K. Levy, "Three Byzantine Acclamations"

I have scanned and uploaded a paper "Three Byzantine Acclamations" by Kenneth Levy. It is interesting as it deals with several examples of chants that were common but were rarely written down.

I have a specific question though. On pp. 48-51 Levy identifies a certain melodic formula of the second mode that is used in a number of common pieces, e.g. "Agios, agios" and "Se ymnoumen" in the second mode (obviously the leitourgika of St. Basil's liturgy by Ioannis Glykis), but also, and this is quite interesting, in the deaconal admonition "Osoi pistoi". The source for the latter, as indicated in footnote 23 on p. 49, is the 15th c. ms Sinai 1527. Does anybody know whether Sinai 1527 contains the complete phrase or just the two words? And in case it contains the complete phrase (phrases?), what are the implications of this given that a similar melodic formula in e.g. "Se ymnoumen" in Chrourmouzios' transcription is this long (the complete transcription of the leitourgika can be found here)?

Shota said:

On pp. 48-51 Levy identifies a certain melodic formula of the second mode that is used in a number of common pieces, e.g. "Agios, agios" and "Se ymnoumen" in the second mode (obviously the leitourgika of St. Basil's liturgy by Ioannis Glykis), but also, and this is quite interesting, in the deaconal admonition "Osoi pistoi". The source for the latter, as indicated in footnote 23 on p. 49, is the 15th c. ms Sinai 1527. Does anybody know whether Sinai 1527 contains the complete phrase or just the two words? And in case it contains the complete phrase (phrases?), what are the implications of this given that a similar melodic formula in e.g. "Se ymnoumen" in Chrourmouzios' transcription is this long (the complete transcription of the leitourgika can be found here)?

Click to expand...

I actually found the photo from that ms in another article by Levy. I have attached the scanned copy to this message (I scanned at 600 dpi, so it's a big file). The ms seems to contain "Osoi pistoi" only, but it is repeated three times. The question remains.

Shota said:

The question remains.

Click to expand...

Here is the answer (I think).

(Dmitrievskij, I, p. 171, Τάξις ἐπὶ τῷ Ἑσπερινῷ, τῷ Ὄρθρῳ καὶ τῇ Λειτουργίᾳ κατὰ τὸ Τυπικὸν τῆς Μεγάλης Ἐκκλησίας, ἀπὸ χφ (15ου αἰ.) τῆς ἐν Ἁγίῳ Ὄρει Ῥωσσικῆς Σκήτης τοῦ Ἁγίου Ἀνδρέου).

Deacon said:

Here is the answer (I think).

(Dmitrievskij, I, p. 171, Τάξις ἐπὶ τῷ Ἑσπερινῷ, τῷ Ὄρθρῳ καὶ τῇ Λειτουργίᾳ κατὰ τὸ Τυπικὸν τῆς Μεγάλης Ἐκκλησίας, ἀπὸ χφ (15ου αἰ.) τῆς ἐν Ἁγίῳ Ὄρει Ῥωσσικῆς Σκήτης τοῦ Ἁγίου Ἀνδρέου).

Click to expand...

Thank you, this is very interesting. I presume the sequence was as follows: 1) ekphonesis by the presiding hierarch; 2) "Osoi pistoi" thrice by the subdeacon; 3) response by the choir (i.e. Agios, agios..., Amen, Tin gar sin...; Se ymnoumen seems not to be referred to, but I guess Osoi pistoi is implied before it too). The "problem" that this creates with slow exegesis of the leitourgika of St. Basil's liturgy is that it even more extends its length, which is by any standard already too long for liturgical needs.

I think it is reasonable to assume, that the melismatic extention of these chants in the 17th-18th c. was combined with the abandonment of Osoi pistoi.

emakris said:

I think it is reasonable to assume, that the melismatic extention of these chants in the 17th-18th c. was combined with the abandonment of Osoi pistoi.

Click to expand...

I'm not sure "Osoi pistoi" 3x was a widespread practice. I couldn't find it in another important source of the 14th c., Dimitrios Gemistos' Archieratikon (on which some more information can be found here), although I admit I haven't looked into it carefully.

Shota said:

Thank you, this is very interesting. I presume the sequence was as follows: 1) ekphonesis by the presiding hierarch; 2) "Osoi pistoi" thrice by the subdeacon; 3) response by the choir (i.e. Agios, agios..., Amen, Tin gar sin...; Se ymnoumen seems not to be referred to, but I guess Osoi pistoi is implied before it too). The "problem" that this creates with slow exegesis of the leitourgika of St. Basil's liturgy is that it even more extends its length, which is by any standard already too long for liturgical needs.

Click to expand...

After rereading the excerpt, I must admit I overlooked the fact that it refers to Chrysostom's liturgy. Since there the leitourgika responses were probably said chyma, the "problem" with timing is not so much noticeable. But in any case I see no reason to assume that this rite was characteristic only of Chrysostom's liturgy and not of St. Basil's and so the "problem" remains.

P.S. The repetition of Osoi pistoi 3x provides an instance of melodic leitourgika for Chrysostom's liturgy from the Byzantine times: a strong-voiced young subdeacon would cover an old bishop's voice without much problem Thus here we have an instance of the leitourgika responses not developed into full-fledged chants yet, the role of covering chants being fulfilled by "Osoi pistoi".

P.P.S. I need to reread Levy's article. From what I recall he refers to St. Symeon of Thessalonike who talks about triple melodic repetition of "Osoi pistoi", although at its usual place in the liturgy.

Shota said:

I need to reread Levy's article. From what I recall he refers to St. Symeon of Thessalonike who talks about triple melodic repetition of "Osoi pistoi", although at its usual place in the liturgy.

Click to expand...

Levy (The Byzantine Sanctus and its Modal Tradition in East and West, p. 49) says that the excerpt from Sinai 1527 is from the rite of ordination of a deacon, where it is used to announce ordination of a deacon. The deaconal "Osoi pistoi" was not used only at one place in the Liturgy, as nowadays, but at a number of important instances during the course of the Liturgy. Placide de Meester in his article in Chrysostomika (p. 328, footnote 5) mentions a number of sources talking about this: commentary on the liturgy by Theodore/Nicholas of Andyda (PG 140,445, see the last few lines at the bottom of the page), the already cited Diataxis of the Liturgy from St. Andrews' Skete and the 12th c. Latin translation of Chrysostom's Liturgy by Leo Thuscus. In all these sources "Osoi pistoi" shows up during the Anaphora. Judging by the Latin version of Leo, the order seems to have been inverse to what I supposed previously here: the ekphonesis of the presider, the response of the people/choir and the "Osoi pistoi".

As far as the melody of Sanctus is concerned, Levy unearthed some interesting parallels between the Byzantine and Western sources. It is a long paper, so I am not sure when I will be able to scan it.