Orthodox music is a colloquial phrase that usually denotes music related mainly to the worship of the Byzantine rite in the Orthodox Church and the Orthodox worship of Ancient Russia. However, this phrase refers to various types of both Orthodox liturgical and non-liturgical singing.
It is divided into several types:
- ancient - chants that arose during the time of Byzantium (Byzantine chant among the Greeks and other liturgical chants among other Orthodox peoples that were part of it or were under its religious and cultural influence), in the Caucasus (for example, Georgian chant , etc.), in the West (before the Great Schism), as well as in Ancient Russia: banner, pillar, track, large and other chants;
- partesian (polyphonic) - originated in the 17th century in Ukraine and Belarus under the influence of Catholic partisan music, then from the 18th century it began to spread in Russia. Liturgical partesial music was written by many composers, for example, D. S. Bortnyansky , Rachmaninov (his “Vespers” is famous) and others;
- spiritual poems, edging, carols, etc. ( songs on spiritual topics), which are not a liturgical form of Orthodox singing.
Znamenny Chant
The term "Znamenny chant" comes from the word banner - signs of a special ancient Russian nonlinear notation - hooks (singing banners similar to hooks). Initially, they were created on the basis of the Byzantine nonlinear irresponsible notation.
To this day, they sing along the banner notes in the Old Believer Church . There are some enthusiasts who are trying to revive the celebrated chants in the Russian Orthodox Church .
Party Singing
Partial singing (from Latin partes - voices) is a type of church singing based on a polyphonic choral performance of a composition (singing in "parts"). The number of votes can be from 3 to 12, and can reach 48.
Spiritual Poems
Spiritual verses - songs of Kalik passers-by, skitic songs of Old Believers , psalms (transposition of the psalms of King David in a poetic manner). Spiritual verses were sung to various musical instruments , mainly miserables , beeps, wheeled lyres or harp . Spiritual verses were performed by transitional potions - crippled people who had no other opportunity to earn their bread. Kaliki passers-by made pilgrimages to holy places, were very honest people.
At the end of the 20th century, spiritual chants performed on the stage gained wide popularity. Some well-known performers of pop Orthodox chants: Archdeacon Roman (Tamberg) , Hieromonk Roman (Matyushin) , Hieromonk Photius (Mochalov) , Deacon Nikolai Chervon , Zhanna Bichevskaya and others. For spiritual verses, chants and stage productions, many famous musical ensembles and choral groups take on.
Church music in the work of professional composers
Some Russian composers who made church music:
- Diletsky, Nikolai Pavlovich ( XVII century )
- Vedel, Artemy Lukyanovich
- Berezovsky, Maxim Sozontovich
- Bortnyansky, Dmitry Stepanovich ( XVIII century )
- Tchaikovsky, Pyotr Ilyich
- Rachmaninov, Sergey Vasilievich
- Ivanov-Radkevich, Pavel Iosifovich
- Grechaninov, Alexander Tikhonovich
- Arkhangelsky, Alexander Andreevich
- Chesnokov, Pavel Grigoryevich
- Arnold, Yuri Karlovich ( XIX century )
- Kastalsky, Alexander Dmitrievich
- Sviridov, Georgy Vasilievich
- Gavrilin, Valery Alexandrovich
- Ledkovsky, Boris Mikhailovich ( XX century )