Yale Institute of Sacred Music
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The syro-maronite Chant
By Prof. Elias Kesrouani Musimedialogist
December 4, 2007 THE ANCIENT CIVILISATIONS
2 FIVE ARAMEAN KINGDOMS,
FROM THE 5TH CENTURY B C TILL THE 4TH A D.
3 1- ANTIOCH (ANTAKYA)
4 2- EDESSA (URFA)
5 3-AL HADR (HATRA)
6 4- PALMYRA
7 5-PETRA
8 THE MARONITE CHURCH, HISTORICAL VIEW Origins The ethnic origins of the Maronite people lie in a rich formation of several races dating back to the cananeo-phoenecian civilizations of the near east. These races enjoy a clear revealed presence in the Bible. Cradle Its cradle is the monastery, which was sculptured in the fifth century in the rock on the In the .( א flowing into Aphamia (Qal‛at al-Madīq , א Orontes River Al-Assi honor of Mōrūn (In syriac ) , the « Saint prêtre anachorete » a hermit Holy priest according to the terms used by St J Chrysostom in one of his letters in exile. These monks and priests with a handful of people were not contented to be named only after one saint distinguishing themselves of the Syriac Church.
9 The Chalcedonian Council (451) The Maronite vigorously defended the Caledonian doctrine, while the action of the Constantinople council of 536 did retain the signature of the monastery of the blessed Mōrūn within the «grandissim» edifice surrounded by 300 Hermitages that exerted its supremacies over the venerable monasteries of Syria Second, until the tenth century1. The «Maronite» patronym This patronymic name required almost two centuries to be accepted or even assimilated2. Thus, the Jacobites3 expressed well there unhappiness to be called Jacobites and benefited from the discord following the rally of few Syriac to the Catholic Church in 1662 and called themselves Orthodox. The first martyrs Around 350 monks were subjected to martyrdom in that monastery in 517. The spilled blood for the faith blossomed with 800 monks in the 7th century. It became the lance– head of the resistance the region offered facing the anti-Caledonian monophysits. The purity of the musical patrimony Due to there isolation following the conquest of the region in 636 by the Muslim Arabs, the Maronites became strongly attached to the monastical character of their life, and the mode of chanting. This character is apparent in the syro-maronite chant repertory until the present time. The Council of Constantinople The sixth ecumenical council remained ignored by the chalcedonian bishops of Syria who took refuge in Constantinople. In the fifth century, the monks and hermits of about 300 hermitages, disciples of Saint Marun mentioned above, were the first to deserve the denomination of Maronites. This is the reason for which the Maronite church is monastic par excellence. Consequently like an oil spot, the parishes served by these priests spread to form the people known later as the Syriac Maronite Church of Antioch, Which was recognized for the first time as a .(744-748) א א distinct community by the Caliph Marwān
1 Livre de l’avertissement et de la révision, Book of notification and א ، א א א ,MAS‛ŪDĪ revision , (translit : Kitāb at-tanbīh wal-išrāf), éd. Goeje, Bibliotheca geographorum arabicorum, t.8, Leyde, 1894. 2 Ces Allusions pourront trouver leur explication, à notre avis, dans les documents annexes du livre de NAAMAN (Paul) Théodoret de Cyr et le monastère de Saint Maron, (Les origines des Maronites), Essai d’histoire et de géographie, Beyrouth, 1971. 3 Les Jacobites abandonnent ce titre relatif à l’Organisateur de l’Eglise syriaque au début du VIe siècle Jacques de Baradée, pour Orthodoxes, suite à l’aliment d’une partie des syriaques avec l’Eglise catholique en 1662.
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The Maronite of Mount Lebanon The Maronite Church was subjected to several persecutions, by the Jacobites and the Melkites. In addition to the persecutions, they suffered under the Caliph Abbasid al- did compel them to seek refuge in the mountain of (813-833) א א Ma’mūn Lebanon. This action safeguarded the Maronite chant from external influences and allowed it to retain its austere and archaic character4. The Maronite in Cyprus In the 9th century, many Maronites took refuge in Cyprus. In the 10th century, the Maronite was present in Lebanon, the Anti-Lebanon and the Syrian regions of Homs Hama a Ma°arrat an-Nu°ma-n...
The Crusaders During the Crusaders period 13th century, the Maronites were in concord with the Latins.
