Work Type: Music
Description:
Byzantine music, rooted in the Byzantine Empire, developed primarily as a form of ceremonial and religious chant, evolving from ancient Greek music and incorporating influences from Hellenistic, Syriac, Hebrew, and early Christian traditions. This monophonic, modal music system is based on eight modes, or echoi, and includes important liturgical books like the Sticherarion and Irmologion, which contain hymns and chants used in Eastern Orthodox Christian worship.
Following the fall of Constantinople in 1453, Byzantine music continued to thrive within the Eastern Orthodox Church, preserving its rich cultural and spiritual heritage. This tradition is characterised by its modal system, elaborate ornamentation, and specific notational system that has been passed down through generations. Recognised by UNESCO in 2019 as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, Byzantine chant remains a vibrant and essential aspect of Eastern Orthodox liturgy, reflecting the deep spiritual and historical legacy of the Byzantine Empire.
Relationship to Sicilianos's Work:
In the third movement (Adagio molto e mesto) of String Quartet No. 1 Op. 8, the composer drew inspiration from two Greek musical traditions: Byzantine chant and folk song. However, no melodies are directly borrowed from these sources. The cello begins with a drone-like accompaniment, akin to the Byzantine “ison,” supporting a broad melody introduced by the viola, which then transitions to the violins in succession.
Sicilianos, programme note in the concert programme of 17 March 1954. See: Christopoulou, Valia. Κατάλογος Έργων Γιώργου Σισιλιάνου [Yorgos Sicilianos Catalogue of Works] (Athens: Panas Music Papagrigoriou – Nakas, 2011) 36-37
Sicilianos’s Epitaph is divided into two parts, played without interruption, and is based on a combination of texts by the composer himself, and: a) the first three lines of the Western Requiem Mass in Latin, b) a short excerpt from The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, and c) two Byzantine hymns, in the original text and melody, namely an excerpt from the Lament of the Virgin, heard in the Orthodox service of Holy Week, and a resurrection hymn.
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Work Page |
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1 |
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YSC72 |
Epitaph |
for Mixed Choir, Six Women's Vocal Ensemble, Children's Choir, Narrator and Orchestra |
31 |
3233-4331, Timpani, Percussion (3 Performers: Suspended Cymbal, Cymbals, Medium Gong, Large Tam-Tam, Flexatone, Maracas, Claves, Clapper, Metallophone or Glockenspiel, Crotales, Xylophone, Vibraphone, Tubular Bells, Bass Drum), Harp, Piano, Strings, Choir, Children’s Choir, Narrator, 4 Female Voices |
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2 |
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YSC42 |
Adagio and Vivace |
for String Orchestra |
8A |
Strings (Violins, Violas, Cellos, and Double Basses) |
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3 |
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YSC41 |
String Quartet No. 1 |
8 |
String Quartet (Violin I, Violin II, Viola, and Cello) |
Third movement (Adagio molto e mesto) |