The Greek Repertory in Ruthenian Irmologia as a Key to Some Questions of Byzantine Musicology

Authors

• Marcin Abijski Orthodox Theological Seminary in Warsaw, Poland https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6103-2055

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.57050/jisocm.163102

Keywords:

Irmologion, Heirmologion, Western Rus', notation, Byzantine Chant

Abstract

From the very moment they emerged, the staff-notated Irmologia of the Western Rus’ featured Greek hymns. These hymns are unique because, while Byzantine music was being recorded using highly conditional, “symbolic” notation, the Irmologia recorded these hymns using a convenient and, most importantly, rhythmically comprehensible musical language. Although in eastern Slavic musicology, this repertoire is considered supplementary and has been largely ignored for many years, it can serve as both a key to understanding many issues primarily related to the melodic structure of Byzantine chant and a secondary source of information about the nature of Byzantine music. The comparison of these compositions yields valuable information about the melody, rhythmic structure, the modal system, the “encrypted” signs of the great hypostases, and the overall character of Byzantine melos in the Byzantine and post-Byzantine periods.