4 Remarque déjà mentionnée plus haut, et reconfirmée ici pour sa grande importance.
11 The Maronite School in Roma (1584) The Maronite Collage founded in Rome by Gregory the 13th, contributed to the amelioration of the intellectual level of the Maronite clergy. At that time, a slogan was circulated in scientific circles referring to men of culture in these terms: Savant comme un Maronite: a Scholar like a Maronite, like Assemani Eccellencis, and Gabriel Sionita who was the special instructor of King Louis the 13th.… The Maronite Synodos. In 1736, the Monastery of Notre-Dame d’Al-Louaïzé hosted the Grand Synod named as the Synod of Lebanon.
The residence of the Maronite Patriarch
The residence of the Maronite Patriarch was established first in the monastery of Qannūbīn then fixed at Bkerke since the Synod of 1790.5
5 ASSFALG (J), KRUGER (P), Dictionnaire de l’Orient Chrétien, Brepols, Belgique, 1991.
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THE SYRO-MARONITE CHANT.
The Original source of the Syro-Maronite chant The Maronite church like any other ethnic community recognized several schools representing its multiple traditions localized in bishoprics, seminars and large influencing cities. Each school brought to its repertoire a character that differentiates it more or less, from the others. Alepine founders of the Maronite orders From Aleppo the musical city of the near east par excellence, through the centuries and the cultures, a rooted stronghold in the Maronite tradition, four Maronites6, following a pilgrim to the holy land, proceeded toward to the holy valleys of Mount-Lebanon and founded, in1695, the first religious order of this Church: the Aleppine Maronite Order. This Order has been split into two, in 1770: the Aleppine Maronite Order and the Lebanese Maronite Order. Three existing orders presently in the Maronite Church emanated: the Lebanese Maronite Order, the Mariamite Maronite Order (that kept until 1967 the initial name of the founder: the Aleppin Maronite Order and the third, the Antonine Maronite Order, founded in the monastery of Notre-Dame of Tamiche, belonging to the Lebanese Maronite Order in the year 1700.
The formation of the first religious chanting community of the Maronites Orders was Aleppine with all what this belonging could mean in the sense of the musical character: the modalities, the style and the melodic expression of the Syro-Maronite chant. These characteristics would form with the melodic local Lebanese acquisition inherited through centuries, a mixture particular to this community
6 Three in the beginning: Abdullah Qara‛ali, Gibra’īl Hawwa, Yūsof al-Bitn.Followed by Gibra’īl Farhāt ; BLAYBEL (Louis), Histoire de l’Ordre Libanais Maronite, Vol. I, Imprimerie Youssef Daoua, Egypte, 1924, pp. 19.
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The syro-maronite Hymnological repertoire
(It is sufficient and adequate to give vocal example of some well known of these forms with out ingoing into historic evolution details).
7 bžáïŞz’ S7h5i;mo, “The ferial office”; the origins of this collection, resend, as it appears, to the end of the 8th century, compiled by Jacques of Edessa8. The content is from Saint Ephrem, Jacques of Saroug, Isaac, Balaï Bishop of Balas 7 and Simon the potter, and perhaps Jacques of Edessa; the S7h5i;mo , is chanted over melodies known as Proper or Common, in the alternate 8 qo,le:, two for each week9. The Maronite Church has lost the ochtoïchos from there repertory. The prayers of the week that do not change according to the alternation of the qo,le., * The Vesters and Complines, Rams8o, and Su,to,ro , of Monday and Tuesday are on the qo,lo, s7ti;to,yo,. * The Matines S5afro , of Monday are on the qo,lo, trayo,no,. * The Matines morning prayer” S5afro, of Tuesday are on the qo,lo, tmi4no,yo,. The Vespers and Complines Rams7o, and Su,to,ro , and the Matines Safro , of Wednesday are on the qo,lo, sbi;°o,yo,. The Vespers and Complines Rams7o, and Su,to,ro , of Thursday are on the qolo, hmi-s7o,yo,. The matine S5afro, of Thursday are on the qo,lo, qadmo,yo,. The Vespers and Complines Rams7o, and Su,to,ro , of Friday and Saturday are on the qo,lo, qadmo,yo,. The Matine S5afro, of Friday is on the qo,lo, s7ti;to,yo,. The Matines S5afro, of Saturday are on the qo,lo, tmi4no,yo,. For the Nocturnes (night prayers), the Third, the Sixth and Ninth prayers we refer to our study of the calendar10.
