Oriental Orthodox Music

[EkhristosAnesti]

A Marian hymn known as Mahlaky Ya Mariam chanted by Anton Iyad, who is the very young son of Ibrahim Ayad, the lead cantor at St. Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Cairo, Egypt:

http://www.esnips.com/doc/c943bc3b-54e6-467d-a8cc-a43b1cb6e782/Mahlaky-Ya-Mariam---Anton-Iyad

[EkhristosAnesti]

The Coptic patriarchal hymn, E-Aghapi--one of the few hymns that is chanted entirely in Greek:

http://www.esnips.com/doc/e8020803-7181-4b53-9318-3d6607e69155/E-Agapi

[minasoliman]

The Coptic patriarchal hymn, E-Aghapi--one of the few hymns that is chanted entirely in Greek:

http://www.esnips.com/doc/e8020803-7181-4b53-9318-3d6607e69155/E-Agapi

I like Anton Iyad's voice better:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzbRtnEJGk8

(that's my Church by the way)

God bless.

[Orthodox11]

I like Anton Iyad's voice better

My only real problem with a lot of Coptic cantors (especially the Ayads) is that they make no effort whatsoever to pronounce Coptic or Greek words with an accent that would make them somewhat recognisable. It's especially frustrating when someone has grown up outside of Egypt and barely speaks a word of Arabic, yet sings the Greek and Coptic hymns like he left Cairo yesterday.

One need not be a skilled linguist to say Kyrios instead of Kereyos.

[EkhristosAnesti]

A beautiful Armenian Orthodox hymn about the land of Armenia:

http://www.esnips.com/doc/fa7e220e-ee24-4ead-ae4d-9db6c111ba3c/Armenian-Orthodox-Hymn,-St-Marys-Choir-Cilicia

Maybe Salpy can give us some extra information about the meaning and context of this hymn.

[Salpy]

http://www.orthodoxchristianity.net/forum/index.php/topic,8076.0.html

Above is a link to a thread about the Armenian Church having four patriarchs, one of which is the Catholicos of Cilicia.  The Turks of course killed or expelled all the Armenian inhabitants of Cilicia during the Genocide and the Catholicos of Cilicia moved to Antelias Lebanon.  He has jurisdiction over the Armenian churches in Lebanon and certain other places in the Middle East. 

The song you posted is about the desire to return to Cilicia "When the sparrow returns to his nest, When the trees are clothed with leaves..."  It's not really a religious hymn in my opinion.  It has more of a nationalist character to it.  However, it is quite beautiful and I think representative of the kind of music which has developed in the Armenian diaspora since the Genocide.

[EkhristosAnesti]

Dear Salpy,

Thanks for the information. I gather then that this hymn/song is not performed within a liturgical context?

Although I could not understand a word being sung, I could definitely feel a range of emotions being conveyed: nostalgia, pride (the good sort ofcourse), power, pain etc.

Would you happen to know what CD this file is from, and where one can purchase it? I just found this particular file whilst browsing through a folder of random files on my computer; I cannot even recall where I initially downloaded it from.

[Salpy]

You're right, the song would not be used liturgically.

I don't know what CD that file is from, or specifically any CD which has the song, but I would try to inquire of the Eastern Prelacy of the United States (This is different from the Eastern Diocese.)  They have a vast CD collection and since they are affiliated with the Catholicosate of Cilicia, I would think at least one of their CD's would have it.  Maybe they even have the specific CD the file came from.  I would e-mail them with a link to the file and see what they say.

 http://www.armenianprelacy.org/bookstore/books.htm

Here are some of their CD's:

http://www.armenianprelacy.org/bookstore/tradition.htm

[Orthodox11]

The Coptic patriarchal hymn, E-Aghapi--one of the few hymns that is chanted entirely in Greek:

http://www.esnips.com/doc/e8020803-7181-4b53-9318-3d6607e69155/E-Agapi

Just out of interest. I noticed that the part that says "and all the country of Egypt, and the city of our God Jerusalem, and the Five Western Cities, and Libya, and Nubia, and Ethiopia, and Africa" is sung in Coptic, not Greek. Does this mean it was a later addition to the hymn?

And is there any significance in Ethiopia still being mentioned, despite it now having its own Patriarch? Or did they simply not wish to revise the hymn?

[_Seraphim_]

Video – Coptic Chant in English

I have been listening to Coptic chant for quite some time… but I have never heard it in English… until now.

I came across a video on YouTube with Coptic chant in English… and I am so glad to finally hear it in my native language! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRFM1n6sI6Q

However, I was rather shocked by the exclusively Roman Catholic images that went with the chant… I am very confused.  I ask the Coptics on this forum two questions:

1) why do you think Coptic icons were not used for this video?
2) does anyone know where to purchase (or download) Coptic chant in English?

