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Thursday, August 12, 2010

Θεαρχίω νεύματι With a sign by the authority of God

Perhaps not as beautiful or as captivating as the chant in the previous post but perhaps more apposite to the time of year.

It is from a Service for the Feast of the Dormition of the Virgin

It is again a Medieval Byzantine Chant entitled "Θεαρχίω νεύματι" (With a sign by the authority of God)




"A very interesting note about this specific chant is that while it is one text and chanted as a whole, it contains all 8 tones of Byzantine Music.

Each phrase is chanted in one of those 8 tones.

The first two phrases are the glorification of the Trinity (hence the type of the chant as a Doxastikon - ie a glorification hymn).

Then, the chant goes:

0:52 - 1st Tone
1:42 - Plagal 1st Tone
2:21 - 2nd Tone
3:12 - Plagal 2nd Tone
5:04 - 3rd Tone
5:59 - Plagal 3rd (Grave) Tone
7:12 - 4th Tone
7:40 - Plagal 4th Tone
9:38 - 1st Tone

An easy way to understand when the Tone changes is to note the changes from solo chant to choir. When such a change occurs the Tone changes, except after 7:40."

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