Ôþ@ Qo?lo,? Voice11, tone, canticale12; a poem of one or several verses. The Qo?lo ? gives its incipit as title, its meter and melody to the entire poem as well as to other compositions of which it is the model13.
7 La copie la plus ancienne est celle du VIIIe siècle dont il reste quelques folia à Damas. Une autre version al-mah:ru,ma , est préservée à Alep. Elle appartient à l'Église d'Edesse et fut écrite au XIVe siècle en estringe,lo,. Pour l'Église syriaque Orthodoxe il y a eu trois éditions du S3h/i;mo., Une première au couvent de Za°fara,n en1890, une deuxième par Bars/u,m et une troisième à Jérusalem en 1934. 8 Lu’lu’, p. 57, témoigne avoir lu dans un des manuscrits conservés à la Bibliothèque Nationale de Paris que le S3h5i;mo , est réuni selon la tradition de l'Église édesséienne. 9 Abro,ho,m, p. 19-20. 10 Les °enyo,ne , et Madros7e font exception aux chants des dimanches et fêtes mentionnés dans la Fanqi;to , car chacun a sa propre mélodie.
14 aćïŞåu Qo,le, Gni;ze, mystical hymn. Literally mysterious and hidden. There numbers14 vary: 72, 83, and 119. The Ochtoïchos does not apply to them since each possess its one special melody. bđîžgüŽ’@đþćÔ@Qo,le, s7ahro,ye,, vigil chant .51 or 53 canticles which in the antiquity were sang by the agžüŽ’ s7aho,re , "the vigils" that used to organize the prayers’ hours. The subject that this type developed is the praises to the holly Virgin, to the Saints and Martyrs. They also have for theme, penance the cross exaltation, Christmas, the Resurrection, and the commemoration of the Dead15. Some attribute them in totality to Saint Ephrem, which is improbable, especially when it is referred to the bđïÔćíÔ qu,qo,ye,, the author of which is Simon the Potter16. As a result, the Qolo- M°i-rono - bžäž7ŞÉà@þÔ (the one who exists), Qolo- Nu-sroto - aòžgcíČä@đþÔ@ the present melodies and others… The Archetype17 is called þÔ@”îŠ Ri;s7 Qo,lo, Exordium, a strophe type18. It designate the strophe-type upon which are «composed» the strophes or hymns reproduced at the image of this melody type. Ensens "; and gu,s7me , : "ordinary", are sang the days of the week, morning and evening in accordance with the Octoïchos.
bđäćíČåÔ@Qonu,ne,, Canons, 34 chants, each contains about 750 verses, the name of which reveals the greek origin. (Some sources’ qualify it as yawno,ye, ). They constitute a series of anthems accompanying the recitation of psalms and canticles or biblical odes of s/afro , (matines). These last ones alternate with a strophe of canon or follow. The authors of these qonu,ne, are principally19: Saint Jean Damascène (John of Damascus c. 675-c. 749), André of Crète (VIIe s.), Cosmes of Mai4u,ma20 (VIIIe s.)21 and others. They are always used by the Melkite22 and the Syriac. In the 8th century, the “Greek Canon” 23
11 B. O. I, p. 56 et 61. 12 Grec: ηχος, ton musical, son, chant (pl. đþćÔ qo,le);, latin: vox. Qo,lo , est utilisé dans le sens de "Verbe" dans la mélodie n° 159. Table des Ri;s7 qo,le , (sic). 13 Douaïhi, p. 65; Tabet, p.319. 14 Tarrazzi, p. 73 et Lu'lu', p. 91. 15 Armalet, Fihris, p. 89: donne le chiffre de 205. 16 Puyade, Composition, p. 91. 17 In gr. : hirmus. 18 Lu'lu', p. 498 et 501; Douaïhi, pp. 5a, 4a. 19 Puyade, Composition, P. 56. 20 Actually: G3azza. 21 For these tree melodies, see Wellesz, History, s.v. They are celebrated by the Greek Orthodox Church. See Mateos, Le Typicon de la Grande Église, s.v. 22 Cf. Absi, pp. 42 ss; 54 ss; p. 82, n. 14: Bibliographie sur les qonu,ne, yawno,ye,. 23 Jeannin, p. 87: Les syriens leur conservent le mode sur lequel ils étaient exécutés.
