

--

21΄ςςςς7 3 54 6 ΄ςςςς7ς# 6΄΄@& ! @ ´

7

Δίσημος (Desemos) Θέση

Downbeat ΆρσηUpbeat

--

-

-

΄ςςςς7& a a a aa a aaaa aa ΄ςςςς7&O OOOOO O

OΗ Διαστολή (Deastole)

Groups notes together creating a measure of time for 2, 3 or 4 beats. O- -

aΤο ίσον (Eson)-

´ ς#

-

Quantitative CharactersCharacters Ascending and Descending

Example 2

jExample 3

Νη Πα Βου Γα Δι Κε Ζω Νη Νη Ζω Κε Δι Γα Βου

Πα Νη

Example 4

Νη Πα Βου

Γα Δι Γα Βου

Πα Νη

Example 5

Νη Νη Πα Πα Βου Βου Γα Γα Δι Δι Κε Κε Ζω

Ζω Νη Νη Νη Νη Ζω Ζω Κε Κε Δι Δι Γα Γα Βου Βου Πα

Πα Νη Νη

4

Theory and Practice

sΤο ολίγον (Olegon)-Ascend one note straight

Η απόστροφος (Apostrophos)

7&asoasoasos4&`MDescend one note straight

MM

MΗ κορώνα (Korona)Note held discretionally

7 & a a o a a o s a o a a o s a o aa o sa o a a o s a o a a o j a o a a o j a o aaojaoaaojaoaaoa7&

7&aaosaosaosaosaosaosaosaO7#~aaojaojaojaojaojaojaoja7&

7&asossossossO7#~ajojjojjo j j7&

M

MM

4

Example 6

Example 7

Νη Νη Νη Πα Πα Πα Πα Βου Γα

Δι Κε Ζω

Νη Ζω Κε Δι

Γα Βου Πα

Νη

Example 8

Νη Βου Γα Κε

Νη Ζω Κε Δι Γα Βου Πα Νη

5

7&axoasoaxoasoaxoasoaxo aoajoajoajoajoajoajoaj7&

Theory and Practice

7 & a s o s s o s j o j j o a s o s s o s j o jj o a s o s s o s j o j j o a s o s s o s a oa O 7 # ~ a j o j j o j s o s a o s j o j j o j s o s ao s j o j j o j s o s a o s j o j j o j s o s a o sjojjojsosaoj7&

xΤα κεντήματα (Kentemata)-Ascend one note by dragging up

7&aaoaxoaaoaxoaaoaxoa aoa x o a a o a x o a a o a x o a a o a x oa O 7 # ~ a a o a j o a a o a j o a a o a j o aa o a j o a a o a j o a a o a j o a a o a joa7&

MM

M

M

M M

6

Theory and Practice

Example 9

Πα Βου Πα Γα Δι Κε

Ζω Νη Κε Δι Κε

Γα Βου Ζω

Example 10

Example 11

' =or + jj

'Η υπορροή (Eporroe)Descend two notes consecutively: Each descending

note is one full beat. =

- -

7 & a x o s a o j x o s a o j x o s a o j x o s a ojxosaojxosaoaO7#~a' aoSjojaoS 'aos'aos'aoS'josaaςςςςς 7& o M

M

7 & a x o s a o a j o j a O 7 & s x o s a o a j o jaO1!sxosaoaς' aosxosaoa' ςaO3#s x o s a o a ' a o s x o S j o s a o a O 7 # ~ a' ς j o s a o a a o S ς ' j o s a o a a o s ς ' j o sa o a a o S ' ς j o s a o a a o s ς ' j o s a o aaoS'ςjosaoa7&

oo

o

o oo

o

oo

M

M7 & a s o S s o j ' ς a o S x o S x o j ' ς a O 1 ! s x o ss o j ' ς a O 2 @ S s o s x o j ' ς a O 3 # S ' ς a o s ' ς a oS'ςjosaoa7&M

Ζω

Γα

Βου

Βου

Πα

Κε

SΗ πεταστή (Petaste)Ascend one note with

a slight vocal flutter

-

o oo o o o

o

oo oo

7

Theory and Practice

Characters that Add Duration

Example 12

Νη Νη Νη - η Πα Πα Πα - α Βου Βου Βου - ου Γα

Γα Γα - α Δι Δι Δι - ι Δι Δι Γα

example 13

Example 14

i= Το κλάσμα (Klasma)1 Beat

8 = 1 Beat

9 = 2 Beats

0 = 3 Beats

++++

Η απλή (Aple)Η διπλή(Deple)Η τριπλή (Treple)

These symbols add duration to the note on which they are placed and on the last note of

the Eporoe ( )

---

- -

7 & a a o a u o s a o a u O 1 ! s a o a u o sa o a u o s a o a u o a a o j * o a a o j * O 2 @aaoj*oaaoj*oaaoau7&

7 & a s o s u o a j o j * o s x o S u o a j o j * o s x o s u o aς'*O2@ssosuoaς'*ς*ς*oSς'*oS'*oS'*oaaoau7&

7 & a u o s u o S j o j * O 7 & s u o s u o S j o j * O 1 ! s u o s u o S j o j **O2@suosuoSjoj*O3#suosuoSjoj*O4`&suosuosaoauO7~#ajoajoauoauO5`!SjoajoauoauO4`&SjoajoauoauO3#SjoajoauoauO2@SjoajoauoauO1!Sjoajoauoj*osaoau7&

- -

' 8

oo o o o

8

Theory and Practice

7 & a x o s 9 j o s u O 2 @ j x o s 9 j o s u O 3 # j s o s 9 j o s u O 4 & `S'ς(josuO3#S'ς(josuO2@S' ς(josuO1!S' ς(josuO7&S'(jo suosaoajosu7&

Example 15

Example 16

Example 17

Example 18

7&a9jos9xos9joj*oauO7&s9jos9xos9joj*oauO1!s9jos9xos9jojioauO2@s9jos9xos9jojioauO3#s9jojioauO2@s9jojioauO1!s9jojiojiosuoau7&

7&aaoaaos0oaaoaaos0oaao aaos0oj)oj)oj)7&

7&asossojiojioj)O7&suosuO2@ asosso jiojioj)O2@ajojjosuosuoj)7&

8 9

Theory and Practice

Example 19

Example 20

Example 21

Example 22

Example 23

7&aaa\|saa\|saa\|saa\|saa\| aaj\| aaj\|aaj\|aaj\|7&

890

8\\\\ e

=

==

= Rest for 1/2 beatRest for 1 beatRest for 2 beats

Resr for 3 beats

Οι παύσεις (Rests)Rests are symbols which tell

us where to be silent while still counting time.

7&a\|s\|s\|s\|3#a\|j\|j\|j\|7&

7&\|a\|a\|s\|a\|s\|a\|j\|a\|j\| a\|7&7&auojxos\oauojxos\oauojxos\oauojxos \ o a u o j j o s \ a u o j j o s \ o a u o j j o s \auojjos\aaoau7&

7&\|as\|s\| s \|3#ajj\|sjj\|7&

10

Theory and Practice

7&aao\|osao\|osao\| O2@sao\|osao \| O4`&ajo\|oajo\|oajo\|oajo\|oaao\|7&

Example 24

Example 25

Example 26

Example 27

7 & a \ | j o s \ | s o s \ | j o j i \ | o s \ | j o s \ | s os \ | j o j i \ | o s \ | j o s \ | s o s \ | j o j i \ | o s \ | j o j i\|os\|joji\|oa\|josu\|7&

7&a\||os\||os\||oj\||oj\||oj\||os\||7&

7&axsaς'jxsaς jxsa jxsaς'jxsa' ςjssaa7~#ajjiς'jxauς'Sςς'* jx auς Sjjiς'jxau' ςSςς'* jxauς'S'*ςς jxa'uςSjjiςjxau7&

’ ’

M’

’ ’ ’ ’

’'Ο σταυρός (Stavros) Το κόμμα (Comma)These symbols are placed between mu-sical phrases for a brief breath. They

hold no quantitative value.

