Oriental Orthodox Music

[Salpy]

A prayer of St. Gregory of Nareg:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgiAL5h_oYM&feature=channel

 

[Salpy]

An Ethiopian hymn about St. Arsema ("St. Hripsime" in Armenian):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1GoKRjyjCo

More information about this is given in reply #35 in this thread:

http://www.orthodoxchristianity.net/forum/index.php/topic,15818.msg350381.html#msg350381

 

[Salpy]

I would love it if one of our Indian Orthodox brothers could give us more information about the tradition behind the Margam Kali:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Itlrnp_xVCo

 

[deusveritasest]

Celtic?  Sounds interesting.  I assume that would be the rite in which the British Orthodox celebrate.

yup

Huh? I thought the DL of the British Orthodox was Antiochene and the Office Alexandrian?

 

[deusveritasest]

I don't know if this has been posted yet. It's a section of the anaphora of the West Syrian rite chanted in English:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWChywFF9eQ&feature=related

 

[Salpy]

I would love it if one of our Indian Orthodox brothers could give us more information about the tradition behind the Margam Kali:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Itlrnp_xVCo

One of our posters, Surajiype, has kindly provided me with information about the Margam Kali, which he told me I could repeat here:


"Margam Kali is a folk dance of the Syrian Christians of Kerala, as far as I know both the Orthodox and Syrian Catholics have this tradition (since this is a pre-portuguese tradition).  Margam means the Way and refers to the Way of the Nazarene. Kali means play, in this context it refers to the dance.

The dance is done around a large brass lamp and it is usually associated with Christ.
The lyrics most commonly speak about the Apostolic ministry of St Thomas in India, the conversion of the 7 brahmin clans and the spread of the Way in Malabar. 

Such a dance has a close parallel in the Hindu tradition, on the most important harvest festival of Onam (which falls in a day or two), hindu women gather around a lamp placed in a large vessel containing harvested rice and perform a dance similar to what the Christian women do.

You can also see the traditional dress of the Syrian Christian women in the video, such dress was common till my grandmothers generation, nowdays girls just dress up once in a while like this.  Like the Ethiopians, Indians had a penchant for white and it was mandatory for men and women to wear white when going to Church in the olden days."


Thanks Suraj!

 

[coptickev]

Celtic?  Sounds interesting.  I assume that would be the rite in which the British Orthodox celebrate.

yup

Huh? I thought the DL of the British Orthodox was Antiochene and the Office Alexandrian?

The BOC uses the Liturgy of St.James.

 

[Salpy]

A Syriac hymn:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRjxpxH0RE8

 

[Orthodox11]

The BOC uses the Liturgy of St.James.

But the Coptic Hours and Morning and Evening Raising of Incense.

 

[Salpy]

Tasbeha at a Coptic monastery:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dF0HGuq9pg&feature=channel_page

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCFYHsByyDs&feature=channel

I think this is the monastery in Texas.

 

[deusveritasest]

Celtic?  Sounds interesting.  I assume that would be the rite in which the British Orthodox celebrate.

yup

Huh? I thought the DL of the British Orthodox was Antiochene and the Office Alexandrian?

The BOC uses the Liturgy of St.James.

Then why was this person assuming that the BO use the Celtic rite?

 

[coptickev]

Then why was this person assuming that the BO use the Celtic rite?

Probably because the northern regions of Britain and Scotland were evangelized by Celtic Monks from Ireland in the 6th and 7th centuries. These monks had their own distinctive liturgical practices. I suppose it was thought the a British Orthodox Church would resume these customs.

There are several "Celtic Orthodox" groups in the English speaking world, but AFAIK none are affiliated with a canonical Orthodox Church.

 

[minasoliman]

Celtic?  Sounds interesting.  I assume that would be the rite in which the British Orthodox celebrate.

yup

Huh? I thought the DL of the British Orthodox was Antiochene and the Office Alexandrian?

Ya, I believe I was mistaken.  I read it at a forum once.  However, there are prayers that seem to be studied right now that were unique in Celtic Christian tradition.  I hope I don't butcher the name, I think the "Stowe Missel" it's called is a Celtic liturgical tradition.  I assumed that's what the British Orthodox used, until I found out otherwise.

 

[Salpy]

I am assuming this Syriac hymn of the Cross is appropriate for the Feast of the Holy Cross:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRhb56R_4aE

I'm pretty sure it is the same hymn that is posted in reply 250, above, but this version is so beautiful, I just had to put it here. 

