Thursday, August 16, 2012

various ancient Byzantine chants

A random SMALL selection of various ancient Byzantine chants: Greek, Arabic, Serbian, - etc.


Among all the world-wide types of ancient worship chants, this tradition is what I am most familiar with.

Missing from this selection are Romanian, Russian, Bulgarian, Georgian, Armenian, Coptic chants, also of ancient or early origins, some of pure Byzantine musical roots,or of even more ancient, PRE-BYZANTINE ROOTS & USAGES others showing a degree or so, of westernization – i .e., the use of HARMONY but – all of these chants, as most of the liturgical texts which are being chanted,  are of ancient origin, no matter what language they are sung in.......)

Note: Various... western... 'Gregorian' Chants, also, originate from the basic same, early/ancient worship-musical roots, as Byzantine.  Traditionally, no musical instruments, only the human voice, are permitted/utilized in these ancient sacred chants, and still in the Eastern Orthodox Church, are proscribed. Only the human voice is used in divine worship, just as the angels use only their voices to praise God.

1)Byzantine chant-Praise the Lord from the heavens

2) O Trisagios Ymnos (Thrice Holy Hymn)-

3) Cherubic Hymn-Theodoras Vasilikos-Our Home

4) Agni Parthene Despoina

5) "Byzantine Hymn"

6) An Arabic Christmas Carol (sung in Arabic, -'Syro-Byzantine' chant)

7) The Great Doxology (sung in Arabic & in  Arabic-Byzantine chant)

8) (Ancient) Hilandar (Serbian) Monastery, (on Mt. Athos in Greece),
Liturgy sung by monastic brotherhood, in Serbo-Byzantine/Old Slavic-chant, with some Greek)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mv_oHFA6SSE&feature=related 
Apparently, showing in these many photos by these visitors there, the extensive recent earthquake
damage to many of the buildings. We have  also heard, that similar heavy earthquake damge has also hit
many other of the ancient Mt. Athos monasteries. Very sad!

9) Hymn of St. Kassiani-Boston Byzantine Choir (sung in English)-

10) O Virgin Pure-Byzantine chant, sung in English

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