15 were translated into Syriac. In occidental Syria, Tel will compete with the °enyo,ne, of the Oriental Syria, which yielded them the place 24.
aóžïćuíČ@Su,g4i4o,to, Acrostic poems25, sang in dialog or anthem (antiphone)26. These popular canticles of which Narsaï has been the uncontested master have a dramatic character thanks to the dialog which constitutes there principal propriety and are easy to retain because of acrostic27. This dialog recalls the liturgical medieval drama in which the principal acts of our Lord and the Virgin were staged. Although written by a Nestorian, the canticles on the nativity, the Annunciation, and the Epiphany were introduced in the Maronite Breviary after having been attributed to Saint Ephrem28.
@aóćžïåÉŽà Ma°ni4oto , : antiphones; arabe: 'ug3ni4yat ; christo-arabe: ma°ni;to , : greec άντίφωα29, πόχκρισιc30; latin: responsum. This Codex contains 359 ma°ni4oto, a category of chants the total number of which riches 372. The majority (290 chants) is the work of Severus of Antioch. The remaining is attributed to Jean Bar Aftu,ni4a, and to others composers.
“Øò@aóÑć Tah:s7fo-to:- "supplications"31, a category of chants. This Cedex contains 300. There would be 245 others lost today. The treated subjects are different. They are mainly panegyric32. Tah:s7fo-to- are attributed to Ra?bbu?la?, The Taks7fo,to, are attributed to Rabboula bishop of Edessa (†435)33 or to Jacques of Edessa (†708).
igíŽà@bđ Mawrbe:,? Inserted chants between the strophes of Magnificat. Hans, there name 34 35 mawrab; latin: cantus ad Magnificat. They number fourty of Greek origin and they are sung on the ochtoïchos.
36 37 ahžàìČŒ Zu+mo+re + , Psalmodys chants, christo-arabe: zu+ma+r. These anonymous pieces38 numbering 728 in this Codex, composed of strophes taken from Psalms and
24 B.M. Add. 14513, de même que d'autres fragments gardés, eux aussi, à la Bibliothèque du British Museum. (Add. 14667). 25 Plus en usage chez les maronites que chez les Syriaques. (Armalet, Lum°a, p. 295). 26 Douaïhi, p. 58. 27 Manuscrit en deux copies: Berlin et Borgia. (Dalmais, Heures, p. 253). 28 Duval, Littérature, p. 24; Tabet, pp. 137-138. 29 CBM, 251b. 30 B.O., II, 173. 31 Qa,s7a,, p. 33. 32 Tarrazzi, p. 72. 33 B.O. I, 197. Rabbula (412). 34 Lu’lu’, p. 91, mentioned 207 of them. 35 Armatet, Lum°a, p. 292. 36 See its Greek origin in Armalet, Lum°a, p. 292. 37 Lu’lu’, p. 92; qasa, p. 34. 38 Armalet, Lum°a, p. 75.
16 forming verses followed by a metric phrase. The Codex contains 728. They are sung before of the reading of the gospel39 according to the octoïchos.
40 bđzžiİćíČ’ S7u?bo?h5e? , Praises; christo-arab: s7u,ba,h%. A category of canticles composed by Saint Ephrem41. They are sung by the deacon according to the octoïchos before the distribution of the communion. Some are in verses others in prose42.
@aóžïćäíČÈ@°uni4o,t)o,, "anthems"; ar.: raddat or also al-urju,zat43 urjuzat,37 chants, that start the madro,s7o,, forming an hymn with refrain or accompanying the scriptal vers. The creation of this very ancient form refers back to S7am°u,n Bar - S5abba°e (†244)44. They were attested in the 4th century in the traditional psalmody. They are sung according to the eight45 qo,le, or responsorial46.
bđåžïćåđÈ °Enyo,ne,: Responsorial antiphonic psalmodies. Extra biblical 73 pieces inserted in the psalmody. The°enyo,ne, are always used during the days of the week, the Holidays, and during sacerdotal ordinations47.
