40-fold Kyrie (new Greek Orthodox Polyphony)
  • incantuincantu
    Posts: 989
    I just heard some samples of beautiful Greek Orthodox polyphony including a 40-fold Kyrie sung by an American choir who sing with more of a Renaissance aesthetic than one traditionally associates with music of the Eastern Churches.

    The story behind this recording is interesting as well:

    "While harmony and counterpoint have featured in Catholic and Protestant music for centuries, the Greek Christian East... has maintained the practice of a single melodic line, or chant, adding only an ison (vocal drone), whose use was first documented in the early 16th century. Western European music styles made an uneasy appearance in Greece in the 19th century, at a time when post-Ottoman nation-building brought Western influences to bear on Greek cultural life. In a famous example, the Athenian musician John Sakellarides (c. 1853–1938)—highly critical of what he perceived as the "Ottomanized" state of Greek chanting— converted eastern-style chants into western-style melodies, sometimes with the addition of simple harmony. While these and similar innovations drew support from certain circles, they were met at times with official Church condemnation and even provoked public riots in the cathedral of Athens in 1836 and 1869."

    Read more, along with audio samples at www.axios-music.com
  • Chris_McAvoyChris_McAvoy
    Posts: 389
    Christ is revealed as the light of the world, Merry Octave of Epiphany!

    "In a famous example, the Athenian musician John Sakellarides (c. 1853–1938)—highly critical of what he perceived as the "Ottomanized" state of Greek chanting (3)—converted eastern-style chants into western-style melodies, sometimes with the addition of simple harmony. While these and similar innovations drew support from certain circles, they were met at times with official Church condemnation and even provoked public riots in the cathedral of Athens in 1836 and 1869 (4,5)."

    My feeling is that this sort of music is going the way of the Dodo bird. Enjoy it while it lasts.
    It's entrenched in churches that had the most prejudice against them and really wanted to "fit in" with the mainline protestants.
    Places in the south where their used to be "no greeks allowed" signs, like around Tarpon Springs, Florida.
    Polyphonic and harmonized music is not necessarily forbidden absolutely but uh.. if it is going to occur, it certainly wouldn't be ment to sound as modern/western as these examples.

    Everyone knows the Georgians and Slavs have most advanced and popular polyphony anyway. Different cultures specialize in different things and shouldn't necessarily try to be who they are not. We can try to sing like someone else, but it's always easier and more rewarding to be ourselves.

    Listen to pieces like these:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4d6TbAyUmgo
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeP70fSe3Io&feature=like-suggest&list=UL
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rju5GyVtfnQ&list=FLQc7EtwGKdVPAcPG_pOWfeg

    now this is what the byzantine chant is ment to sound like, this is powerful life changing music and prayers. Not something for the academics and wannbe westerners.

    That being said, Sakellrides made some good music here and there. And I do think certain choirs have decent recordings of kind of modern/anglican/experimental eastern christian music, such as Capella Romana. This example on your webesite however did not impress me.

    Music closer to the original examples, might work better in a "pan-orthodox" setting. Such as in the USA with churches of a wide variety of cultures in a single parish. But than again, the "so-called middle eastern sounding" music of the greeks is actually quite popular to sing with many protestant and catholic converts of western backgrounds as well in mission churches. It has a love/hate relationship I suppose.

    I am sorry if I what i say is overly critical,I have a strong feeling on this subject. Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me a sinner.
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,199
    In most of the Orthodox world, we have a while to wait for the Octave of Epiphany. :) Today (11 January), is only the fifth day of Christmas (7 January). Of course, in the USA, many Greek Orthodox parishes celebrate Christmas on the Roman calendar - but there are at least some Ukrainian parishes that celebrate it on 7 January. And there is one church - a Ukrainian Catholic Church in Rochester, NY, Church of the Epiphany, I think - that is even an Eastern Rite church in the Catholic Church - which celebrates Christmas on 7 January (St. Josaphat's Ukr. Cath. Ch. in Rochester celebrates on 25 December).
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