11

Theory and Practice

What is Meter?

Until now we have practiced examples using 2-beat meter

There is also a 3-beat meter called:

3

oaaao

There is also a 4-beat meter called:

4

oaaaao

Δίσημος (Desemos) Θέση

Downbeat ΆρσηUpbeat

--

Τρίσημος (Tresemos)

Τετράσημος (Tetrasemos)

(1)(2)

(3)

(4)

(1)(2) (3)

-

-

-

12

Example 28

Example 29

Example 30

Example 31

Example 32

Theory and Practice

Τρίσημος (Tresemos)

(1)(2)

(3)

- -

7&oaaaosaaosaaojaaoja a7&7 & a a a o s a a o s a a o s a a o saaojaaojaaojaaojaaoa97&7&o\|aosuaosuaosuaosuaoj*aoj*ao j*aoj(o7&

7&asuosjiosjiojau o s s u o s j*o s j*ojauo ssuosj*osj*ojauossuosj*osj*ojauo sj*ojauosj*ojauosj*ojauoaj*osauo7&

7 & a s s o j s s o j s s o j s s o j s s ojssoa9O7& ajjosjjosjjosjjosjjosjjoa9o7&

Example 33

Example 34

Example 35

Example 36

13

Theory and Practice

Τετράσημος (Tetrasemos)(4)

(1)(2) (3)

-

7 & a a a a o s a a a o s a a a o sa a a o j a a a o j a a a o j a a a oauauO7&7&ausuosujiojijiosuauosusuosujiojijiosuauosusuosujiojijiosuauosujiojijiosujiosuauosujiojijiiosujiosuauo7&

7 & a \ | | o s \ | | o s \ | | s \ | | o s \ | | O 4 ` & \ | a \ o \ | j \o\|j\o\|j\o\|j\oa0o7&

7 & a u a a o s u a a o s u a a o s u a a o sa u a o j a u a o j a u a o j a u a o j a u a o a uauo7&

14

Ολίγον + Κεντήματα

Κεντήματα + Ολίγον

Ολίγον, Απόστροφος + Κεντήματα

Ολίγον, Υπορροή + Κεντήματα

Ολίγον, Ίσον + Κεντήματα

Ολίγον με Ίσον

Πεταστή με Ίσον

Πεταστή με Απόστροφο

(Petaste)

Theory and Practice

v c

-

t

_

0

A

J

(Olegon) (Kentemata)

(Apostrophos)

(Eporoe)

-

(Kentemata) (Olegon)

(Olegon)

(Olegon)

(Olegon)

(Olegon)

(Kentemata)

(Kentemata)

(Kentemata)

(Petaste) (Apostropho)

(Eson)

(Eson)

(Eson)

-

- -

- -

- - -

- - -

- -

- -

-

These characters are read bottom to top, left to right one note at a time. In other words, in the first example, the Olegon is chanted before the Kentemata. In the

second example, the Kentemata are chanted before the Olegon. In the third example the Eporroe is chanted before the Kentemata and the Olegon acts as a

table adding no quantitative value, and so on. In examples 3-8 the bottom charac-ter adds no quantitative value. Its purpose and placement is to add a slight quali-

tative emphasis to the character written above it.

Synthesis of Characters

--

--

-

- --

v c

-

t

_

0

A

J

= x+s= x + s

+' xs (No value)=

s (No value)a + x=

s (No value)=

s (No value)= j + x

a

S (No value)

S

=

= (No value)

a

j

1)

2)

3)

4)

5)

6)

7)

8)

15

Theory and Practice

Example 37

Example 38

Example 39

Example 40

7&auovojiovojiovojiovojioS'ς*oS'ς*oS'ς*oS'ς*7&o o o o

7&acjoSjjaoscjoS'ςaoscjoS'ςa o s c j o S ς ' a o s c a o j c a o a < O 7 ~ & ajjjojxsaO5`!Sς'jojcaoSjjjojca3#S ς ' j o j c a O 2 @ S ς ' j o j c a o S ς ' j o j x s a oau7&

o

7 & a c o j c o j c o j c o j c o j c o j c o j ( O 7 # ~aj joSς'oS'ςoS'ςoS'ςoS'ςoS'ςos9O7&

7&_jiosusjosu-o-sjosu3#-ojisuos j s u o - - o s j s u o j j o A j s u o _jjoAjsuo_jjoAjsuo_jjoAjsuO7&

(2)

(1)

(1)

(2)

(3) (4)

(1)

(2)

(3)

16

Theory and Practice

Example 41

Example 42

Example 43

Example 44

7&acjoacjoacjoacjoacjoacaO7~#atoa'*O4`&stoaς'*O2@stoaς'*7&s'*osjsuO7&

o

7 & a c u o A j j i o O 7 & s c u o A j j i o s c u o A j j i O 2 @s c u o A j j i o s c u o A j j i O 4 ` & s c u o a j s u O 7 ~ #ajAjoAjsaO5`!SjAjoAjsaO4`&Sj A j o A j s a O 3 # S j A j o A j s a O 2 @SjAjoAjsuoj(\7&

7 & a c O c a a u o J j J j o s a a u o a c O ca a u O 5 ` ! J j J j o s a a u O 2 @ a c O c a a u O 6 ~ @JjJjosa auO3#ac Ocaau O7 ~ #A''ςςjsuoSς'josjsuO2@S'ςjosjsuoSς'josjsu7&

M

7 & a a 0 a o s a 0 a o s a 0 a o sa0aosa0aO4`&aj)aoSjjaO1!sj)aoajsuO7&

o

17

Down two notes straight Up two notes straight

Example 45

Example 46

Example 47

Theory and Practice

k Το ελα�ρόν (Elafron)

7&axoSIokuoduojxoSuokuoduO3#jxoSuokuoduO4`&jxoSuokoduO5`!jxoSuokuoduO6~@jxoSIokuosCUO7~#a j o j i o d u o k u O 5 ` ! s j o j i o d u o k u O 4 ` & s j o j i o d u ok u O 3 # s j o j i o d u o k u O 2 @ s j o j i o d u o k u O 1 ! s j o j i od u o k u O 7 & s j o j i o d u o k u O 6 ^ s j o j i o d u o k u o s Caoau7&

sC dor-Olegon with Kentema or Petaste- D

or-

7 & \ a o D j o d j o s C j o D j o d j o s C U O 7 ~ # a k oskoskoskoskoskoskosu7&

7&aςςς d kuO7&s d kuO1!sdkuO2sdkuO3# SjsuO4`&akskoj(\O7& asCsCsos<CO7#~

18

Example 48

Example 49

Example 50

Theory and Practice

7&asosuoajojioDkoDkoDjojiO7&ssosuoajojioDkoDkoDjojiO1!ssosuoaς'o DkoDkoDjoj*O2@ssosuoajojioDkoDk o D j o j i O 3 # s s o s u o a j o j i O 4 ` & D k o D k o ssosuO7~#akovokuoauO5`!skovokuoauO4`&s k o v o k u o a u O 3 # s k o v o k u a u O 2 @skovokuoauO1!sjojjosuoau7&