Thank you all for your help
God bless

[EkhristosAnesti]

2) does anyone know where to purchase (or download) Coptic chant in English?

Chants performed by people who can actually chant in the proper Coptic manner, and that are recorded with high quality equipment? Not that I know of i'm afraid! My parish has a number of very talented and gifted chanters who often lead the English Liturgies. I tried to record them some time ago using somewhat professional software on my computer; unfortunately my computer crashed a while after and I lost all the files before I had the chance to back them up. I may try to re-record them soon.

For now, I don't have much to offer. Here is what I consider to be a reasonably good chant (in english) of one of the Sunday Gospel readings. It is nevertheless not without its shortcomings: 1) It's not the best quality recording, and 2) the reader sounds somewhat "fresh off the boat", but his accent is not too bad I guess: http://www.esnips.com/doc/550519b9-b74a-4e34-9157-652540e96fb3/Coptic-Gospel-Chant-in-English---Jn-14.1-11

Gospel Intro: Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. Our Lord, our God, our Saviour, and the King of us all, Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, to Whom Glory is due forever. Amen.

Gospel reading (John 14:1-11): 1 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.” 5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. 7 “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.” 8 Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. 11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.

[_Seraphim_]

EkhristosAnesti,
thank you so much! 

I love hearing all the different Orthodox styles of reading the scripture.

God bless

[minasoliman]

Dear Seraphim,

I sorta know this guy who posted the video.  I think he likes Western art and is very well-rounded when it comes to music and art.  It's just his own personal preference.

God bless.

[_Seraphim_]

minasoliman,
thank you for the info

God bless

[EkhristosAnesti]

Here is a segment of St Gregory's Anaphora to the Son of the Coptic Gregorian Liturgy chanted in english (except for the first three words) by Fr. Antonious Tanious:

http://www.esnips.com/doc/c70d5a1c-f07a-4784-a2d9-a5478776948f/Segment-1---Coptic-Gregorian-Liturgy---Anaphora

PRIEST:

Agios.  Agios.  Agios. 

Holy, Holy, Holy are You, O Lord, and Holy in everything, and most excellent is the light of Your Essence.  Unexplainable is the power of Your wisdom, and no manner of speech can measure the depth of Your love for mankind.

You, as a Lover of mankind, created me as a man.  You had no need of my servitude, but rather, I had need Your Lordship.  Because of the multitude of Your tender mercies, You brought me into being when I was not. You have raised heaven as a roof for me, and established the earth for me to walk on.

For my sake, You have bound the sea. For my sake, You manifested the nature of animals.  You have subjected everything under my feet. You have not left me in need of anything of the works of Your honor.  You are He who formed me, and laid Your hand upon me.  You inscribed in me the image of Your authority. You have placed in me the gift of reason; and opened for me Paradise to enjoy.

You gave me the learning of Your knowledge.  You manifested to me the Tree of Life, and made known to me, the sting of death.  Of one plant You forbade me to eat of, that concerning which
You said to me, “Do not eat of it only.” But according to my will, I did eat. I put Your Law behind me of my own counsel and became slothful towards your commandments. I plucked for myself the sentence of death.

CONGREGATION:

Lord have mercy.

PRIEST:

O, thou, my Master, have turned for me the punishment into salvation.  As a Good Shepherd, You have sought after the one who had gone astray.  As a True Father, You have labored with me, I who had fallen. You have bound me with all the remedies that lead to life.  You are He who sent to me the prophets for my sake, I the sick.

You havw given me the Law as a help.  You are He who ministered unto me salvation to me when I disobeyed Your Law.  As a True Light, You have shone upon the lost and the ignorent.

CONGREGATION:

Lord have mercy.

I will post the rest of it later when I have time to enhance the quality of the recording a bit more as I did with this one.

[minasoliman]

I stumbled upon this:

http://www.coptichymnsinenglish.net/

I also recommend people to listen to Fr. Antonious Tanious' Gregorian liturgy (in English) found here:

http://saint-mary.net/hymnology/divine_liturgies/st_gregory/

Fr. Bishoy Demetrious is also excellent, but it's in Arabic.

God bless.

[_Seraphim_]

minasoliman...

thank you so much!  My OO chant collection is slowly growing, but I have such a desire to hear it in English.  These links are a most wonderful blessing.

