Znamenny Chant
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Znamenny Chant (Russian: Знаменное пение, знаменный распев) is a term that refers to either 'monodal, unison liturgical singing that is performed using Kryuki, "крюки" (or Znamena, знамена) notation, as opposed to standard Western linear notation', or 'a particular system of unison liturgical singing'. Both meanings refer to a singing tradition used in the Russian Orthodox Church.
The most important feature of Znamenny Chant is that it is written with special signs, called Znamena (archaic Russian for "marks", "signs", "flags") or Kryuki ("hooks"), as some shapes of these signs resemble hooks. Each sign may include the following components: a large black hook or a black stroke, several smaller black 'points' and 'commas', several red marks and lines near the hook or crossing the hook. Some signs may mean only one note, some 2 to 4 notes, and some a whole melody of more than 10 notes with a complicated rhythmic structure.
The system of hooks is a Russian refinement of the Byzantine neumatic musical notation.
The most notable feature of this system of writing music is that it records transitions of the melody, rather than notes. The hooks are also coding a mood and a gradation of how this part of melody should be sung (tempo, strength, pathos, tenderness, etc.)
Over time the system became very complicated. It was also ambiguous, so that almost no one, except the most trained and educated singers, could sing an unknown melody at sight. The hooks only helped to reproduce the melody, not just coding it in an unambiguous way.
Because of the complexity of the system, a simplified system was developed in the 16th century called "kinovarnye znaki", where small letters were printed in red before each sign. These indicated the first note of the sign it stood before. This is generally regarded as the first step towards a certain simplification of the system.
The continued evolution of the system stopped after the penetration of Western music into Russia, and the adoption of a "Latin singing" style by the Orthodox Church. The term however was considered derogatory, since it also referred to "incorrect Latin faith".
Currently hooks continue to be used by the Riussian Old Believers. In the 19th century Edinovertsy have tried to move to the modern neume form of notation that tries to capture exact relations between pitches; and they currently use a standard linear notation.
Originally Znamenny Chant were performed only by male voices. Nowadays, due to a significant decay in the traditions and the small number of people able to sing at church services, it is usually performed now by both by male and female voices.
[edit] External links
- Explanation and History of Znamenny Chant
- Traditional Eastern Orthodox Chant Documentation Project - a lot of information and notes. (English)
- Observations on the Early Russian Collections of the Library of Congress - references to Znamenny Chant
- The Intonation of the Eight Tones Byzantine notation
- Sample of Znamenny chant - "O Heavenly King" by the Valaam Brotherhood Choir
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