7 & a O c k o s O c k o s O c k o s O c k o s O ck o s O c u O 7 ~ # a j o j d o j j o j d o j ' ς d o j ς ' d o j ς 'dojς'dojς'doji7&

o

o o oo o

7 & a d o j j o s d o j j o s d o j j o s d o j j os d o j j o s d o j j o s d o j j o s u O 7 ~ # a k o voj kovoj kovoj kovoj kovoj kovoj kovoji7&

M

8

19

Example 51

Example 52

Example 53

Theory and Practice

7&auo DIo j io d uo j io d u o j i o DI o j i o d u o j i o s C U O7 ~ #auo ku osuokuosuokuO3#suokuosuokuosuoku7&

p k x+

s=

= (No value)

Elafron with Kentemata-

7 & a u o s C a o j i o s C a o j i o s C a o j i o s C a o j i osCaojiosCaoauO7~#ajojioduo poajojiO4`&duopoaς'*oduopoa'*ςO2@duopoajojioduopoajojioduopoa'*ςosu7&

o oo

7 & a s o s u o v o p o p o s u o v o p o p osuovopoposuovopoposuovopo posuO7~# ajojio_oajojio_oajojio_oajojio_oajojio_oajojioajosu7&

20

Theory and Practice

Ascending three notes

for F7& af aF1!af aF2@ af aF3# af aF4`& af aF

Descending three notes

descent of 3 can also take the form of:

or

7~#al6~@al

5`!al4`& al

3# al

l= L

Characters Ascending and DescendingMore than two notes straight

=

=

=

=

=

Νη

Πα

Βου

Γα

Δι

Κε

Ζω

Νη´

Γα

Δι

Νη´ Δι

Ζω Γα

Κε Βου

Δι Πα

Γα Νη

Four notes upwards

g or G

7&ag aG1! ag aG2@ ag aG

3# ag aG

Four notes downwards

; 4`&a;

7~# a;5`! a;

6~@ a;3# a ;

=

=

=

=

Νη

Πα

Βου

Δι

Κε

Ζω

Νη´Γα

ΝηΔι

Νη´ Δι

Κε Πα

Ζω Βου

Γα Νη

´

´

´´

21

Theory and Practice

Example 54

Example 55

7 & a a o s s o s u o l u o f a o a u O 3 # a a o a jo j j o f I o l u O 7 & s a o s s o s u o l u o f a o a u O 4 ` &a a o j j o j i o f I o l u O 1 ! s a o s s o s u o l u o faoauO5`!aaojjojioFIoluO2@saossosuol u o f a o a u O 6 ~ @ a a o j j o j i o f I o l u O 3 # s a o ss o s u o l u o f a o a u O 7 & a j o j j o f I o l u O 4 ` & d j o jj o f I o l u 3 # D j o j j o f I o l u O 2 @ d j o j j o f I o l u O 1 ! DjojjofIoluoaaoau7&

7 & a a o v o a x o a u O 3 # l f o a u o l u o f I o k u ovo_oauolfoauoluofIO4`&kuovo_oauolfoauoluofIO5`!kuovo_oauolfoauoluof I O 6 ~ @ k u o v o _ o a u o l f o a u o l u o f I o a a oa u O 7 ~ # a j o j j o f I o l u o a j o F I o l u O 3 # a ς j o f I o l u osjojaofIoluςςO1!DjojjoFIoluoa9\7&

22

Example 56

Example 57

Example 58

Theory and Practice

7&auofIoluofIokuofIoluofIokuofIoluofoIkoufoIloufIokuofIoluofaoau\|| O7~#auoluoduoluoduoluoduoluoduolouduoluosu\||7&

7 & \ a o f k o f k o f k o f k o f I O 7 ~ # \ a o l doldoldoldolaoau7&

7&\aosjodkoflog;osxodcofvoauO7&\fo-okdolfo;goxsocdovfoau7~#

s d f x c vUp 5 notes Up 6 notes Up 7 notes Down 5 notes Down 6 notes Down 7 notes

23

Theory and Practice

Characters that divide duration

Example 59

Example 60

Example 61

eΓοργόν (Gorgon)

Δίγοργον (Degorgon)Τρίγοργον (Tregorgon)

Divide beat 1/2Divide beat 1/3

Divide beat 1/4ty--

aae a=

aa2a =a

aa6aa =

a

7 & a a e a a e o s a e a a e o s a e a a e o saeaaeosaeaaeojaeaaeojaeaaojaeaaeojaeaaeoau7&

7 & a a e s a e o s a e s a e o s a e s a e o saesaeoauO7~#jaejaeojaejaeojaejaeojaeaaeoau7&

7 & a s e s s e o s s e s s e o a a e j a e o j a e jaeojaejaeojaejaeoau7&

See top of page 48 for more detail

(1/2)(1/2)

(1/2)(1/2)

(1/2)(1/2)

(1/2)(1/2)

(1/2)(1/2)

(1/2)(1/2)

24

Example 62

example 63

Example 64

Example 65

Example 66

Theory and Practice

7 & a s a e o j i O 7 & s s a e o j i O 1 ! s s a e o j i O 2 @ssaeojiO3#ssaeojiO4`&sjaeojiO3#jsaeojiO2@sjaeojiO1!jsaeoji7&

7&saejosuO1!saejosuO2@saejosuO3# saejosuO4`&sjrjoauO3#sjrjoauO2@sjrjoauO1!sjrjoau7&

7&acejioscejioscejioscejOi7~#_rjjio_rjjio_rjjioa:jios:au7&

7 & a V j i o s V j i o s V j i o s V j i O 7 ~ # a : c eaoj:cejoa:ceaoj:ceaO4`&a::a7&

7 & a u a e o s u a e o s u a e o s u a e o s u a e o j i a e o j i aeojiaeojiaeoau7&

(1/2)

(1/2)

(1 beat) (1/2)(1/2)

(1 beat ) (1/2)

(1/2)

(1 beat )

(1/2)

(1/2)

(1/2)

(1/2)

(1 beat )

(1/2)

(1/2)

(1/2)(1 -1/2)

(1 beat) (1/2)(1/2)

(1 beat)(1/2)(1/2)

25

Example 67

Example 68

Example 69

Example 70

Example 71

Theory and Practice

7&auseosuseosuseosudeojiO7~#aujrojijrojijrojiseoku7&7 & d u : * o s u : * o s s o s s o s u O 4 ` & j j r * o V j o s u o S jr*oajr*oajr*oau:*osu:*os9\7&

7&a9seos9seos9aeoj(jroj(aeoj(7&

7&a0seos0seos0jroj)jroj)7&h

HP

=

orj=

orJ=

orj j x

ΣΥΝΕ�ΕΣ ΕΛΑΦΡΟΝ (CONTINUOUS ELAFRON)a a

a aThe Continuous Elafron descends two notes with Gorgon.

The Gorgon is invisibly placed above the Elafron cutting the time of the preceding Apostrophos in half. The Continuous Elafron often ap-

pears like an Apostrophos glued to an Elafron.

