Sunday Vespers Book Revised!
The second edition of The Order of Vespers for Sundays after Pentecost has been
completed. From the preface:
This version incorporates the complete ordinary of Vespers recommended by the
Intereparchial Liturgy and Music Commissions, as well as suggestions from cantors
across the Metropolia. Particular changes affect the festal setting of Psalm 103, the
Prayer of St. Simeon, and the layout of samohlasen tone 4. In the face of differing
traditions on the use of samohlasen tone 4 (which was omitted from the Bokshai
Prostopinije), the Music Commission elected to use the version taught in the seminary in
Uzhorod; the revised edition has been updated accordingly.
The new book can be downloaded from this website in PDF form, and may be printed for
personal or parish use.
The Metropolitan Cantor Institute will provide copies of the new revised edition FREE OF
CHARGE to those who purchased copies of the first edition; all we ask is that you
DESTROY or RECYCLE the old book(s) so that no confusion will arise from mixing the
old and new books.
If you are a cantor or parish priest who previously purchased copies of the Vespers book,
or if you wish to purchase copies of the new edition, please contact Professor Thompson
at ChanterMT@aol.com .
Hymn for the 12th Sunday after Pentecost (based on the Sunday Gospel)
(We have received a number of requests for hymns to be sung before the Divine Liturgy;
we hope to present one per week, based on the Sunday or feast-day Gospel.)
The Akathist to the Mother of God
Professor Michael Thompson has prepared a printed edition of the hymns of the Akathist
to the Mother of God and Ever-Virgin Mary. Based on the Levkulic text of the service, it
uses the Pochaiv melody for the Ikoi (called "Chants" in the Levkulic edition) and the
traditional prostopinije melodies for the people's responses and the final sticheron. All
music is in 4-part harmony.
We hope to provide a text of the rest of the service of the Akathist at some point in the
future.
Mark your calendar - dates for 2005-2006 Cantor Institute announced
The 2005-2006 Metropolitan Cantor Institute will cover the texts and music in the new
People's Book, currently in preparation. Sessions will be held on:
(Note that each session is on a Saturday, generally the third Saturday of the month.) Go
here for more information. Registration information will be sent out shortly to all those on
the Metropolitan Cantor Institute mailing list.
Seminary Chant I class open to cantors
This fall, the Chant I class at Saints Cyril and Methodius Byzantine Catholic Seminary
will be taught on Monday evenings from 7-8:50 PM. Cantors who live within driving
distance of Pittsburgh are invited to enroll in this class; contact Professor Thompson for
more information about the course, and contact the Seminary for a schedule of fees and
registration information. Registration deadline for Fall courses is August 15.
Music for the Dormition Fast
n the Slav tradition, the Paraklesis (Office of Consolation to the Mother of God) is sung
daily during the Dormition Fast, August 1-14. This past Spring, Father David Petras
and the Metropolitan Cantor Institute prepared a text with music, based on the official
Molitvoslov (Rome, 1950) and the melodies in Bokshai's Tserkovnoje Prostopinije.
As it was prepared for use during the Great Fast, this particular edition uses the Lenten
psalm tones and responses, and includes the Prayer of St. Ephrem; due to time
constraints we were unable to prepare a separate edition this year with the "usual"
endings. Since this service is an important part of out tradition, we suggest that cantors
learn and sing the Paraklesis -- especially since many of the services in the Menaion
make use of the irmosy of the Small Supplicatory Canon to the Theotokos, contained in
the Office of Consolation.
Music for the "Time after Pentecost"
Sunday, August 14, is the thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost:
contains all text and music for these Sundays, unless it is the commemoration of a saint
of polyeleos rank or higher, or a pre- or post-festive day. Propers will be provided for
these days as the occur.
A Menaion for the month of July, providing daily texts and music for the Divine Liturgy, is
now available. We plan to produce these monthly until the entire year is complete.
Recordings for the Hymns of Matins
The following "ordinary hymns" are contained in the Sunday Matins Book (see the
Publications page for more information). Since we have received several requests for
help in learning to sing them, we are presenting recordings of each:
An archive of all music appearing on this site is now available. Comments and
constructive suggestions are welcome!
Samohlasen tones online
Recordings of "Lord, I have cried" (Introduction and stichera) in all eight tones are now
available online!
Tone 1 - Tone 2 - Tone 3 - Tone 4 - Tone 5 - Tone 6 - Tone 7 - Tone 8
Some of the documents linked on this site are viewable only with Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you
need Acrobat Reader, click here to download it for free.