[EkhristosAnesti]

Here is a sample of an english recording of the Vigil Praise "The Burning Bush" which is chanted during the Coptic Month of Kiahk:

http://www.esnips.com/doc/c1b54380-4f6f-4347-88fc-d5821bdfa6e5/The-Burning-Bush---Kiahk-Tasbeha---English

The month of Kiahk (which begins this year on Dec. 11) is dedicated to the Virgin Mary in preparation for the Feast of the Nativity upon which the month of Kiahk concludes (7th Jan). Here are the lyrics of the sample selection I have uploaded:

I open my mouth and proclaim;
And utter hidden mysteries,
With the praise of Virgin Mary.
Blessed is the pride of the human race!

Gabriel the Messenger came to you,
"With the Incarnation of the Logos,
The Lord will dwell in your holy womb."
Blessed is the pride of the human race!

"The Holy Spirit will come upon you;
The Most High will overshadow you;
And you shall bear the Son of God."
Blessed is the pride of the human race!

Refrain:
The burning bush seen by Moses,
The Prophet in the wilderness;
The fire inside it was aflame,
But never consumed or injured it.

The same with the Theotokos Mary,
Carried the Fire of Divinity,
Nine months in her holy body,
Without blemishing her virginity.

David your father, said of you,
And prophesied about the birth;
That God will be held in your bosom.
Blessed is the pride of the human race!

All that was said has been fulfilled,
The proclamations and prophecies,
About the birth of Emannuel.
Blessed is the pride of the human race!

Through you blessed and fair Mary,
We were free from slavery,
God has filled you with eternal grace.
Blessed is the pride of the human race!

Refrain:
The burning bush seen by Moses,
The Prophet in the wilderness;
The fire inside it was aflame,
But never consumed or injured it.

The same with the Theotokos Mary,
Carried the Fire of Divinity,
Nine months in her holy body,
Without blemishing her virginity.

[Orthodox11]

I was wondering if anyone could provide me with the Syriac and English text to the hymn sung at the beginning of this video. It's simply beautiful (as is everything in the Syriac rite).

The name of the singer would be great too.

Thanks!

[EkhristosAnesti]

Indian Orthodox chant by Fr. Saji Thomas:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2887415995711769755&hl=en

[Entscheidungsproblem]

Coptic Divine Liturgy in Italian:

http://www.esnips.com/web/messacoptainitaliano

[Salpy]

This Ethiopian Orthodox hymn is beyond beautiful:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=VNyy60aeGt8

[Salpy]

Another beautiful Ethiopian hymn:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=C7D2v0BUzYc


I wonder if the woman singing in the video is a popular singer over there.  A couple of times in the video she seems to be singing to large crowds.  In any event, the hymn is beautiful.

[Salpy]

This is the Armenian "Lord have mercy."

http://youtube.com/watch?v=8CxIqYGHztU

[Salpy]

Armenian Lord's Prayer, sung in a church in Fresno:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y27f5nU6whg&feature=related

[EkhristosAnesti]

This is the Armenian "Lord have mercy."

http://youtube.com/watch?v=8CxIqYGHztU

That was awesome. I love strong male voice solo chants. Do you know of any other hymns online of a similar style?

[Mor Ephrem]

I was wondering if anyone could provide me with the Syriac and English text to the hymn sung at the beginning of this video. It's simply beautiful (as is everything in the Syriac rite).

The name of the singer would be great too.

Thanks!

I'm sorry, I can't be of much help re: the singer, or the exact text, but it is basically the introduction of a standard part of liturgical prayers called variously "Proemion" or "Hoosoyo".  Examples can be found here: http://sor.cua.edu/Liturgy/Anaphora/Supplications.html

Salpy and/or other Armenians, I have a question.  When His Holiness Karekin II was visiting America this past October, I had an opportunity to attend a couple of services with him at the cathedral in Manhattan.  There's a song they sing whenever he enters and exits a place, and I was told that's "his song", and it's only sung for the head of the Church.  I thought it was awesome: is it online somewhere? 

[Salpy]

That was awesome. I love strong male voice solo chants. Do you know of any other hymns online of a similar style?

I wish!

I really admire the way the Ethiopians have put so many of their gorgeous hymns on youtube.  There are very few Armenian hymns on there and the quality of most of them is not that great.

[Salpy]

Salpy and/or other Armenians, I have a question.  When His Holiness Karekin II was visiting America this past October, I had an opportunity to attend a couple of services with him at the cathedral in Manhattan.  There's a song they sing whenever he enters and exits a place, and I was told that's "his song", and it's only sung for the head of the Church.  I thought it was awesome: is it online somewhere? 