7&asCoshO1!ssoshO2@ssosh3&ssoshoauO4`&shO3#shO2@shO1!shoau7&

o

jj

(1 -1/2) (1/2) (1/2)(1/2)

(1 beat)

(1 -1/2) (1/2)

(2 -1/2) (1/2)

(1/2)(3 -1/2)

(4)(1)

(2) (3)(4)

(1)

(2)

(3)(3)

(1/2) (1/2)(1 beat)

26

Example 72

Example 73

Example 74

Example 75

Example 76

Theory and Practice

7 & s h S h o s c e s e j a O 1 ! s x R s s h oshShofjjrjjraoahcea7&

7 & a a 2 a a a 2 a o s a 2 a a a 2 a o s a 2 a a a 2 a o s a 2 a a a 2 a o s a 2 a a a 2 a o j a 2 a a a 2 a o ja2a aa2ao ja2a aa2ao ja2a aa2a7&7 & a a 2 a s o s a 2 a s o s a 2 a s o sa2asO7~# aa2ajo ja2ajo ja2ajo ja2aj7&7 & a a a 2 s o s a a 2 s o s a a 2 j o a aa2joa aa2joa aa2joau7&

7&asosuoAjojiO7&ssosuoAjojiO1!ssos u o A j o j i O 2 @ s s o s u o A j o j i O 3 # s j o s u O 4 ` & A jhousjojioAjosu7&

(1/3)(1/3)

(1/3) (1/3)(1/3)

(1/3)

(1/3)(1/3)

(1/3) (1 beat )

27

Example 77

Example 78

Example 79

Characters that add and divide duration

Theory and Practice

7 & a a 6 a a s a 6 a a o s a 6 a a sa6aaosa6aaaa6aaO4`&j a6aaja6aaoja6aaj a6aaoau7&

7 & a a 6 a a s o s a 6 a a s o s a 6 aasosa6aasMO7~#arjsosrjsosrjso srjso srjso srjsoau7&

7&aaa6asosaaa6sosaaa6sosaaa6soauO7~#aaa6ajojaa6ajojaa6ajojaa6ajoau7&

q

Αργόν (Argon)Δίαργον (Deargon)

Τρίαργον (Treargon)

These characters work like a Gorgon, but they also add duration on the final

note affected. The Argon adds one beat, the Deargon adds two beats and

the Treargon adds three beats.

w Wca w =

a x se ia c =W ax es9

These examples show how the Argon or Deargon will be used in a musical text. The phrases are read from

left to right and bottom to top.

-

- --

-

(1/4)(1/4)

(1/4) (1/4)(1/4)(1/4)

(1/4) (1/4)

(1 beat )(1/4)(1/4)(1/4)

(1/4)

(1 beat )

28

7&acwojcwojcwojcwojcwojcwO7~#

7 & ς ς ς ς j ς j c w o a j c w o j s c w o k s c w o k s c w o jjhuoSjjrau7&7 & a c w j o s c w w a o f : * j o D : * ; o g : * j o f ljfojjjjoajcw7&

7&acWojcWojcWoj:*kojcW7&

7 & a s s a O c q O 4 ` & j j j a O c q O 3 # j j j j O c q O 1 ! a jjjOc qO7&

Example 80

Example 81

Example 82

Example 83

Example 84

Qualitative Characters

Theory and Practice

\ / , m ?Το ψη�ιστόν (Psefeston)

Το ομαλόν (Omalon)

Το αντικένωμα (Antekenoma)

Ο σύνδεσμος (Sendesmos)

Η βαρεία (Varea)

Το υ�έν (Efen)-- - ---

xThese characters are subject to interpretation and are learned only through hearing and imitation

(See Character chart for more detail)

(1) (2)

(3)

(1/2) (1/2)

(2 beats)

(1)

(2)

(3)(4)

(1 beat)

(2)

(2 beats)

(1/2)(1/2)

(1)

(1/2)(1/2)

(3 beats)

(2) (3)(4)

(1/2)(1/2)

(4)(1)

(2) (3)

(4 beats)

29

Example 85

Example 86

Example 87

Example 88

Theory and Practice

7 & a j s a o \ s j s a o \ s j s a o \ s js a o \ s j s a O 4 ` & \ a j \ a j o \ s j j a o\sjjso\jjsa7&

7 & a s s a o s / j j a o s s s a o d / j j i O 4 ` &s/jjos/jjos/jjos/jjos/jhsos9\7&

7 & a a , o s < u o f a , o j a , o D I o j i O 4 ` & s u o s s oa<uoauO7~#sjojjoja,oflo;9\7&

7 & g s m o j i o j s m o j i o j s m o j i o j j o s u O 1 ! g s m o j i o ssosuO1!~jjojioasmojjojios ?ojjojjossmojjojiO1!sjo\jjosu7&

Example 89

Example 90

Example 91

Example 92

7&asmojsCosCUO4`&ssmejojjoDjojsmejojae9\O2@suossmojjhuO1!f;ossmejoja,oau7&7 & a m 8 j r o V j o s m 8 j r o V j o s u d e o j M * j r o V C k o j a e 9 \O2@Zjrojiosm8jrojiojsmoji7&

7&aa?ofa?ojFojiO4`&;Soja?ossosuO7#~k d o ; a ? o s l o a a ? o j a ? o s j r s ? o j a ? oau7&

7 & a j n o s s o s u o D j o s u O 4 ` & s b s o s u O 7 # ~ aj y o j i o a s t o k u O 4 ` & d / t j o j i o s t j o j n i o s j n o s u O 4 ` & jj o j i O 1 ! a s o s s t o s j o t j j o j i O 1 ! j s b o s u O 2 @j nsokuO7&Vb-rbokuO7&sOzjroau ' ςrsmejoau7&

30

Theory and Practice

n tSharp & Flat.

Το παρεστιγμένον Parestegmenon

This character retains a slightly longer duration on the side of the Gorgon it is placed, thereby subtracting a bit from

the opposite side. e- A flat lowers the tone by half a step and

a sharp raises the tone by half a step.

31

Example 93

Example 94

Example 95

Example 96

Theory and Practice

7&asosso ssto jj no sj ~jso e bs9so jijr nojs bos*94`& f ojjy jij rn jyjojiO7&

ς7 & ς a x R o s u x R o s u d e y o j j o a u s e o j j o j i o s u b o s 0 O 4 ` &dyojiojifojyjojiojiofIyojiojioam8jrojjyojiosyu<ojiςO7&i

7& agofIoaa6ajjiojstojj noshse bos98*O4`&saojjoam8jrjioj)O7&sao\=\ =oauofIj~jiokuaa6aaoa9\7&

7 & s C o s s o V j i o a a o a c w O 7 # ~ a w o s w o swoswoswojiojcWoaac q oakossolu7&

(2/3)(1/3)

o

32

Example 97

Example 98

Example 99

Example 100

Example 101

Theory and Practice

7 & a c w o j j o a c w o j c w o s c w o s a u O 7 # ~ a j ojio\jjojiojaoscwo;i7&

7 & a c w o a c W o s < s o s u O 7 # ~ a j o j a o S j o jaosjojioVjjojcwo;i7&

7 & a c e o a c W o s < s o s u O 7 # ~ a h o s h o sh o s h o V j j o j i o 1 ! a s o v o s a o j j o a ucwojaoaajjiojaaaoji7&

7 & a c o ` a c ` o a c ` o s a O 7 # ~ a w o s w o s w oswoswoVjjoji7&

7&aaoac`aj~VosuO4`&fa1la1oka1kogjkj~oji7&

(2/3)

(1/3)

(2/3)

(1/3) (2/3)(1/3)

(2/3)(1/3)

33

Example 102

Example 103

Example 104

Example 105

Example 106

Theory and Practice

7 & a d o j d o j d o j i O 3 # a a o s x r s u O 6 @ ~ ; g ok s C o s k o s C U O 7 # ~ a k o s k o s k o S u o j k oshosfo;i 7&