48 @aòžíćÉži Bo°wo,to:, Supplication, Demands, litanies . 80 Chants of which the strophic poetry is more ancient then the qo,le., They are inscribed in order of eight qo,le, and are sung at all occasions49: Feasts, Sundays and days of the week50. According to Bars/u,m, they would, be followed by51 Tbo,ro,to., The bo°wo,t)o, are divided in four categories:
aóïžiíÕÉŽî Ya°qu,boy,to, named after Jacques of Saroug who would be the author. (A vers of 12 syllables).
aó‹Ðe Afre,moy,to, named after Saing Ephrem (A vers of 7 syllabus). Balayote , or D-mor Balaï, named after Balaï, (vers of 10 syllables). Attributed in the Maronite rite to other chanters-writers, then Saint Balaï. The Maronite meter (Vers of 16 syllables)
39 Lu'lu', p. 499. 40 D'origine grecque. Armalet, Lum°a, p. 292. 41 Armalet, Lum°a, p. 75. 42 Armalet, Lum°a, p. 292. 43 Armalet, Lum°a, pp. 233 et 294. 44 Op. Cit., pp. 246 et 290. 45 Lu'lu', pp. 92, 502; Tarrazzi, p. 72, confirme ces informations mais mentionne "°u,ni;t!o, " au lieu de 370, en omettant le zéro par faute de frappe. 46 Puyade, Composition, pp. 34 et 78. 47 Puyade, Composition, p.35.: Dans la majorité des cas, les Maronites restent fidèles à la tradition primitive, intercalant les °enyo,ne , entre les versets d'un psaume. 48 In arabic t/alba,t (Armalet, Lum°a, p. 233). 49 Tarrazzi says that these bo°wo,t)o, are sung on the octoïchos. "There total number is eighty ", p. 72. 50 Qa,s7a,, p. 32, says sixteen qo,le,. 51 Lu'lu', p. 93.
17 bžážćuóđÐ@Fetg4ome., This refers to the verses of the Holy Scriptures that precede the qonu,ne, et °enyo,ne,.52
.bđïÝćàíČ’ُ S7u,mlo,ye., This version counts only six. These are the canon of the mass 53 54 ‡Žàbđ’žg Madro,s7e,, " Lessens, Instructions " . 156 chants of the oldest categories of lyrical and didactic hymns in various meters55. There subject is pious discussions over theological questions, philosophical or scientific ones56. The madro,s7e,, contained at the origin a refrain: °uni;to, aóïŞäíČÈ, that was repeated after each strophe b y the people. The greec κοντάκιον (koftakion) of Remaos the Melode57 is nothing else then the syriac madro,s7o., If the inventor of madro,s7o , is Bar-Dai;s/a,n (†222), it is Saint Ephrem who made them famous, both as theological content and the great numbers. The oldiest collection of madro,s7e,, organize according to the liturgical cycle is found in Codex Add. 14 522 of British Museum, (9e century)58. The golden age of this genre would be the pre-Islamic period.
Thereafter, we witness the birth of an other genre: the aóÝćjđ Seblo,to, well elaborated by the Severians59. Like in the madro,s7o, the first strophe is from Saint Ephrem. Unfortunately, in the l'al-s7ay,h: = Codex S7arfe , 5/1, two booklets were lost and only 45 remain.
60 ﻣُﻨﺎداة aòžìŒìČhØ Koru,zwo,to,, Proclamations. In greek κηρύγμα., the Kerigma ; in Arabic muna,da,t ou ki4ra,zat)61 is sung by a soloist before the gospel62. Following each وآﺮازة proclamation, the community would respond by Kyrie eleison63. Actually, the Koru,zu,to, is only chanted Sundays, during the feasts64 and in the different Episcopal and Sacerdotal ordination.
m°ad°da,n; For the Maronites א bžäž‡È‡ŽÉà M°ad°do,no,, The festival, Christo-arab met°ayyed.
52 The Maronites are very faithful to this tradition. 53 Duval, Grammaire, p. 21; et Lu'lu', p. 90; and also the jew mi;dra,s7: Dalmais, Apport, p. 251; Puyade, Composition, p. 44; Qa,s7a,, p. 31. 54 Vat. Syr. 95. 55 Op. Cit. p. 244. 56 Op. Cit. p. 75. 57 Puyade, Composition, p. 91. 58 Le Vaticanus syr. 95 compe 156 madro,s7e,. 59 Armalet, Lum°a, p. 289. 60 Douaïhi, p. 54. 61 Armalet, Lum°a, p. 296. 62 Armalet dit plutôt après l'Evangile. (Lum°a, p. 296). 63 Lu'lu', p. 501. 64 Lu'lu', p. 93.