What you heard is probably one of these two hymns:

http://www.sograd.com/aacca/Miscellaneous/OrhnerkHayrabedagan.htm

http://www.sograd.com/aacca/Miscellaneous/Hrashapar.htm


_________________________

I'm editing this post to provide a link to better versions of the two above hymns:

http://pontificalvisit.org/ParishResources/parishResources.htm

If you click onto the Audio Recordings versions of the two songs, you will hear them nicely sung.

Just a note:  Orhnerk Hayrabedagan is a hymn asking God's blessing specifically for the Catholicos of Etchmiadzin.  Hrashapar, however, can be sung for other patriarchs, and I think I have heard it sung for a bishop who is entering a church in a procession at the beginning of the liturgy.  I think when the Catholicos last visited Los Angeles, the choir sung Hrashapar when he entered the church, and Orhnerk Hayrabedagan at the end of the service.

[EkhristosAnesti]

There are very few Armenian hymns on there and the quality of most of them is not that great.

I found this precious jewel:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=ywnAwgV9_ic

The video starts off like a documentary, but the host, Isabel Bayrakdarian (who seems to be a famous Armenian singer?), starts singing this beautiful Armenian Resurrection hymn ("Havum, havun") inside one of the ancient Armenian churches--The church of Sourp Keghart--at 2:55. It seems that the hymn itself dates back to the fifth century, and the composition to the tenth century. She sounds absolutely divine.

[Salpy]

Thank you.  That was beautiful.   

[Orthodox11]

This Ethiopian Orthodox hymn is beyond beautiful:

This one's become a favourite of mine:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdMPkLejNbg

[Salpy]

Ethiopian music is awesome!  The rest of us need to follow their lead and put more of our hymns on places like youtube.  I always felt that our hymnology (OO and EO) is one of the best witnesses to the beauty of the Christian faith.

[Salpy]

Actually, here is a great Coptic video that actually has the translation of the hymn with it.  Cool!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzbRtnEJGk8&feature=related

[minasoliman]

Actually, here is a great Coptic video that actually has the translation of the hymn with it.  Cool!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzbRtnEJGk8&feature=related

That's the church I normally attend when I'm home for the vacations.

[Salpy]

What a beautiful church!  Do you know the guy who did the video? 

[minasoliman]

What a beautiful church!  Do you know the guy who did the video? 

Yes, I do   He's good at video editing and he plays the oud and piano (at least that's the two I seen him play).

[Salpy]

This hymn is sung in the Armenian Church on Holy Thursday and tells of Christ washing the feet of His Apostles:



http://youtube.com/watch?v=S87KgPfu1UI

[Orthodox11]

Just came across another beautiful mezmur by Deacon Tizitaw.

Any of the forum's Tewahedo members have any idea where we could get the names of, and words to, some of these songs?

[marmina]

one of the most beatiful hymns in coptic church TENEN said in the month of kiahk the month that preceed  christmas all in greek except the last few words in coptic
http://rapidshare.com/files/80708577/tenen_tenoeh.mp3.html

[_Seraphim_]

It is indeed amazing how many Ethiopian Orthodox videos there are on YouTube.  I love them all.

It seems that most Ethiopian videos are studio-recorded hymns which are combined with other video footage.  It is very nice to see all the different visual clips with the same hymn... however, I really appreciate it when I find a video that is an actual live event where "what you see is what you hear."  There is something very special about seeing things in "real-time" and hearing the natural acoustics of the environment.  Also, even though there is usually a "lead singer," I enjoy hearing everyone singing at the same volume (it makes it seem like I'm actually there).

Having said that, here is my most favorite Ethiopian Orthodox video/song of all time:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJTM8g3au6s


God bless

[Salpy]

Having said that, here is my most favorite Ethiopian Orthodox video/song of all time:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJTM8g3au6s


God bless

I love how the congregation sings along in that one.  I don't see as much congregational singing as I would like in the Armenian Church.

[_Seraphim_]

I always felt that our hymnology (OO and EO) is one of the best witnesses to the beauty of the Christian faith.

Very, very true. 
Funny... we were just discussing that tonight at our parish board meeting while brainstorming about missionary activity.

[_Seraphim_]

I love how the congregation sings along in that one.

That's part of why I enjoy it so much. 

[EkhristosAnesti]

Courtesy of Salpy: A majestic Armenian Orthodox Hymn chanted during the Blessing of the Waters on Holy Feast of the Epiphany: http://www.esnips.com/doc/00c7142b-82f8-4587-81d2-e32df4906cfc/Ov-Zarmaneli-(O-Wondrous)

This file is Track 11 of the Armenian Christmas Hymns CD which can be purchased at the following link: http://www.stvartanbookstore.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=4731

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