7 & g j ~ j j ~ o f j ~ j j ~ o f j ~ s j ^ j s s u o f I k e o d u ojjoj kof;oaceoaon7&

i7 & a s C o s C a o s t j o s t j o j n s o s t s o s u oS t j o j y j o j i o ; i o s C s b o s I o a j n o \ j j n o j i 7 &

7 & a c e o a u o j V o a u o a a 2 a a o s a 6 aa a o s a s o s u O 7 # ~ S h o s j r j y o j i o - o s tjj no\jjoji 7&

7 & I o j a o a j j o a x R s o \ j j o a u O 4 ` & a a j oSIokusos<uosssO7#~ajjoassojjrjosuo\=\=oji7&

34

Example 107

Theory and Practice

7 & a a 3 s s o a a 3 s s o a a 3 s s os u < O 7 # ~ a a 4 j j o s a 4 j j o s a 4 j j o s a 4 j j osa4jjosa4jjosa4jjosu7&

dνη ΄fπα gβου hγα jδι kκε lζω ;νη΄

1πα 4δι wδι 3νη´

ζω o

Diatonic Fthores

Chromatic Fthores

Enharmonic Fthores

Fthores

βου γα oo

΄

΄

35

Απηχήματα (Apehemata)The Apehema is an introductory musical phrase that provides the chanter a brief opportunity to grasp the

sound of a particular mode before begining to chant.

Chanting with Melos

- -

- -

` ! 1!jisau1!

` ~ $7&afD3&7&avkau7&

` ~ ! 1!adu/jiji1!

5`!jixrau5`!

` #3#lf93#3#lfau3#

` ~ @1%au1%axss94$1%axv/ jjji1%

` @4`%au2`%assu4`%2`%asVj(4`%

` 53#au1!am8h96^1!ax\jjji6^

` $4`&ajji2@1!au4`&auaau4&

νε

ε

α να νες

α α νες

νε ε

νε

νε ε να νω

νε ε χε α α νες

νε

νε α νες

νε α εςνε

να να

να α να

να

νε ε νε

νε ε νεςα α

λε γε τος

νε

α γι α

νε ε

νε α γι ε

7&asxSIjr\au:smejau7&νε α α α για ι ι ι ε

First Mode Second Mode Third Mode

Plagal of the First Mode Plagal of the Second Mode Grave Mode

Fourth Mode Plagal of the Fourth Mode

Doxology Verses in Each Mode

` !&[1 ! G j a j o s / j j s o s u o S j a a o j : s s osu4`&loaaoFjVjojijsos/jojjvok91!

1!fo\sa,jjoajossauO4`&jsoSjajo a j s C a o a u l o s s o s a j i O 3 # a a j soSIjhovku1! ξο λο γου μεν σε ευ χα ρι στου μεν σοι δι α την με

`@+4 ` % v C / j j o j j s u o a s o d / j j j o \ s a , o J j ja o a c e a u O 4 ` % F j a j o s / j j j o s u a s o SjAjoa/jjaoaceau4`%

4 ` % v C / j j o j j o s u o a s o s a j o s j j o A I O hsssovjaojsos/jjo-r\ajraaoJhossssoVjhaoaaoa/jjoaceau4`%

36

Chanting with Melos

Δο ξα σοι τω δει ξαν τι το φως δο ξα εν υ ψι στοις Θε

ω και ε πι γης ει ρη η νη εν αν θρω ποις ευ δο κι α

Υ μνου ου μεν σε ευ λο γου μεν σε προ σκυ νου μεν σε δο

α λην σου δο ξαν

Κυ ρι ε Βα σι λευ ε που ρα νι ε Θε ε ε Πα τερ παν

το κρα α τορ Κυ ρι ε Υι ε μο νο γε νες Ι η σου

Χρι στε και α α γι ον Πνε ευ μα

Κυ ρι ε ο Θε ος ο αμ νος του Θε ου ο Υι ος του

Πα τρος ο αι ρων την α μαρ τι αν του κο ο ο σμου ε

λε η σον η μας ο αι αι ρων τας α μαρ τι ας του

κο ο σμου

Doxology Verses in Each Mode

37

Chanting with Melos

`#9\3#f/jjaoa/jj nsovasos/jjjossoSIjhosu5`!jaos/jjj nsu3#

3 # D j a o A I o k s o s s a s 8 o v / o j h o Sk s u o a s o S k o S j o \ s j r s ? j j o s /jojj nosu3#

Προ σδεξαι την δε η σιν η μων ο κα θη με νος εκ δε ξι

ων του Πα τρος και ε λε η σον η μας

t

Ο τι συ ει μο νος Α γι ος συ ει μο νος Κυ

ρι ος Ι η σους Χρι στος εις δο ο ο ξαν Θε ου

Πα τρος α μην

`$ ^h2 @ a s o v j a o A j s s o s / j j i o a s o d / jjjod/j\ja ,o jjs s o vk u O4`&aajso s/jjjoVjji2@2@sCsod/jjjod/ j j a o a h s s o V j jaojsoSjoajov/jjoaji2@

Καθ ε κα στην η με ραν ευ λο γη σω σε και αι νε ε

σω το ο νο μα α σου εις τον αι ω να και εις τον αι ω

να του α ω ω νος

α να μαρ τη τους φυ λα χθη ναι η μα ας

Κα τα ξι ι ω σον Κυ ρι ε εν τη η με ρα τα αυ τη

3%@

Doxology Verses in Each Mode

38

Chanting with Melos

`~1 [g{5`!josssaoSjaoaaos/jjoVjhsosu7#~lossos_r?jjojsoaxaaoSkaxoaajjov/jjoau5`! F

G I j j o S k s s o s / j j j o j s o s u 7 # ~ a o s /jho\sjrsasmojjoau ,5`!

`~21% f $1 % F o j s o v \ a j o s / j j x o S k V j o j j j s o s/jjioji1%

1%Gjajojsosas kod/jjj Rod/jjjojjs s o s u j s o v j i o s / j j s o S k V j o j i od/jjojsoVjj:osCaoa/j-oku1%

Ευ λο γη τος ει Κυ ρι ε ο Θε ος των Πα τε ε ρων

η μων και αι νε το ον και δε δο ξα σμε ε νον το

ο νο μα α σου εις τους αι ω νας Α μην

Γε νοι το Κυ ρι ε το ε λε ος σου εφ η μας καθ α

περ ηλ πι ι ι σα μεν ε πι σε

Ευ λο γη τος ει ει Κυ ρι ε ε δι δα ξο ον με τα δι και

ω μα τα σου

Κυ ρι ε κα τα φυ γη ε γε νη η θης η μιν εν γε νε α και

γε νε α ε γω ει πα Κυ ρι ε ε λε η σο ον με

ι α σαι την ψυ χη η μου ο τι η μαρ τον σοι

Doxology Verses in Each Mode

39

Chanting with Melos

`5(\3 # f / ) j j a o S j o V j j a o j j o _ ! a h u O 1 ! ss o s s o S k V j o j i O 4 ` & j j j o s a k o s c eau3#

f / ) j j a o a / j j s o s u 4 ` & l o s s o s a j o d /jjjosu3#

`~46pc7&goFIjjjroasoSkVjoji kaos/j-

oku7&

Κυ ρι ε προς σε κα τε ε φυ γον δι δα ξο ον με του

ποι ειν το θε λη μα α σου ο τι συ ει ο θε ο ο

μου

Ο τι πα ρα σοι πη γη ζω ης εν τω φω τι σου ο ψο

ο με θα φως

Πα ρα τει ει νον το ε λε ο ος σου τοις γι νω σκου σι

σε

7&a/jjojsosOu4`&_jjojsosOu4&`aaa

jod/hςςςj jodajjoji7& Α γι ος ο Θε ος Α γι ος Ι σχυ ρος Α γι ος

α θα α να τος ε λε η σον η μας

40

WHAT IS A Mode? A Mode (Ο Ήχος) is the sound created by a melody in a particular scale. Each mode is defined by melodic phrases developed around a group of notes. This melodic configuration gives each mode its own acoustic character, making it unique among the other modes. In Byzantine music there are eight modes: four authentic and four plagal modes. Example: First Mode (authentic) Plagal of the First Mode (plagal).

