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I am a Latin Rite Catholic who attends the Byzantine Rite almost every Sunday. I have been asked to chant the Epistle this Sunday and every other Sunday. Do you know of any online source for settings to do this with or any books. Also I am considering a vocation to the Priesthood and also feel that I might be called to transfer to the Byzantine rite and become a Priest in this rite. I feel quite connected with Byzantine spirituality and worship. Everyone, PLEASE pray for me.
Thank You! GOD BLESS!

There is a set of cassette tapes of the chant available from the Byzantine Seminary Press [byzantines.net]
The voice on them is none other than Father Michael Sopoliga of EWTN [ewtn.com] fame who has posted here on occasion, I have these tapes and I believe that if you set aside enough time to study them, you will be greatly rewarded.

Mike, each particular tradition [Greek, Russian, etc.] has its own styles of Epistle chanting.

In general, Epistle chanting is to be done simply, so as to not detract from the text. In other words, the listener is hearing the text rather than concentrating on the musical complexity of the chanter.

The simplest is to sing the majority of the text recto tono, on one note [do] and inflecting a half step or step [to re] occasionally as needed to modulate.

At the end one can make a two- or three-note final inflection so the priest knows you are finished.

It is imperative to read over the text you are going to chant, as you will want to make some mental notes on the divisions in the phrases in the text, as well as make sure you can handle the diction involved in proclaiming the text.

A very good general article for the reader: http://pages.prodigy.net/frjohnwhiteford/readers.htm

and Deacon Serge Halverson's excellent article: http://www.orthodoxpsalm.org/resources/Halvorsen.html

If you want to delve further specifically regarding chanting, you can send me a private message [PM] of you would like some paper copies of musical guidance on chanting the Epistle I have compiled [most not available on-line].


Regarding your spiritual pilgrimage, you might want to consider more reading. Where to start...there are so many good books.
Perhaps the three-part "Light for Life" adult Greek Catholic catechetical series, "The Face of God" by Archbishop Joseph Raya, "The Orthodox Way" by Bishop Kallistos Ware, "Year of Grace of Our Lord" by Lev Gillet, and the perennial favorite "Way of the Pilgrim". And the Holy Father's Orientale Lumen. So many more out there...welcome and may the Holy Spirit guide your discernment.

Dear Mike:

While I am in no way an advocate of the "Suzuki" method when it comes to most things musical, in this case it helps a LOT to listen to someone who's been doing it for a while before trying it yourself.

Yours,

hal

Hal,

I have been attending the Divine Liturgy for quite some time now. I am aware of the preference of being mostly monotone with the occasional going up or down a whole step and adding a cadence and ritardando at the end to show that the Epistle is over. I am just seeing if there are actually any APPROVED chant settings that go along with the Epistles as in the Latin Rite with the Graduale Romanum. Please note that I will not in any way do anything other than that of the Eastern Tradition. GOD BLESS?

Dear Mike,

You must understand, there are many local variants and usages when it comes to the Byzantine Rite, and no standardized monolithic liturgical publications that detail everything, as in the Latin Church. Things change, and then they are described in the Liturgical books. Now for chant settings of readings-there are such things, but no one can read the notation anymore, and they are in Greek besides (the notation is called ekphonetic notation, and has not been used since the Middle Ages). The Russians before the Revolution published a handbook on how to read, but this is very rare, and is not in English (and reflects Russian ways of reading-such as Randy describes). To learn how to read according to the way of the Rusins, you will have to pick it up from an experienced cantor or reader, and just learn to apply the melody.

In Christ,
Adam

Dear Mike:

Where, pray tell, did I say anything about you breaking with tradition in any way shape or form. And what's with the question mark at the end of God Bless? Try to help a guy and this is the thanks one gets! :rolleyes:

Let me explain myself better. I am a musician. I have two full years of university level music theory, ear training and sight-reading under my belt as well as a full year of counterpoint and music analysis. I made my conducting debut at the ripe old age of 17. The only three years I spent without being active in music since age 7 were the three years I spent in law school.

Despite all that, I am convinced and speak to you from experience when I suggest that you not try to take a reading based upon notation and simply trust your ears.

hal

Hal,

First of all the "?" was a typo. Cool down. Second of all I have been playing the piano since 4 and I sing operatic material. I have the same and more training than you do in Counterpoint and ear training. Not to sound prideful but the truth remains. I think I can follow my ear quite well. By stating I didn't intend to stray from tradition I was merely stating my intention to the Byzantine community to stay true to their tradition.

Michael

Hey Guys

Both of you cool it please - we have had enough of spats here for a while.

Let's face it you are both musicians doing your best to Serve the Lord in His Temple .

We really can't do without you either of you - so play nicely please.

Anhelyna

Well Mike and Hal, I invite both of you to Knoxville for Divine Liturgy. I don't need my Master's in Organ to determine that many in my congregation are afflicted with tone deafness.

Charles, holding ears and running away

Anhelyna,

These guys are truly trained musicians-though they need to work on getting bigger egos . Asking musicians to cool it may sound sensible, but since music is something that is fundemental, and is fed by the fire of life. Tats are bound to happen (i have been in worse). If only more Church musicians were concerned with what is correct in a given Church in order to make worship prayerful and hand on the genius of the local (or ethnic) ecclesia.

In Christ,
Adam

Has anyone heard the epistle chanted this way: each line is chanted on a single note, except the last syllable which is extended and slurred (so to speak) up a half step; then the next line is done on thus higher pitch, etc. The overall effect is to start in the lowest register and finish in the highest. One of may sisters married a RO; the choir of the groom sang, and his father chanted the epistle in this way. Very dramatic.

djs, that is the Kievan (sometimes also called Russian, St. Petersburg, Moscow, and various other names) style of chanting the Epistle, and it was a development as I understand from the Pecherska Lavra in Kiev.

You start on a low note and raise a half step in counts of 5, 7, 8, or 9 total steps (each has its own significant numerology, and it depends on the length of the text) to a high final note, and then come off that final note with a two- or three-note cadence down and back up to finish. I use that on some great feast days or if there is a second Epistle.

Diak and all,
I just go this link from ps-Athanasius's blog, summa contra mundum:
http://magnatune.com/artists/music/...0of%20the%20Russian%20Orthodox%20Church/
The Mnohaja L'ita (19-Many Years (V.Lebedeva))
is introduced this way. This is from the Monks and Metropolitan Choirs of Kiev-Pechersk Lavra.

Are you up for this, Mike?

Adam - I'm in complete agreement with you - but when the spats are because of the difference in length of training that one has compared with another - which is not the be all and end all of education - be it musical or other - then that is a spat we do not need - discussion re music and tradition - OK

you said

If only more Church musicians were concerned with what is correct in a given Church in order to make worship prayerful and hand on the genius of the local (or ethnic) ecclesia.


I really cannot agree more here - spot on

Now this is what the discussion should be about.

Anhelyna - who really appreciates hearing Chant