Eastern Catholic chant

[LotusCarsLtd]

I like this song in particular called “To Psaltirio” (it’s actually Greek Orthodox): tiny.cc/2xnlx

Now as a Latin Catholic and baritone in a choir I’m used to traditional music being either chant with one or multiple voices singing the verses simultaneously or medieval polyphony with multiple voices. What I’ve noticed with traditional Eastern Christian music is the tendency to have a cantor singing while the rest of the voices harmonize to, presumably, provide a reference pitch (much for the same reason, it would seem to me, that traditional Indian music uses drone instruments like sruti boxes and tamburas to provide a constant reference tone).

Is this the case? And how and why is it done?

Pax Tecum!

 

[5Loaves]

Welcome to the East, LotusCarsLtd. I believe there were no Lotus cars in 19th century where we live but we do have beautiful chant.

I’m sorry no one who is qualified has responded to you. So, I who am not qualified will make a suggestion. Dr. Stephen Kouri has a podcast class Glory to Thee A Chanter’s Workshop on Ancient Faith Radio. I went though about 4 or 5 of the lessons and found them interesting. I’m just a humble member of the faithful singing in the pews… oh… we don’t have any pews. I’ve been in some classes at PSALM (the Pan-Orthodox Society for the Advancement of Liturgical Music) workshop but most of it goes over my head.

I don’t know Greek so can’t help with that youtube clip either. It could be something like the prayers/psalms we chant while the clergy commune. At least in the Russian tradition I’m familiar with during that time while the clergy are communing someone chants the psalm verses and the people chant a refrain. Throughout the Liturgy the deacon leads the people in prayer and he has the bulk of that chanting while we respond. In my experience during the parts the choir sings there is no one voice singled out, except during the communing of the clergy.

Hopefully now I’ve made a response some of our more liturgically skilled will respond with something accurate.

pax et bonum!

 

[mariyka]

I like this song in particular called “To Psaltirio” (it’s actually Greek Orthodox): tiny.cc/2xnlx

Now as a Latin Catholic and baritone in a choir I’m used to traditional music being either chant with one or multiple voices singing the verses simultaneously or medieval polyphony with multiple voices. What I’ve noticed with traditional Eastern Christian music is the tendency to have a cantor singing while the rest of the voices harmonize to, presumably, provide a reference pitch (much for the same reason, it would seem to me, that traditional Indian music uses drone instruments like sruti boxes and tamburas to provide a constant reference tone).

Is this the case? And how and why is it done?

Pax Tecum!

I’m definitely no expert, but was a member of our choir for many years. As something special for Easter, our Cantor/Choir Director had us hold the last note (staggered breathing, of course) of the litany responses as the Priest sang the petitions. In turn, he held his last note as we began the next response. I don’t know if this is a common arrangement, but it was very beautiful.

 

[skinny_pumpkin]

I like this song in particular called “To Psaltirio” (it’s actually Greek Orthodox): tiny.cc/2xnlx

Now as a Latin Catholic and baritone in a choir I’m used to traditional music being either chant with one or multiple voices singing the verses simultaneously or medieval polyphony with multiple voices. What I’ve noticed with traditional Eastern Christian music is the tendency to have a cantor singing while the rest of the voices harmonize to, presumably, provide a reference pitch (much for the same reason, it would seem to me, that traditional Indian music uses drone instruments like sruti boxes and tamburas to provide a constant reference tone).

Is this the case? And how and why is it done?

Pax Tecum!

The Byzantine “tones” are similar to Latin modes. Most hymns are (traditionally) monophonic with an “ison” or the drone you hear. Many times it is done in antiphony with a call and response from cantors on opposite sides of the room (stereo ). The tones, or melodies are often pitched off the the chant of the priest, since most things are chanted, not spoken, even the gospel and epistle readings (there are exceptions).

The “key” may change depending on the tone for the day when mixed with other hymns that are not dictated by the “tone” and other exceptions.

Also, in some hymns, the ison, or drone, may shift and sound familiar to a I-V progression or even a I-IV-V progression etc. The Paraklesis to the Theotokos often has this depending on who is chanting it.

 

[5Loaves]

The Byzantine “tones” are similar to Latin modes. Most hymns are (traditionally) monophonic with an “ison” or the drone you hear. Many times it is done in antiphony with a call and response from cantors on opposite sides of the room (stereo ). The tones, or melodies are often pitched off the the chant of the priest, since most things are chanted, not spoken, even the gospel and epistle readings (there are exceptions).

The “key” may change depending on the tone for the day when mixed with other hymns that are not dictated by the “tone” and other exceptions.

Also, in some hymns, the ison, or drone, may shift and sound familiar to a I-V progression or even a I-IV-V progression etc. The Paraklesis to the Theotokos often has this depending on who is chanting it.

Unfortunately the only time I’ve been in a group large enough to sing antiphonally was at the PSALM workshop. We usually have about 6 -9 voices in the choir in both the Catholic and the Orthodox Russian parishes I go to. The chant form is more like what’s on these two CDs. We chant this version, #19 of Hymn of Resurrection in our DL in my parish. We sing this version #5 of the Cherubic Hymn (slightly different translation) in our DL, again with a much smaller choir than this recording.

When our priest, as opposed to the deacon, chants the Gospel he does it such that the choir puts in the drone at the end of a phrase. He has Melkite connections and I’ve heard this done in Melkite parishes so I don’t know if it’s his Melkite history coming out of if this is also a Russian thing as I do not recall hearing it in the Russian Orthodox parishes I’ve been in. I’ve sung the ison at PSALM but I do not recall hearing it in any local parishes. Perhaps like antiphonal singing it is more likely in a larger group.