WHAT IS A SCALE? A Scale (Η Κλίμακα) consists of eight notes (Νη, Πα, Βου, Γα, Δι, Κε, Ζω´, Νη´) completing one octave (meaning eight in Latin). The sound of the scale is determined by the number of microtones in be-tween notes, called μόρια (moria). Thus in Byzantine music there are three groups of scales: the Diatonic, the Chromatic and the Enharmonic. These three groups have their own symbols which identify them, called φθορές (fthores).

WHAT IS A BASE NOTE? The Base Note (Η Βάση) is the first note of a scale and the note to which the melody generally returns. The base note gives the overall quality of sound and support to the mode. For this reason, the Ίσον (drone) is commonly chanted on the base note, since it is the base of the mode.

WHAT ARE STRUCTURAL NOTES? The Structural Notes (Οι Δεσπόζοντες Φθόγγοι) function as the backbone of the scale in a mode. These notes are what determine the melody of a mode, providing musical phrases and unique charac-teristics to each mode.

WHAT ARE ENDING PHRASES? There are four types of Ending Phrases: (ατελείς, εντελείς, τελικές και οριστικές). Looking at a hymn, one will notice commas, heightened commas (a breath mark), and periods. Ending phrases represent these punctuation marks in a musical format.

WHAT IS (PARALLAGE)? Parallage (Η Παραλλαγή) is what we call in western music Solfege. It is a sort of musical exercise, chanting a hymn note by note before applying the Μέλος (melos - words in melody). There is a saying among chanting teachers: “Practice Parallage 100 times and melos once.” Practicing this technique is the secret to learning Byzantine music.

WHAT IS A TETRACHORD? The Tetrachord (Το Τετράχορδο) translated from Greek means four-chords or notes. Each mode is comprised of eight notes with two equal parts adding up to 72 total moria. A tetrachord is one part of the mode and is equivalent to its opposite tetrachord. (see pyramid diagram on pg. 2)

WHAT IS A Disjunctive Tone? The Disjunctive Tone (Ο Διαζευκτικός Τόνος), separates the lower tetrachord from the upper tetrachord. This note is actually a distance/interval (sum of 12 moria between two notes).

(unfinished, paused, complete and final)

-

--

Definition of Terms

41

12

8

10

12

12

8

10

12

First Mode

2(Base Note)

(Disjunctive Tone)

Lower Tetrachord

Upper Tetrachord

1f

΄ςςςς7

3

54

6΄ςςςς7

1ς

ς#

d

6΄΄@

&!

@&

!

gh

j

kl

;΄f

Base Note:First mode has (Πα) as its base note and belongs to the diatonic scale. If the melody enters the upper tetra-chord the base note becomes (Κε). Thus the base note is always the first note of the tetrachord and is deter-mined by the direction of the melody.

Structural Notes:The structural notes in first mode heirmologic melody (fast melody) are (Πα) and (Δι); sticheraric melody (Πα) and (Γα); papadic melody (Πα) and (Γα).

Ending Notes:Paused endings or unfinished endings in the heirmologic melody are chanted on the note (Δι) and complete endings are chanted on the note (Πα) the base note. In the sticheraric melody unfinished endings are chanted on the note (Γα) and complete endings on (Πα). In the papadic melody unfinished endings are on (Πα) (Γα) (Δι) and (Κε) and complete endings on (Πα).

oo``o1 Ζω is commonly Flat

when ascending up to it or descending from it. This action is indicated with the Flat symbol. Ζω is otherwise natural.

7

yThree Melodic Styles of Chanting

Heirmologic Melody This is the fastest melody of the three. One

to two beats per each syllable.

Sticheraric MelodyThis is the medium paced melody. These

hymns are preceded by verses. Syllables are drawn out and the unfinished endings vary.

Papadic MelodyThis is the slowest of the three melodies.

The Cherubic hymn belongs to this group.

A Synoptic Theory Chart & ReferenceTones in the diatonic scale

΄f΄-!oo``o[

First Mode

´

42

12

8

10

12

12

8

10

12

Plagal of the First Mode

2(Base Note)

(Disjunctive Tone)

Lower Tetrachord

Upper Tetrachord

1f

΄ςςςς7

3

54

6΄ςςςς7

1ς

ς#

d

6΄΄@

&!

@&

!

gh

j

kl

;΄f

7

Base Note:Plagal of the first mode sticheraric melody has (Πα) as its base note and belongs to the diatonic scale. Heirmo-logic melody has (Κε) as its base note. This melody assumes the diatonic symbol even though it is chanted from (Κε).

Structural Notes:The structural notes in the sticheraric melody are (Πα) (Δι) and (Κε); heirmologic melody (Κε) and (Nη´); papadic melody (Πα) (Δι) and (Κε).

Ending Notes:Unfinished endings in the heirmologic melody are chanted on (Nη´) and complete endings are chanted on the note (Κε) the base note. In the sticheraric melody unfinished endings are chanted on the notes (Δι) and (Κε) ; rested endings on (Πα) and complete endings on (Δι). Unfinished endings in the papadic melody are (Πα) (Δι) and (Κε) and complete endings are chanted on (Πα).

oo``o~

΄fπα

΄ςςςς1!Η Μαρτυρία (Marterea)

This symbol indicates a particular note and scale. This marterea tells us that the note is Πα (lower tetrachord) of the diatonic scale.

Η Φθορά (Fthora)This symbol belongs to a particular note and scale. At times it can be placed on another

note yet it retains its name and identity. This fthora belongs to Πα (lower tetrachord) of the diatonic scale. See page (34) for other fthores

and their corresponding notes.

- -

- -

A Synoptic Theory Chart & ReferenceTones in the diatonic scale

oo``o~7 [

1

Plagal of the First Mode

´

΄f

43

12

8

10

12

12

8

10

12

Fourth Mode

2(Base Note)

(Disjunctive Tone)

Lower Tetrachord

Upper Tetrachord

1f

΄ςςςς7

3

54

6΄ςςςς7

1ς

ς#

d

6΄΄@

&!

@&

!

gh

j

kl

;΄f

7

Ζω is flat when ascending up to it or descending from it. In Agia when the melody stays around Ζω, the note

Κε takes a sharp while Ζω remains natural until the melodic line descends. Πα is also takes a sharp when

it is ascending to or around Βου. Πα is chanted in its natural place otherwise.

Base Note:Fourth mode sticheraric melody has (Πα) as its base note; heirmologic melody has (Βου) as its base note and papadic melody has (Δι) as its base note.

Structural Notes:The structural notes in the sticheraric melody are (Πα) (Βου) and (Δι); heirmologic melody (Βου) and (Δι); papadic melody (Δι) (Βου) and (Ζω´).

Ending Notes:Unfinished endings in the heirmologic melody are chanted on (Δι) and (Πα); complete endings are always chanted on (Βου) the base note. In the sticheraric melody unfinished endings are chanted on (Δι) (Πα) and complete endings on (Βου). In the papadic melody unfinished endings are chanted on (Βου) (Ζω´) and complete endings are on (Δι) the base note.