 

[minasoliman]

I am assuming this Syriac hymn of the Cross is appropriate for the Feast of the Holy Cross:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRhb56R_4aE

I'm pretty sure it is the same hymn that is posted in reply 250, above, but this version is so beautiful, I just had to put it here. 

I'm starting to learn this hymn already 

 

[Salpy]

Syriac Hail Mary:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpMM9ZuRkKs

 

[Salpy]

Coptic hymns sung by the faithful, at a shrine of St. George in Cairo:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPRMxnqRCg4

 

[minasoliman]

Coptic hymns sung by the faithful, at a shrine of St. George in Cairo:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPRMxnqRCg4

It's a Coptic style doxology for St. George chanted in Arabic followed by the Coptic hymn of Axia (St. Mary, Theotokos)/Axios (St. George), and ending with "Oh Lord hear us, Oh Lord have mercy on us, Oh Lord bless us" in Arabic.

Cymbals were played as usual.

 

[Andrew21091]

Here is a very beautiful Coptic hymn sung during Kiahk.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zp8NUv7eGEI

 

[Salpy]

A Syriac hymn, chanted by a priest:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X75qQWr1hCY

I love recordings like this.  They are more "real" than hymns sung by professional choirs.

 

[EkhristosAnesti]

An exclusive Erkohet recording and production of the first ever English vocal rendition of the ancient and divine Syrian Orthodox Marian Hymn, 'Shlom Lech': click here to download!

A video display presenting a syriac version of the same hymn was made available to erkohet by its creator for use as a multimedia introduction to Fr. Peter Farrington's recent article on the Virgin St Mary in the hymns of St Severus of Antioch: click here to view.

 

[Salpy]

An English rendition of "My Coptic Church":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oyFwbLqVm4

 

[sodr2]

Coptic hymns sung by the faithful, at a shrine of St. George in Cairo:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPRMxnqRCg4

lol, i was scared for a sec, i thought id appear in that video since i was just there recently

I love recordings like this.  They are more "real" than hymns sung by professional choirs.

exactly!

btw theres this really nice website:
http://tasbeha.org/mp3/Hymns.html
it even has lyrics translated and all

and another great site:
http://www.coptichymns.net/modules.php?name=Coptic_Media&op=modload&file=index&p=Coptic%20Hymns
both are IMO the best sites to find coptic music

i cant stop listening to these songs (tasbeha):
http://www.coptichymns.net/modules.php?name=Coptic_Media&op=modload&file=index&p=Coptic%20Hymns/Praises%20and%20Tasbeha/Midnight%20Praises/Coptic%20Midnight%20Praise/Choir%20of%20the%20Martyr%20Abu%20Fam/Part_1

 

[Salpy]

Another hymn to the Coptic Church, "Our Glorious Church":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCRQd4P49Kg

The existence of hymns such as this and the "My Coptic Church" hymn posted earlier, only confirms what I have always seen, which is that the Coptic people really do have a special love for their Church.

 

[Alveus Lacuna]

Another hymn to the Coptic Church, "Our Glorious Church."

A very nice video.  I gleaned a few things from it. 

1. The Copts use a lot of incense during services.  I think everyone in my parish would start coughing if my priest used that much. 

2. Apparently there are pews in Near Eastern churches after all.  Who knew?

3. The congregations have nothing but throngs of women and little girls in them.  I guess the Coptic men are doing other things.

 

[Salpy]

A post about flashing lights in church was split off and made into its own topic:

http://www.orthodoxchristianity.net/forum/index.php/topic,23824.0.html

 

[Salpy]

Another hymn to the Coptic Church, "Our Glorious Church."

A very nice video.  I gleaned a few things from it. 

1. The Copts use a lot of incense during services.  I think everyone in my parish would start coughing if my priest used that much. 

2. Apparently there are pews in Near Eastern churches after all.  Who knew?

3. The congregations have nothing but throngs of women and little girls in them.  I guess the Coptic men are doing other things.

The Copts do use a lot of incense.  With regard to the video showing mostly the women in the congregation, I'm not sure I would take that as evidence that there are no men present.  In Coptic churches, women and men stand on separate sides, and the person making the video may have just for some reason taken more shots of the women's side of the church.

 

[minasoliman]

Another hymn to the Coptic Church, "Our Glorious Church."

A very nice video.  I gleaned a few things from it. 

1. The Copts use a lot of incense during services.  I think everyone in my parish would start coughing if my priest used that much. 

2. Apparently there are pews in Near Eastern churches after all.  Who knew?

3. The congregations have nothing but throngs of women and little girls in them.  I guess the Coptic men are doing other things.

