The Chanting Element in Michalis Adamis's composition Rodanon

An Approach from the Point of View of the Morphology of Byzantine Music

Authors

• Michael Stroumpakis Patriarchal University Ecclesiastical Academy of Crete

Keywords:

Michalis Adamis, Byzantine choral system, modern music, Byzantine kalophonia

Abstract

This article examines Michalis Adamis's composition Rodanon through the prism of the morphology of Byzantine music. This examination is conducted in a holistic and macroscopic manner, avoiding meticulous musical analysis. It was determined that the composer was well aware of the tradition of 14^th-century Byzantine kalophonia and applied its specific features to the “Rodanon” project. It was also found that the combination of the roles of the tenor-chanter (soloist) and psaltic choir correspond to the compositional pattern detected in the compositions of Byzantine kalophonia, in which their roles are exchanged or combined. In the light of the above, a plan for the composition of Rodanon is proposed, which shows that Michalis Adamis has created a new and innovative synthesis by reconstructing older elements of Byzantine traditions.