8. Ecphonesis
Ecphonesis (also called Cantillation, Melodic Reading, or "Poglasitsa")
is the traditional manner of vocalizing non-musical elements of the worship
services of the entire Orthodox Church. This genre includes:
- the basic declamatory reading of the prayers and psalms,
- reading the Old Testament lessons and liturgical homilies,
- reading the Epistles and Gospels, and
- the style of reciting litanies and liturgical dialogue (in both simple
and ornate styles).
While solo declamation is called "poglasitsa", communual declamation/recitative is called "govorka"; this is used for "Having beheld the resurrection of Christ..." at Matins, the Creed and the Lord's Prayer at daily Liturgies, the Paschal Hours, portions of the Typica when it is sung on Sundays and holidays (in the priestless tradition), and a few other occasions.
1) Byzantine Chant Tradition (etc.):
[information coming soon] (The
use of the plain speaking voice [chyma] is currently allowed, but it is not traditional.)
"Sing" vs. "Chant":
Spoken voice = chyma;
Epistle style = emmelhs apaggelia (melodic recitation). The Russian style reading of the psalms is still melodic recitation, although a very simple one, which one hardly gets to hear from the reader. Some priests recite thus the litanies on weeekdays. Official service books give no full instructions as to the style of reading; it is something we simply have learnt. There is no special term for spoken voice reading with the last phrase(s) intoned.
Images (unknown sources): 120, 121, 123, 124, 125, 129, 130, Epistle, Gospel
2) Russian Znamenny Tradition (etc.):
Each of these styles listed
above is part of a well-developed oral tradition among the Old Believers,
and none of them are notated with neumatic notation (although in some of
the earliest Slavonic manuscripts of the Gospels there existed a type of
lectionary notation, now long gone from use or understanding). The simple
reading style uses very little vocal modulation, while the various scriptural
and homiletic styles make use of elaborate melodies and cadences. (A visitor
to an Old Believer church might even think he/she has walked into a synagogue
during the cantilation of the Torah! But thankfully one will seldom ever
hear that horrendous dramatic contemporary Russian practice of starting
a reading way down low and gradually ending on a high pitch.)
The Russian Church from early times has had a highly ornate ritual chanting of the "Many Years" at the Royal Hours for the feast of the Nativity of Christ, which particularly sung in cathedral and monasteries before the 1917 Revolution (and subsequent loss of the royal family). This was also sung on special national occasions, such as the birthday of the tsar, the birth of a royal heir, cornations, military victories, etc. The tsar was formally called by all his titles, and all the members of the royal family were incleded as well. While we have copies of the improvisatory text from numerous historical sources (the text was always adapted to fit the occasion, but the commemorative formula was fairly standard throughout its history), we have very few musical sources for this ritual. Of course, the musical examples that we have are merely intended as models which the protodeacon could use as a pattern for improvisation. The most detailed example that we have was included in the 1909 Valaam Obikhod (PDF).
Иван Гарднер — Страницы литургическаго музыковедения. Экфонетика. Учение о возгласах. (Православный путь, Jordanville, NY, 1970; pp. 136-159) (PDF)
А. Кастальский — Образцы роспевнаго псалмодическаго чтения молитв, псалмов, тропарей, и проч. (PDF)
Молебное пение в Неделю православия –
Возглашения протодиакона (PDF)
Dr. Stephen Reynolds: Epistle Tones of Galicia and Carpatho-Rus (PDF)
Image (unknown source): Poglasitsa
Recordings (to be added)
Links:
Plainsong
and Medieval Music - Volume 12, Issue 1 - The Theory And Practice Of Ekphonetic
Notation: The Manuscript Sinait. Gr. 213 (Sandra Martani) - Article
Abstract (information now unavailable, but one can still order the article)
PROPHETOLOGION
- Readings for Vespers
Экфонетика в православном богослужении – О тысячелетней
традиции русского богослужебного распевного чтения (original / another source)
Погласицы в певческой традиции старообрядцев. Выявление исторических изменений: статья И.Петляк в разделе Традиции и культура (original)
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