The Copts do use a lot of incense.  With regard to the video showing mostly the women in the congregation, I'm not sure I would take that as evidence that there are no men present.  In Coptic churches, women and men stand on separate sides, and the person making the video may have just for some reason taken more shots of the women's side of the church.

I remember learning to be an altar deacon, every once in a while, I had to add one, maybe even two new coals into the censor for the priest (probably amounting to 6 or 7 coals burned for the day).  And then when adding the new smoke alarm system, our liturgies were seldom interrupted by the smoke alarms.  Upon going to another church, the priest there would not allow deacons to put coals in the censor.  He used one and a half, maybe two, and had two fans on either side of the altar venting the smoke away from him.  It turned out, he had asthma.  I also had a bishop who also had lung issues asking if the censor be put outside the altar.  This really gets me concerned of our use of the censor and the congregations who might not be able to handle it.

As for pews, well, I believe pews started when Copts complained of back problems (that's what a monk told me once in his remarks of whiny people).  In the old days, people sat on the floor.  Pews are relatively modernistic (although started a while ago, but probably only after influence of Western Christianity).

 

[Rosehip]

I would think so much incense could indeed be detrimental to pulmonary health, to say the least.

It was interesting to see the ostrich eggs in the "Our Glorious Church" video. I met a Coptic girl once who mentioned the fact that in the Coptic Church, ostrich eggs are symbolic of something (I forget what), and always hang in the Church.

I'd be interested in hearing more about this custom!

 

[Salpy]

Traditionally the eggs can be found in Armenian churches also.  I've been told they represent the Resurrection.

 

[Rosehip]

I can't quite remember everything she told me, but I believe she said something to the effect that the ostrich is one bird which never leaves its eggs unattended, and so is symbolic of God ever watching over us, or something to the effect. I wish I could better recall her words.

 

[minasoliman]

I can't quite remember everything she told me, but I believe she said something to the effect that the ostrich is one bird which never leaves its eggs unattended, and so is symbolic of God ever watching over us, or something to the effect. I wish I could better recall her words.

That and rebirth and resurrection all in one decorative egg (with all the insides empty of course).

 

[Alveus Lacuna]

I don't know about ostriches, but the symbols of the phoenix and the peacock were important in early Christianity.

 

[Salpy]

I don't know about ostriches, but the symbols of the phoenix and the peacock were important in early Christianity.

Peacocks are often used in Armenian iconography.

 

[Salpy]

This is the Lord's prayer in Armenian, sung to a tune which is very different from what you normally hear:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4uuhClZfos&feature=channel

A woman from the same group is singing another beautiful hymn here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJ4As-DMbmo&feature=channel

It's a hymn which I've heard before in church, but I don't know much about it.  Hopefully someone who knows this stuff better than I do, will see this and give more info. 

 

[sodr2]

I remember learning to be an altar deacon, every once in a while, I had to add one, maybe even two new coals into the censor for the priest (probably amounting to 6 or 7 coals burned for the day).  And then when adding the new smoke alarm system, our liturgies were seldom interrupted by the smoke alarms.  Upon going to another church, the priest there would not allow deacons to put coals in the censor.  He used one and a half, maybe two, and had two fans on either side of the altar venting the smoke away from him.  It turned out, he had asthma.  I also had a bishop who also had lung issues asking if the censor be put outside the altar.  This really gets me concerned of our use of the censor and the congregations who might not be able to handle it.

i just realized something... is inhaling the censor technically second hand smoking?

 

[minasoliman]

I remember learning to be an altar deacon, every once in a while, I had to add one, maybe even two new coals into the censor for the priest (probably amounting to 6 or 7 coals burned for the day).  And then when adding the new smoke alarm system, our liturgies were seldom interrupted by the smoke alarms.  Upon going to another church, the priest there would not allow deacons to put coals in the censor.  He used one and a half, maybe two, and had two fans on either side of the altar venting the smoke away from him.  It turned out, he had asthma.  I also had a bishop who also had lung issues asking if the censor be put outside the altar.  This really gets me concerned of our use of the censor and the congregations who might not be able to handle it.

i just realized something... is inhaling the censor technically second hand smoking?

I don't know.  I haven't seen any studies on incense smoke and the effects it has on the lungs.  But it seems to have an effect on those prone to asthma or perhaps allergic.

 

[Salpy]

Coptic tasbeha hymn:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWGY-4GjcTI

 

[Salpy]

A Syriac hymn, with transliteration and an English translation:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Wo00EgsT6Y

 

[Salpy]

A post communion hymn and dance in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Bkt96v2CL4