Heirmologic Melody βου

This melody is characteristic of its complete endings on (Βου) and is named (λέγετος).

Sticheraric Melody πα

The base note alternates between Πα and Βου. The drone follows this same pattern.

Papadic Melody δι

In Agia the note Γα is often attracted to Δι while ascending. This is in many cases indi-

cated with a sharp symbol.

6

k g

΄- ΄f

6- j

oo``o4

A Synoptic Theory Chart & ReferenceTones in the diatonic scale

oo``o6- P

Fourth Mode

Άγια (Agia)

´

legetos

44

8

10

12

12

8

10

12

2(Base Note)

(Disjunctive Tone)

Lower Tetrachord

Upper Tetrachord

1f

΄ςςςς7

3

54

6΄ςςςς7

ς#

d

6΄΄@

&!

@&

gh

j

kl

;

Base Note:Plagal of the fourth mode has (Νη) as its base note. If the triphone system is applied the base note becomes (Γα) and the diatonic fthora of (Νη) is placed on (Γα) .

Structural Notes:The structural notes in the sticheraric, heirmologic and papadic melodies are (Νη) (Βου) and (Δι).The struc-tural notes in the triphone system are (Γα) (Νη) and (Πα).

Ending Notes:Unfinished endings in the heirmologic, sticheraric and papadic melodies are chanted on (Βου) and (Δι); com-plete endings for these melodies are chanted on (Νη) the base note. In the triphone system unfinished endings are chanted on the note (Δι) and complete endings on (Γα) the base note.

7

Plagal of the Fourth Mode

&3

&3 Triphone System

This melody sounds very much like the enharmonic grave mode except the melodic lines are different. The Supplication service, katavasies for the Holy Cross, and the apoli-

tika are chanted in the triphone system.

12

8

10

12

d d

d

3d &!Δ

΄f

g΄΄@5

ς#h66΄ςςςς7j

d

A Synoptic Theory Chart & ReferenceTones in the diatonic scale

Plagal of the Fourth Mode

~6p

oo``o~ 4

oo``o

´

´

f

45

10

12

12

8

10

12

8

Grave Mode Diatonic

2

(Base Note)

1f΄ςςςς7

3

54

6

ς#

d

6΄΄@

&!

@

g

h

jkl

7

6l ^

Base Note:Grave mode in the diatonic scale has (Ζω) as its base note.

Structural Notes:The structural notes are (Ζω) (Δι)(Γα) and (Πα).

Ending Notes:Unfinished endings are chanted on (Δι) and (Γα); paused endings are chanted on (Πα) and (Ζω); complete endings are chanted on (Ζω).

l

The Forms of Grave Mode

The microtonal intervals of this scale depend on the form of grave mode that the melody is fol-

lowing. These forms are as follows:

Tetraphonic, Pentaphonic, Heptaphonic, and Protovarys.

The attractions between certain notes depend on the structural notes and the particular me-

lodic form applied. This can be discerned acous-tically through the use of various characteristic musical melodies particular to each form grave

mode.

Grave Mode Diatonic

5oo``o(Διατονικός)

oo``o}

A Synoptic Theory Chart & ReferenceTones in the diatonic scale

´

46

Second Mode

2(Base Note)

(Disjunctive Tone)

Lower Tetrachord

Upper Tetrachord

1΄ςςςς7

3

54

6΄ςςςς7

Base Note:Second mode sticheraric melody has (Δι) as its base note and belongs to the soft chromatic scale; heirmologic melody has (Βου) as its base note. Βου assumes the hard chromatic fthora of .

Structural Notes:The structural notes in the sticheraric melody are (Δι) (Βου) and (Ζω´); heirmologic melody (Δι) and (Πα) when using the fthora of on Βου; papadic melody (Βου) (Δι) and (Ζω´).

Ending Notes:In the sticheraric melody unfinished endings are chanted on the notes (Ζω´) and (Βου) and complete endings on (Δι). Unfinished endings in the heirmologic melody are chanted on (Πα) and (Δι) and complete endings are chanted on (Πα) the base note when using the fthora of on Βου.

oo``o

3

x

x

x

x

3

3

3

x`

`

`

`

2

1

Heirmologic Melody

This melody is chanted with the fthora of (πα) in the hard chromatic scale. Vice versa this system is also used in the heirmologic plagal of the second melody with the use of

the soft chromatic scale.

1

cβου2

8

14

8

12

8

14

8

A Synoptic Theory Chart & ReferenceTones in the Chromatic scale

oo``oc 2P

Second Mode

´´

βου

πα

1πα

1πα

47

Plagal of the Second Mode ~4

20

6

12

4

20

6 2(Base Note)

(Disjunctive Tone)

Lower Tetrachord

Upper Tetrachord

1

354

6

΄ςςςς71ς

Base Note:Plagal of the second mode sticheraric melody has (Πα) as its base note and belongs to the hard chromatic scale. The heirmologic melody uses the soft chromatic scale and has (Πα) as its base note. When this system is ap-plied, the soft chromatic fthora of is placed on Πα making Βου the base note.

Structural Notes:The structural notes in the sticheraric melody are (Πα) (Δι) and (Κε); heirmologic melody (Βου) and (Δι) as described above; papadic melody (Πα) (Δι) and (Κε).

Ending Notes:In the sticheraric and papadic melody unfinished endings are chanted on (Δι) and (Κε), paused endings on (Πα) and complete endings are chanted on (Πα). Unfinished endings in the heirmologic melody are chanted on (Δι), paused endings on (Βου) and complete endings are chanted on (Βου) .

oo``o

x

x

x

x

2r

r

r

r

βου

2

Οι Χρόες (Chroes)

Ο ζυγός (Zegos) is commonly placed on (Δι) and wants (Γα)sharp, (Βου) in its

place and (Πα) sharp.

Tο κλιτόν (Kleton) is placed on (Δι) and wants (Γα) and (Βου) sharp.

Η σπάθη (Spathe) is commonly placed on (Κε) or (Γα). It wants the above note

flat and the below note sharp.

9

-

`

-

-

-

A Synoptic Theory Chart & ReferenceTones in the Chromatic scale

oo``o~ x[ 1

Plagal of the Second Mode

´´

´

2βου

48

6

12

12

12

6

12

12

2

(Base Note)

(Disjunctive Tone)

Lower Tetrachord

Upper Tetrachord

3

54

6΄ςςςς71ς

ς#

6

΄΄@!´

oo``o

7

Third Mode

ς#

ς#

3ς#´´

3

o

o

Base Note:Third mode has (Γα) as its base note for the sticheraric, heirmologic and papadic melodies. The papadic melo-dy places the diatonic fthora of (Νη) on (Γα) the base note.

Structural Notes:The structural notes for the sticheraric, heirmologic and papadic melodies are (Γα) (Κε) and (Πα).

Ending Notes:Unfinished endings for the sticheraric, heirmologic and papadic melodies are chanted on (Κε) and (Πα); com-plete endings are chanted on the base note (Γα).

u

[

Fthores Found in Third Tone

This Fthora is placed on (Κε) and it wants (Ζω) continuously flat.

This Fthora is placed on (Γα) wants (Βου) continuously sharp.

This Fthora is placed on (Ζω) and wants it continuously flat.

3

5

6

yςςςςb

y

C

A Synoptic Theory Chart & ReferenceTones in the Enharmonic scale

oo``o9 \

Third Mode

49

6

12

12

12

6

12

12

2

(Base Note)

(Disjunctive Tone)

Lower Tetrachord

Upper Tetrachord

54

6΄ςςςς7

1ςς#

6

΄΄@!

oo``o

7

Grave Mode ς#

3ς#

´ o

Base Note:Grave mode has (Γα) as its base note.

