Octoechos
Oktōēchos (here transcribed "Octoechos"; Greek: ὁ Ὀκτώηχος [ modern Greek: oktoˈixos, old Greek: oktɔːˈɛːkʰos ],[1] from ὀκτώ "eight" + ἦχος "sound, mode" called echos; [2] Slavonic: Осмогласие, Osmoglasie from о́семь "eight" and Glagolitic: ⰳⰾⰰⱄⱏ or гласъ "voice") is the name of the eight mode system used for the composition of religious chant in Byzantine, Syrian, Coptic, Armenian, Latin and Slavic churches since the Middle Ages. In a modified form the octoechos is still regarded as the foundation of the tradition of monodic Orthodox chant today.
Nomenclature
The names ascribed to the eight tones differs in translations into Church Slavonic. Probably because 15th-century composers like Manuel Chrysaphes, Lampadarios at the Court of Palaiologan Constantinople, exchanged the Phrygian with the Lydian. Тhe Slavonic system counted the plagioi echoi as Glas 5, 6, 7, and 8. For reference, these differences are shown here together with the Ancient Greek names of the octave species according to the Hagiopolites and to the chant treatises and tonaries of Carolingian theorists; the Armenian names and their temporal cycles are represented in another table below.
Byzantine octoechos | Church Slavonic osmoglasie | Octave Species | Carolingian octo toni |
---|---|---|---|
First (ἦχος πρῶτος) | First (гласъ а.) | Dorian | Tonus primus / Authentus protus |
Second (ἦχος δεύτερος) | Second (гласъ в.) | Phrygian | Tonus tertius / Authentus deuterus |
Third (ἦχος τρίτος) | Third (гласъ г.) | Lydian | Tonus quintus / Authentus tritus |
Fourth (ἦχος τέταρτος) | Fourth (гласъ д.) | Mixolydian | Tonus septimus / Authentus tetrardus |
Plagal of the First (ἦχος πλάγιος τοῦ πρώτου) | Fifth (гласъ є.) | Hypodorian | Tonus secundus / Plagis proti |
Plagal of the Second (ἦχος πλάγιος τοῦ δευτέρου) | Sixth (гласъ ѕ.) | Hypophrygian | Tonus quartus / Plagis deuteri |
Grave (ἦχος βαρύς) | Seventh (гласъ з.) | Hypolydian | Tonus sextus / Plagis triti |
Plagal of the Fourth (ἦχος πλάγιος τοῦ τετάρτου) | Eighth (гласъ и.) | Hypomixolydian | Tonus octavus / Plagis tetrardi |
Note that southern Slavs use the Byzantine musical system and, nonetheless, use the variant numbering that is always found in Church Slavonic texts[1]
History
According to three main periods, which divides the history of the eight-mode system, the former article has been split chronologically:
Octoechos | Period | Reference |
---|---|---|
Hagiopolitan Octoechos | 6th-13th century | Pseudo-John of Damascus |
Papadic Octoechos | 13th-18th century | John Glykys, John Koukouzeles |
Neobyzantine Octoechos | 18th-21st century | Chrysanthos of Madytos |
References
- ^ Восточно Церковно Пѣнiе – Часть 1 – Воскресникъ, Mount Athos, Ottoman Empire: Zographou Monastery, 1904