For Tutorials on Byzantine Chant and Byzantine Notation, click here.
Selections from Liturgy - Butler, PA (Fr. Bogdan Bucur)
The Great Litany (adapted by Stephen Esper, found here.)
The Beatitudes (Tone Pl. 1 - adapted by Nicholas Jones, according to I. Popescu-Pasărea, found here.)
The Great Entrance (Tone 1 - from St. Anthony's Monastery)
The Anaphora (Tone 1 - from St. Anthony's Monastery)
Hymnology Lecture - Sacred Music Institute 2010 Delivered by Stephen Esper
Part 1
Part 1 of a lecture on Hymnology given at the 2010 Sacred Music Institute. The lecture is given by Dr. Stephen Esper, musical director of the Byzantine Choir of St. George Orthodox Cathedral, Pittsburgh, PA. The section begins with a hymn to the Mother of God ("It is truly meet"), followed by a lecture on hymns of the Mother of God and a discussion of the icon Panagia ("All-holy") Paramythea.
Part 2
Part 2 discusses the 1st and 3rd Hour Doxastica (Hymns after the "Glory...") of the Royal Hours of the Nativity of Christ. The hymns are coupled with icons depicting the text, and discuss the contemplation of Joseph when confronted with the pregnancy of Mary and his encounter with the Angel.
Part 3
Part 3 features the 1st and 3rd Hour Doxastica (Hymns after the "Glory...") of the Royal Hours of the Nativity of Christ. The 1st Hour is adapted from Vatopaidi Monastery and the 3rd hour is composed anew.
Part 4
Part 4 begins with a discussion of the Mother of God in relation to the Cross of Christ and her motherly feelings as she looks upon her crucified Son and God. This part finishes with the Theotokion at "Lord, I have cried" of the 4th Wednesday of Great Lent.
Part 5
Part 5 discusses the icon of the Last Judgment and the place of the good thief in paradise. The section finishes with selections from "The Beatitudes" of Great and Holy Thursday Evening.
Part 6
Part 6 discusses the dialogue between St. Joseph of Arimathea and Pontius Pilate when St. Joseph goes to ask for the body of Jesus. The section ends with the processional hymn sung on Great and Holy Friday Evening, "Give thou me this stranger."
Part 7
Part 7 will be provided shortly. At the end of the video, however, the Hymn of Kassiane was cut off. Someone in the audience, however, recorded the session, so the Hymn of Kassiane is provided here.
A Byzantine Christmas Carol: Hymns of the Christian East - December 2009
Byzantine Chant Workshop - Spring 2009
These are videos taken at the spring 2009 Byzantine Chant Workshop, held at St. George Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral, in Pittsburgh, PA. They are large files, so they may take a long time to download.
Due to technical difficulties, some of the videos were cut short or started late. So, some of the sections are not complete in their content. The extra handouts referred to in Nick Jones' presentations can be found under the byzantine notation link. The handouts referred to in Fr. Stelyios' presentation will hopefully be provided, soon. The powerpoint presentations can be provided if desired (please contact the webmaster: webmaster@byzantinechant.org).
Introductory Remarks
by Nicholas Jones
Byzantine Scales and Ison
by Stephen Esper
Prayer in Prayer: Understanding the Liturgical Collect
by Fr. Stelyios Muksuris
Introduction to Byzantine Notation Symbols
by Nicholas Jones
(Apologies...this video both started late and ended early)
Introduction to Prosomoia
by Stephen Esper
(Apologies...this video started late)
History of Byzantine Chant
by James Powell
Prayer in Prayer: Participating in the Liturgical Collect
by Fr. Stelyios Muksuris
