psaltiki: the Online Journal

Author: P. B. Paschos

Title: Logos and Melos: An Introduction to the Byzantine Liturgical Hymnography of the Orthodox Church (Hymnagiologika Keimena kai Meletes 6. Athens: Ekdoseis Harmos, 1999)

Abstract: P. B. Paschos is the distinguished emeritus professor of Byzantine Hymnography in the School of Theology of the National and Capodistrian University of Athens. His publication Logos and Melos is a practical pro-introduction to the study of the Byzantine liturgical hymnography of the Orthodox Church based on his introductory course lectures. The Psaltiki Online Journal is proud and blessed to have the author’s permission to publish this practical guide in English translation.

The present issue hosts the first chapter of the first tome, “Terminology, Division, and ‘The beginning of wisdom is to call things by their right names.’”

Psaltiki is grateful to Prof. Paschos for his permission to use his valuable publication.

Keywords: Byzantine hymnography, hymnbooks, liturgy and ritual

Author: Lykourgos Angelopoulos

Title: The Importance of Simon Karas’ Research and Teaching Regarding the Taxonomy and Transcription of the Effect of the Signs of Cheironomy (Oral Interpretation of the Written Interpretation: Communiqué to the Delphi Musicological Conference, 4–7 September 1986 (Athens: Hellenic Byzantine Choir 1998).

Abstract: Lykourgos Angelopoulos is presently the Director and main instructor at the School of Byzantine Chant of the Conservatory of Athens, Greece and well-known Archon Protopsaltes of the Most-holy Archdiocese of Constantinople, as well as Protopsaltes of the Church of Hagia Eirene Aiolou in Athens. As director of the Hellenic Byzantine Choir he is known internationally for his countless professional-class recordings and performances of Byzantine chant.

In this issue of Psaltiki’s Online Journal we host this most interesting Communiqué to the Delphi Musicological Conference in 1986. The presentation discusses aspects of the interpreation of the effect of the signs of quality in the New Method of Byzantine chant notation and is enriched by musical and audio examples.

Psaltiki is grateful to Mr. Angelopoulos for his permission to translated in English for the first time and make available this most interesting offering.

Keywords: Simon Karas, Byzantine chant, interpretation, notation, exegesis, transcription, education, oral tradition, written tradition, oral transmission, written transmission

Title: Pascha on Simon’s Rock: a personal reflection on my Holy Week experience in an Athonite monastery

Abstract: Georgios Livaditis is a graduate of the MDiv program at Hellenic College, Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Brookline, Massachusetts and the 2009 recipient of the Psaltiki Pascha On Mount Athos Award. He was on Mount Athos from the Saturday of Lazarus to Tuesday of Bright Week at the Sacred Monastery of Simonopetra (11-21 April 2009). This is his reflection of his experience. It includes photos and sound clips. He is presently working at the Ss. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church in Brooklyn, New York.

Keywords: ount Athos, Chant, Pilgrimage, Monasticism, Simonopetra, Psaltiki Award, Liturgical life

Author: Gregorios Th. Stathes

Title: Byzantine Church Music: A lecture given at Oxford, 18 May 1970

Abstract: In this article Gregorios Stathes, offers an introduction to Byzantine church music for a western european audience. It was given at Oxford University in May of 1970 to non-specialists as an introduction into the basic character of Byzantine chant and especially addresses the problems relating to the divergent scholarly opinions regarding notational interpretation. It includes a discussion of parallage - metrophonia - melos method of learning the chant, as well as addressing some issues regarding the often misunderstood character of Byzantine chant.

It is Psaltiki’s honor and great joy to initiate our Online Journal of the Psaltic Art with a lecture given during Prof. Stathes’ 1969-1970 stay at Oxford. The present paper originally appeared in the publication Παρηχήματα: θεολογικά - μουσικολογικά - ὁδοιπορικά (Athens 1978) and is reprinted and edited here with the permission of the author.

Keywords: Byzantine chant, Byzantine musicology, notational interpretation.

Author: Dimitrije Stefanović

Title: An Oasis of Spiritual Life in America

In this article D. Stefanović shares his reflections on a recent trip to the Saint Paisius Velichkovsky Serbian Orthodox Monastery in the Arizona, Sanoma Desert and the central place which psalmody and chant holds in the sisters’ lives.

Keywords: Byzantine chant, Byzantine chant in America, Monasticism, Spirituality, Travel, Pilgrimage.