Structural Notes:The structural notes for both the sticheraric and heirmologic melodies are (Γα)(Δι) and (Ζω).

Ending Notes:Unfinished endings for both the sticheraric and heirmologic melodies are chanted on (Δι); complete endings are chanted on the base note (Γα).

* Some musical compositions use the heptaphonic enharmonic grave mode system such as the famous Chour-mouzios doxology.

56

&

o

A Synoptic Theory Chart & ReferenceTones in the Enharmonic scale

Grave Mode

oo``o\

´ o6#

Ζω is the note that gives the most character to this tone.With its continuous flat and melodic phrases, Grave Tone enharmonic provides a very festive and joyous sound. Paradoxically, the name of the tone gives the connotation of death and the tomb. However, the content of the tone, its hymnography, more than often highlight Christ’s ‘triumph’ over death and the ‘emptying’ of the tomb, professing the truth of the Resurrection in Orthodox faith and

worship.

50

Character Name Description

a

s

xS

C

A

d

F

Gg

f

Characters Ascending One Note

Characters Ascending Two Notes

DsC Characters Ascending Three Notes

Characters Ascending Four Notes

Characters Ascending Five Notes

s S

Ίσον (Eson) Keep same pitch as previous note

Ολίγον (Olegon)Πεταστή (Petaste)

Κέντημα (Kentema)

Ascend one note straight Ascend with vocal flutter

Ascend by dragging note up Κεντήματα (Kentemata)

Ascend two notes straight

Ascend two notes straight

Ascend two notes straightAscend two notes straight and with a vocal flutter

Ascend three notes straight or ascend three notes straight with a vocal flutteror

or

or

Ascend four notes straight or ascend four notes straight with a vocal flutter

Ascend five notes straight or ascend five notes straight with a vocal flutter

- -

-

-

--

-

Character Chart

Υψηλή (Ipsele)

51

j

k

J

K

Ll

;

Character Name Description

Characters Ascending Six Notes

Characters Ascending Seven & Eight Notes

Characters Descending One Note

Characters Descending Three Notes

d

f g G

Characters Descending Two Notes

Characters Descending Four or More Notes

v;S

x //c

// // //

Ascend six notes straight or ascend six notes straight with a vocal flutter

Ascend seven notes straight or ascend seven notes straight with a vocal flutter

Ascend eight notes straight or ascend eight notes straight with a vocal flutter

or

or

or

or

or

Η aπόστρο�ος (Apostrophos)

Το ελα�ρόν (Elafron)

Η χαμηλή (Hamele)

Descend straight or with flutter

Descend straight or with flutter

Descend straight or with flutter

Descend straight or with flutter

Descend 5 notes Descend 6 notes Descend 7 notes

0Το ίσον (Εson)

Same value; the Olegon works as a table (no quantitative value)

or

or- -

Character Chart

--

52

Character Name Description

Combined Characters

Characters Adding Duration (Time)

Characters Dividing Duration

'-

+

ca

A

) - =

=

Η απόστρο�ος (Apostrophos)Το ελα�ρόν (Elafron)

Same value; the Olegon works as a table (no quantitative value)

=

=

=a + j

j + x

Combined characters are read either left to right, or bot-tom to top, depending on their construction. In these three

cases we read the characters left to right.

= x + s

or + jj

=

=

xx

+

+g

s

These characters are read bottom to top, one note at a time. In other words, in the first example, the Kentemata are read before the Olegon. In the second example, we read the Ep-sele before the Kentemata and so on. As stated above, the

Olegon acts as a table adding no quantitative value.

i= Το κλάσμα (Klasma)1 Beat

8 = 1 Beat

9 = 2 Beats

0 = 3 Beats

++++

Η απλή (Aple)Η διπλή (Deple)

Η τριπλή (Treple)

These characters add duration to the note on which they are placed in addition to the beat

of the note.

z = x +siQualitative symbol; adds no

duration

This example reads bottom to top. The Aple is added to the Olegon

eΓοργόν (Gorgon)

Δίγοργον (Degorgon)Τρίγοργον (Tregorgon)

Divide beat 1/2Divide beat 1/3Divide beat 1/4ty

---

- -

--

Character Chart

-

-- -

--

--

--

53

Character Name Description

Characters Dividing and Adding Duration

Timing Gestures

hH

P

a aor = a1/2 1/2

V=s xor1/2

1/2

a a a= ae e

The Gorgon affects two notes: the note it is on and the one preceding it.

The Degorgon affects three notes: the note it is on and both notes on either side of it.

The Tregorgon affects four notes: the note it is on, the one preceding it and the following two notes after it.

=

orj jor= jorJ=

orj j x

ΣΥΝΕ�ΕΣ ΕΛΑΦΡΟΝ (CONTINUOUS ELAFRON)a a

a a

q

Αργόν (Argon)

Δίαργον (Deargon)

Τρίαργον (Treargon)w W

ca w =

a x se ia c =W ax es9

These examples show how the Argon or Deargon will be used in a musical text. The phrases are read from

left to right and bottom to top.

Τρίσημος (Tresemos)Δίσημος (Desemos) Τετράσημος (Tetrasemos) Θέση

Downbeat ΆρσηUpbeat (1)

(2)

(3)(4)

(1)(2) (3)

-

-

- - -

Character Chart

- -

-

-

-

The Continuous Elafron descends two notes with Gorgon.The Gorgon is invisibly placed above the Elafron cutting the time of

the preceding Apostrophos in half. The Continuous Elafron often ap-pears like an Apostrophos glued to an Elafron.

These characters work like a Gorgon, but they also add duration on the final

note affected. The Argon adds one beat, the Deargon adds two beats and

the Treargon adds three beats.-

-

54

Character Name Description

Qualitative Characters

,/

m_ +

M

\+

Το ψη�ιστόν (Psefeston)

Το ομαλόν (Omalon)

Το αντικένωμα (Antekenoma)

Ο σύνδεσμος (Sendesmos)

Το ενδό�ωνον (Endofonon)

Η βαρεία (Varea)

Ο σταυρός (Stavros)

Strong emphasis on syllable

Vocal stress at the end of a syllable

Slight vocal flutter for emphasis

Connect syllable with vocal waver

Hold note with closed mouth

Strong emphasis on following note

A brief pause to take a breath

Character Chart

x Το υ�έν (Efen) Unite two notes without break

s d fok l ;

j

OΗ διαστολή (Deastole)

Groups notes together creating a measure of time for 2, 3 or 4 beats

Η κορώνα (Korona) This timing symbol allows for a note to be held discretionally

Η χρονική αγωγή (Hroneke agoge)

Tempo Change

This timing symbol sets the tempo for any set of hymns (discretionally)

- -

--

-

-

- -

- - -

These three slow the tempo down

These three speed up the tempo

55

Time Month Day Location Event

ASBM CALENDAR OF EVENTS

56

Time Month Day Location Event

ASBM CALENDAR OF EVENTS

57

Time Month Day Location Event

ASBM CALENDAR OF EVENTS

58

Time Month Day Location Event

ASBM CALENDAR OF EVENTS

59

Time Month Day Location Event

ASBM CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Glory be to God in All Things!

All graphics and byzantine fonts included in this book are made available bySaint Anthony’s Greek Orthodox Monastery, Florence Arizona

Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America8 East 79th Street, New York, NY 10075

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