Scholarly Article and Musical Performance of St. John Koukouzeles' Masterpiece «Φρούρησον Πανένδοξε» in Honour of St. Demetrios of Thessaloniki

greek487

Tasos N.
BYZANTINE KALOPHONIA, ILLUSTRATED BY ST. JOHN KOUKOUZELES’ PIECE ΦΡΟΥΡΗΣΟΝ ΠΑΝΕΝΔΟΞΕ IN HONOUR OF ST. DEMETRIOS FROM THESSALONIKI. ISSUES OF NOTATION AND ANALYSIS​
by Maria Alexandru, Ph.D., Assistant Professor at the School of Music Studies of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

Abstract
The present paper explores some aspects of the so-called kalophonic musical style which flourished during the last centuries of Byzantium. It focuses on a masterpiece by St. John Koukouzeles, namely the epibole Φρούρησον πανένδοξε (Ο Allglorious, keep watch over the city), in honor of St. Demetrios, the protector of Thessaloniki, and is complementary to some previous musicological analysis of this piece by Stephania Meralidou. After a brief presentation of the old sticheron Ἔχει μὲν ἡ θειοτάτη σου ψυχή, whereof St. John takes his departing point for the kalophonic composition, the paper concentrates on a multi-level analysis of the epibole, firstly on the ground of the late middle-Byzantine notation, according to the ms Vlatadon 46 (A.D. 1551), and secondly by comparing the old notation to its slow exegesis in new-Byzantine notation by Chourmouzios Chartophylax (score and recording issued by the Greek Byzantine Choir, dir. L. Angelopoulos).

The analysis comprises several approaches like textual, music-architectural, modal, micro-syntactical, rhetorical, macro-syntactical, generative, comparative (cf. plates 7–12, 17–20. Since this material is also suitable for didactic purposes, the different plates are given again in the appendix, in form of exercises to be filled in by interested students).

The different analytical approaches reveal the highly refined melodic fabric of kalophonia with its plethora of theseis-combinations, the extensive use of music-rhetorical devices, basic norms of the complex art of musical exegesis in this style, as well as the beauty of this kind of melodies, which have been acknowledged to represent the ‘zenith’ of Byzantine music (Wellesz).

Keywords: Kalophonia, musicological analysis of Byzantine chant, hesychasm, St. Demetrios of Thessaloniki, exegesis, sectio aurea.


Musical Performance by the Greek Byzantine Choir under the direction of Archon Protopsaltis Lycourgos Angelopoulos, (after the Greek text on this webpage), from the recording Choeur Byzantin de Grece, dir. L. Angelopoulos, Ioannis Koukouzelis, Le Maϊstor Byzantin, France 1995, JAD C 129.


P.S. Chronia Polla (Many Years!) to ALL on this most sacred feastday of St. Demetrios 2013! Especially to my beloved brother Dimitri who is a chanter as well!

 

gpsevdos

Παλαιό Μέλος
Here is the mp3 of the Hymn
and the first page in music

Do you have it in its entirety?
 

Attachments

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gpsevdos

Παλαιό Μέλος
And the full Article!
 

Attachments

  • SCIA.TMC 2011-2012-Maria Alexandru.pdf.pdf
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greek487

Tasos N.
Here is the mp3 of the Hymn
and the first page in music

Do you have it in its entirety?

Yes I do! I would simply need to scan it in good quality. The original is really beautiful because it uses plenty of red ink to notate, for example, the gorga, isakia, martyrie, fthores, solo portions etc.

Yes, there is this ...


I have it.

Here you are ...

... but you might want to look at the article ...

And the full Article!

... on page 83 (Plates 13-15) for a copy which seems to be of a better quality.

P.S. I wonder what an adaptation of this masterpiece into English would look like and sound like.


 
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gpsevdos

Παλαιό Μέλος
thank you Greek487!

I looked at the article, and you are ARE RIGHT, the whole hymn is there, but in smaller font

it would be great to upload it in color.
(I could only find the first page in color)

(I wonder if we should post this in Greek, as many members may not have read this post)

as of using this music to chant in english, I am biased against it.
maybe because I've heard attempts in simple hymns as they do in the Cathedral in NYC, and it is not attractive at all.
but I'll agree with you; it would at least curious if someone does an adaptation of this beautiful hymn in english

Thanks again.

Giorgis
 
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gpsevdos

Παλαιό Μέλος
Here is the music in color pdf.
Thank you Tasso for sending me this masterpiece
 

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saltypsalti

Παλαιό Μέλος
thank you Greek487!


as of using this music to chant in english, I am biased against it.
maybe because I've heard attempts in simple hymns as they do in the Cathedral in NYC, and it is not attractive at all.
but I'll agree with you; it would at least curious if someone does an adaptation of this beautiful hymn in english

Thanks again.

Giorgis

I would disagree with you respectfully. I think chanting in English CAN be done well, and in fact, is done in various places. I too have heard the chanting from HTC in NY, and yes, it sounds very sloppy, as well as the translations (from the telephone book) being rather wooden.

JPP
 
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