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Characteristics of the Syro Maronite music (Accompanied by explanations and vocal examples) - The uninterrupted transmission of the oral tradition living by the power of the continuity of the religious communitarian life. - The similarity between the sacred and profane melodies at the origin; variety with many similarities in the recent times. - The melody is measured with the rhythm of the metric of the versification. The rhythm of the same melody varies with the metric exceptions quit frequent and relative to the nature of the syriac certification, as Semitic in general - Hans, our option to represent the musical phrase, by a slur and not by the measuring barre, since it is the metric that is the only reference –guide and the source of frequent rhythmic modifications - The independence between the melody and the literary text, since each melody covers hundreds of verses with different subjects on all occasions of the liturgical year. - The modality is archaic and not diatonic (tempered) recognizing the micro-intervals represented by the followings: a half tone, a tree quartertone and one tone. These modalities are in practice in Aleppo as in Lebanon and the near east, until the present days - The inexistence of the modulation; In case a modulation happens, it becomes a signal of late intrusion of this element in the melody, as sometimes the entire melody. - The Ambitus of these modalities is restrained: trichorde, tetrachorde, and pentachorde; the sixth and more, are only reached by the melodic development more ornamental then substantial. - The iso-syllabism: each metric syllable is equivalent to one note; except the semi-suspensive-cadence or the final-conclusive-cadence; meaning, always, the melodic cadence - A compositional style proceeding by formulas - Emanation of melodies from a melody-type - Centonised melodies: (Latin: Cento, a garment made out of several collected peaces…) composed of several elements borrowed from other melodies, hens the irregular strophic adaptation. - Procedure of the melodic line by conjoined movement and by compensating the jumped degrees.
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The “reform” and Syriac modalities - The fundamental sources65 of the Syro–Maronte repertoire subject of the reform of 1972) - The identification of the adopted sources for the reform undertaken by kaslik in 1972, 1st source: The Antonine Maronite Order. Fathe Paul ASHKAR66, the source is indicated by the inicial (A) 67 ; Father marounMOURAD,(M), The Antonine scholastic group (S) coming form the Maronite Antonine Order. All represent the same tradition ;
2nd source: The Lebanese Maronite Order: Father Joseph Harfouhe (C- ), Fr Louis Hage H, Fr Maroun Karma K. All represent come from the Lebanese Maronite order and represent the same traditions. 3rd source: This source is based on the transcriptions done by the occidental researchers reuniting the oriental music (AM), Don jules Jeannin,
A question: Is this phenomenon at the origin of an alteration of the Syriac melody toward the occidental Major and the minor, During 30 years, since the new reform? Before starting the modal and rhythmic analysis of the sacred musical repertory, we point out that the reform of 1972 – 2000 is synchronous to the tragic events that lasted about 20 years, during which Lebanon was plunged into a bloody war in search of its identity. This “reform” translated into Arabic the entire Syriac thesaurus of the language of Christ. Beyond the symbolic significance of the event, the musico-verbal adaptation (musical Syriac text in Arabic) must resolve, even from one verse to another, the inherent difficulty of Arabic, which uses language and short syllables similar to the Classical Latin and Greek languages. The Syriac very naturally adapted itself to the ancient melodic system, whereby each tune corresponds to a syllable, except in the half – rhythm and the melodic cadence. Besides the symbolic significance of the event, the musical verbal adaptation : (musical Syriac text and Arabic language) must resolve, even from one verse to another, the inherent difficulty in Arabic that uses long and short syllable (longa e breva), like ancient Greek and Latin.
65 HAGE (L.), Le chant de l’Eglise Maronite, p. 6. 66 Ecrit par l’auteur lui-même : ASHQAR Paul, Les mélodies liturgiques syro-maronites, 2 parties, Imp. Des Miss. Libanais, Jounieh (Liban), 1939. 67 HAGE Louis, Le chant de l’Eglise Maronite, Vol. 1, Le chant syro-maronite, Bib. De l’Université Saint- Esprit Kaslik, Imp. Catholique, Beyrouth, 1972, p.6.
