<abstract xml:lang="en" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>The Byzantine church chant is a purely liturgical song. The music that is practiced here is primarily linked to the understanding of the text and its comprehension. That’s why the sound-word ratio is very pronounced in the syllabic and semi-melismatic chants. This harmonious relationship between music and poetry is partly destroyed in the very extensive and highly melismatic kalophonic songs, because long note chains are set over a single word, even over the vowel of a single syllable. Closely related to the kalophonic pieces often Kratema are executed, representing the total abolition of the connection between the music and the text message. They are likewise extensive melismata, but have no concrete text and are usually built on the meaningless syllables te-ri-rem. In this study, first some of the different explanations as to the origin and the role of Kratemata in worship events will be presented shortly. The actual core of the investigation are the reflections about what a compositional meaning (in music content, formal, compositional and sound aesthetic way) these pieces have and how they affect the structure and organization of their respective total song (kalophonic piece and Kratema together).</p></abstract>

The Byzantine church chant is a purely liturgical song. The music that is practiced here is primarily linked to the understanding of the text and its comprehension. That’s why the sound-word ratio is very pronounced in the syllabic and semi-melismatic chants. This harmonious relationship between music and poetry is partly destroyed in the very extensive and highly melismatic kalophonic songs, because long note chains are set over a single word, even over the vowel of a single syllable. Closely related to the kalophonic pieces often Kratema are executed, representing the total abolition of the connection between the music and the text message. They are likewise extensive melismata, but have no concrete text and are usually built on the meaningless syllables te-ri-rem. In this study, first some of the different explanations as to the origin and the role of Kratemata in worship events will be presented shortly. The actual core of the investigation are the reflections about what a compositional meaning (in music content, formal, compositional and sound aesthetic way) these pieces have and how they affect the structure and organization of their respective total song (kalophonic piece and Kratema together).

About the Role and Compositional Functions of the Kratemata in the Byzantine Chant

Ioannis Papachristopoulos, Lehrbeauftragter Universität zu Köln, Musikwissenschaftliches Institut. Adresse: Fürstenstr. 9, 42277 Wuppertal, Deutschland

Review of Ecumenical Studies Sibiu

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Von der kompositorischen Funktion und Stellung der Kratemata im byzantinischen Kirchengesang

The Byzantine church chant is a purely liturgical song. The music that is practiced here is primarily linked to the understanding of the text and its...

About the Role and Compositional Functions of the Kratemata in the Byzantine Chant

Publié en ligne: 06 janv. 2016

Pages: 348 - 387

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/ress-2015-0029

Mots clés
Byzantine music, Byzantine chant, Kratemata, Echemata, Teretismoi, Kalophonie, Petros Bereketes

© 2015 Ioannis Papachristopoulos, published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

About the Role and Compositional Functions of the Kratemata in the Byzantine Chant

Publié en ligne: 06 janv. 2016

Pages: 348 - 387

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/ress-2015-0029

Mots clésByzantine music, Byzantine chant, Kratemata, Echemata, Teretismoi, Kalophonie, Petros Bereketes

© 2015 Ioannis Papachristopoulos, published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Mots clés
Byzantine music, Byzantine chant, Kratemata, Echemata, Teretismoi, Kalophonie, Petros Bereketes