EnglishMenaion.com Updates

[GabrielCremeens]

Since I regularly update my website (EnglishMenaion.com), rather than post a new, individual topic every time I compose music for a hymn, I've decided to simply post replies to this thread.

So, for a first installment: I've just finished composing a number of idiomela and doxastika for August 22nd-27th, in anticipation of this year's Liturgical Arts Academy, at which I will be teaching. These scores can be found on the August page of my website under those dates.

 

[GabrielCremeens]

Also, here are a couple of settings of the Heirmos of the 9th Ode of the 1st Canon of the Transfiguration, which is appointed this Sunday instead of "It is truly meet."

Edit: And one more, adapted from Ioannis Arvanitis (@Laosynaktis )

https://www.englishmenaion.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Slow-Megalynarion-1st-Canon-of-Transfiguration-Adapted-from-Ioannis-Arvanitis.pdf

 

[David S]

Since I regularly update my website (EnglishMenaion.com), rather than post a new, individual topic every time I compose music for a hymn, I've decided to simply post replies to this thread.

This would be nice. I very much like your settings, and I keep an eye on your website, but sometimes it's difficult for me to tell what's new and what I've already downloaded.

 

[GabrielCremeens]

I've added music for the doxastika for Sts. Anthimus and Theoctistus (September 3rd) to my website. They can be found on the September page.

I've also added scores for the Small Blessing of Waters to the Sacraments page.

 

[GabrielCremeens]

I've recently finished making some updates and fixing a few mistakes in my idiomela for the Nativity of the Theotokos for Vespers tonight and Orthros tomorrow. I've also prepared a modern English setting of those same texts. (The translation is by Metropolitan Kallistos Ware, of blessed memory.) The settings can be found on the September page of my website: https://englishmenaion.com/menaion/september/

 

[GabrielCremeens]

A number of years ago, I attempted to adapt the well-known setting of Psalm 33 by Hieromonk Gregory of Simonopetra Monastery into English. It wasn't a particularly successful adaptation, and I never distributed it formally.

About a week ago, I decided to make another attempt to set this Psalm to music, with the intent of being able to sing it during Communion after the appointed Communion Hymn has already been sung. While I did retain Fr. Gregory's theme of sections in 1st, 3rd, and Plagal 1st Modes for the Psalm, I decided not to adapt his work, but simply to write freely within the context of each mode.

Many thanks to Nick Roumas for his feedback as I was finishing the piece up.

The score can be found at the link below:

https://englishmenaion.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Psalm-33-1st-3rd-and-Plagal-1st-Modes-Gabriel-Cremeens-NR-Translation.pdf

 

[GabrielCremeens]

Also, I just uploaded a setting of the Communion Hymn "I will take the cup of salvation" in Plagal 4th Mode.

https://englishmenaion.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Wednesday-Communion-Hymn-Plagal-4th-Mode.pdf

 

[GabrielCremeens]

I recently finished composing music for the idiomela that are chanted at the veneration of the Cross between Orthros and Liturgy on September 14th. John Michael Boyer has a lovely setting of the first idiomelon, so I composed the remaining idiomela and the doxastikon. I hope they prove useful to you.

https://englishmenaion.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/At-the-Veneration-of-the-Cross-Idiomela-2-6-and-Doxastikon.pdf

 

[GabrielCremeens]

I was recently commissioned to compose a number of idiomela from the services of St. Euphemia (September 16 and July 11) for a vigil that will be taking place tomorrow night. Those compositions can now be found on my website, under those dates.

One particularly interesting aspect of this project was finding this hymn in the Menaion, along with a rubrical note:

In the temple of the Saint, the following hymn is chanted after the Fiftieth Psalm, if a Gospel is read.
4th Mode
Grant me me the strength to acclaim thee, the august maiden, O all-famed Euphemia, and entreat Christ to have mercy on me.

Looking at the Menaion in Greek, I found that this hymn is actually a prosomion to the melody "Jesus having risen" (although it was not translated as such in the HTM Menaion). Thus, I did a quick metered translation (page 2 of the linked score) and then set the hymn to the short and long melodies of "Jesus having risen" as chanted on Sundays after the Orthros Gospel.

If anyone has a scored for "Jesus having risen" in 4th Mode, I would be much obliged.

 

[basil]

Thus, I did a quick metered translation

English pronunciation of saints' names should be used for the reasons given in this article

 

[GabrielCremeens]

I have already prepared a second version that pronounces St. Euphemia's name in a way that is more natural for English, rather than the Greek pronunciation, but I did not have it ready until yesterday. I'll eventually update my website with that version.

 

[GabrielCremeens]

I've added music for the idiomela at the Praises for St. Thekla, as well as some of the Vespers hymns for St. Euphrosyne, to the September page of my website.

 

[GabrielCremeens]

Kamal Hourani and I were asked to do a little bit of translation and composition work on the service to St. Romanos the Melodist by Father (well, now Saint) Gerasimos of Small St. Anne's Skete. Kamal translated the doxastikon at "Lord, I have cried" and the first idiomelon at the Entreaty, which I then set to music. Links below.

https://englishmenaion.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/1st-Idiomelon-at-the-Lity-Saint-Romanos-updated.pdf

https://englishmenaion.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Doxastikon-at-Lord-I-have-Cried-Saint-Romanos.pdf

 

[basil]

Inconsistent spelling

 

[GabrielCremeens]

I've written some music for St. Pelagia, for Vespers this Saturday. May we have her prayers, and her example as a model for our own repentance.

https://englishmenaion.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/October-8-Saint-Pelagia-Doxastika-at-Vespers.pdf

 

[GabrielCremeens]

I've composed music for the two doxastika for St. John the Almsgiver for this Saturday's Vespers.

https://englishmenaion.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/St-John-the-Almsgiver-November-12-Doxastika-at-Vespers-GC-HTM.pdf

 

[basil]

Inconsistent spelling

 

[GabrielCremeens]

I was recently commissioned to compose a slow setting of the Dismissal Hymn of Saint Nicholas for His Grace Nicholas, the Antiochian bishop of the Diocese of Miami and the Southeast. I studied the work of Fr. Theophanes of Vatopaidi contained in his 4-volume work Vatopaidinon Doxastikarion and composed the following setting, which has approximately the same melodic contours as the fast version composed by Papa Ephraim, but using slow theseis.

https://englishmenaion.com/wp-conte...w-Dismissal-Hymn-of-Saint-Nicholas-HTM-GC.pdf

 

[GabrielCremeens]

Inspired by Saint Matthew's feast day today, I composed a setting of the Communion Hymn for Apostles, "Their sound has gone forth into all the earth" in 2nd Mode. It's essentially an adaptation of Petros Bereketis' setting of the Communion Hymn for Monday ("He makes his angels spirits"), as transcribed into the New Method by Ioannis Arvanitis @Laosynaktis

https://englishmenaion.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Thursday-Communion-Hymn-2nd-Mode-GC-.pdf

 

[GabrielCremeens]

I have added music for the Doxasticon for Vespers for December 21st.

https://englishmenaion.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/December-21-St-Juliana-of-Nicomedia-Doxastikon-at-Lord-I-have-Cried.pdf