20 While the Syriac was being naturally adapting to the archaic melodic system of which every sound corresponds to a syllable except in the semi and final melodic cadences. Ten years before the reform of 1972, we were stepping out the postulate, the novitiate, each having two years period, as well as, I has pursued during six additional years, the monastic live in the Lebanese Maronite Order. During those ten years, I have learned the annual cycle of the Maronite liturgy by heart as is the custom. Consequently, I have enjoyed the last ten years of this époque, the real oral transmission of this school. Hens is the authority of my judgment comparing between the heritage and the “reform”. My réflexion deal with the contradiction of the reformers
Example 1: Textual sources: Ferial rite for Sainte Rafqa, Kaslik (Lebanon), 1985, P.24; Christmas; Ferial Office, 2nd edition, Kaslik (Lebanon), 1977, P.109. Resonant sources of the same example: St. Charbel’s Office, CD, Collection of Maronite songs, nº8, The USEK Faculty of Music Choral, directed by Louis Hage, Kaslik (Lebanon), 2001. Resonant sources of the same example: St. Charbel’s Office, CD, Collection of Maronite songs, nº8, The USEK Faculty of Music Choral, directed by Louis Hage, Kaslik (Lebanon), 2001. Let’s notice the written musical text. It begins from right to left following the Semitic writings Methodological remark: The melody was named by its subtitle Satronon instead of its true title Trayhun Olme , see Achqar (Paul), Liturgical Syro-Maronite Melodies, Lebanese Missionaries publishing house, Jounieh (Lebanon), 1939, P.63; a reproduced melody in example 5.
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Listen to the reading of the modal. We discover writing with Si bemol ending with Fa. For an informed ear, the listening to the CD brings forth the following datum: The instruments play a 3rd median degree between the La semi-bemol and the La natural. The men choir sing a 3rd degree slightly higher than the instruments. The women choir sing a 3rd degree even higher than that sung by men. Conclusion: Besides the involuntary shifting in the midst of the same choir, we discover that the women ear is less educated in the quarter of the oriental tune; while men, in contrast, are more susceptible. The instrumentalists do not observe what is written on the score and they synthesize a voiced idea, as a reflexion of the people soul who always perpetrates the traditional execution, unaltered by the written intrusion of a quarter in the median tune. We discover in the following example a scripture that we have corrected its rhythm and armature. The new scripture reproduces the tradition with the 3rd median degree, namely a La demi- bemol. See the example below C. The rhythmical reading and listening. The oriental music rhythm in general is that of the words. It is the poetic metric that manages the musical rhythm. It is enough to consider as an example the Gregorian song.
22 However, since the text offered by the new reform is translated into Arabic, this could be a reason for not having grasped ... the original Syriac character. We equally propose a rhythm of 4/8 (or a double sound 8/8) starting with an anacrouse.
It is always preferable to note these melodies without a measuring bar while indicating the poetic metric by phrased binding-notes: a notation mode we have continuously adopted
Methodological remarks: The recorded melody over the record longer carries its melody’s type: common to a great number of , هﻠﻞ ,It is, in return, indicated by its incipit Arabe: Hallel types of melodies. The record is not dated.
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Modal reading and listening: In spite of having the record directed by the same person who signed the musical partition, we discover that Director explicitly shows incoherence between the written port and the sung one. The recorded melody is played in a mode, the scale of which is as follows: F, G, (Fa, Sol) the demi-bemol, B flat (Si bemol). The final cadence offers a rhythmic development that prolongs the scale toward a low- pitch of an interval of ¾ tone: E simi-flat: (Mi) demi-bemol. The writing offered by the Christmas ferial office mentioned above, recognizes only the B flat (Si bemol). It abandons there the semi-flat and the E flat. We draw the attention to the fact that our analysis relates only to the material belonging to the same source that publishes the musical partition and the melodic recording.
24 Rhythmical recording and listening: As Louis Hage transcribes the melody, it is consequently cast into a forced rhythmic frame shifting the metric accents of the text and arbitrarily arranging measure slur. The result is a rhythmical incompatibility, incoherence between what is written, and what is sung. We propose for this melody a modal and rhythmic correction in the example below, as we discover the Archaïc style of the rhythmic cycles that compose it:
Two times 5/8, followed by 2 times 3/8, while the 5/8 is subdivided in 3/8 and 2/8. This is what the melody spontaneously translates into the melodic suspensive semi- cadence in the 5/8 to be resolved in the 3/8 that follows. The coda of this melody brings us an additional proof concluding by a cycle of 4 times 3/8. As we have done above, we recall that it is always preferable to note these melodies without bars while mesearing the poetic ... by phrased slurs: a notation mode that we have adopted from the start of our research in 1973 as it is highlighted bars in the following example:
25
26 BIBLIOGRAPHIE
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