The second edition of The Order of Vespers for Sundays after Pentecost has been
completed. From the preface:
- The first edition of this book was used in the Seminary chapel and by various parishes in
the Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh. After thorough use, the text and music
have been updated to reflect decisions mades by the IELC and IEMC, and a number of
typographical errors and mistakes in transcription have been corrected.
This version incorporates the complete ordinary of Vespers recommended by the
Intereparchial Liturgy and Music Commissions, as well as suggestions from cantors
across the Metropolia. Particular changes affect the festal setting of Psalm 103, the
Prayer of St. Simeon, and the layout of samohlasen tone 4. In the face of differing
traditions on the use of samohlasen tone 4 (which was omitted from the Bokshai
Prostopinije), the Music Commission elected to use the version taught in the seminary in
Uzhorod; the revised edition has been updated accordingly.
The new book can be downloaded from this website in PDF form, and may be printed for
personal or parish use.
The Metropolitan Cantor Institute will provide copies of the new revised edition FREE OF
CHARGE to those who purchased copies of the first edition; all we ask is that you
DESTROY or RECYCLE the old book(s) so that no confusion will arise from mixing the
old and new books.
If you are a cantor or parish priest who previously purchased copies of the Vespers book,
or if you wish to purchase copies of the new edition, please contact Professor Thompson
at ChanterMT@aol.com .
Hymn for the 12th Sunday after Pentecost (based on the Sunday Gospel)
(We have received a number of requests for hymns to be sung before the Divine Liturgy;
we hope to present one per week, based on the Sunday or feast-day Gospel.)
The Akathist to the Mother of God
Professor Michael Thompson has prepared a printed edition of the hymns of the Akathist
to the Mother of God and Ever-Virgin Mary. Based on the Levkulic text of the service, it
uses the Pochaiv melody for the Ikoi (called "Chants" in the Levkulic edition) and the
traditional prostopinije melodies for the people's responses and the final sticheron. All
music is in 4-part harmony.
We hope to provide a text of the rest of the service of the Akathist at some point in the
future.
Mark your calendar - dates for 2005-2006 Cantor Institute announced
The 2005-2006 Metropolitan Cantor Institute will cover the texts and music in the new
People's Book, currently in preparation. Sessions will be held on:
- September 17, 2005
October 15, 2005
November 19, 2005
January 21, 2006
February 11, 2006
(Note that each session is on a Saturday, generally the third Saturday of the month.) Go
here for more information. Registration information will be sent out shortly to all those on
the Metropolitan Cantor Institute mailing list.
Seminary Chant I class open to cantors
This fall, the Chant I class at Saints Cyril and Methodius Byzantine Catholic Seminary
will be taught on Monday evenings from 7-8:50 PM. Cantors who live within driving
distance of Pittsburgh are invited to enroll in this class; contact Professor Thompson for
more information about the course, and contact the Seminary for a schedule of fees and
registration information. Registration deadline for Fall courses is August 15.
Music for the Dormition Fast
n the Slav tradition, the Paraklesis (Office of Consolation to the Mother of God) is sung
daily during the Dormition Fast, August 1-14. This past Spring, Father David Petras
and the Metropolitan Cantor Institute prepared a text with music, based on the official
Molitvoslov (Rome, 1950) and the melodies in Bokshai's Tserkovnoje Prostopinije.
As it was prepared for use during the Great Fast, this particular edition uses the Lenten
psalm tones and responses, and includes the Prayer of St. Ephrem; due to time
constraints we were unable to prepare a separate edition this year with the "usual"
endings. Since this service is an important part of out tradition, we suggest that cantors
learn and sing the Paraklesis -- especially since many of the services in the Menaion
make use of the irmosy of the Small Supplicatory Canon to the Theotokos, contained in
the Office of Consolation.
Music for the "Time after Pentecost"
Sunday, August 14, is the thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost:
- Propers for Great Vespers
- Matins is resurrection tone 4, resurrectional Gospel 2
contains all text and music for these Sundays, unless it is the commemoration of a saint
of polyeleos rank or higher, or a pre- or post-festive day. Propers will be provided for
these days as the occur.
A Menaion for the month of July, providing daily texts and music for the Divine Liturgy, is
now available. We plan to produce these monthly until the entire year is complete.
Recordings for the Hymns of Matins
The following "ordinary hymns" are contained in the Sunday Matins Book (see the
Publications page for more information). Since we have received several requests for
help in learning to sing them, we are presenting recordings of each:
- The Polyeleos - listen
The Hosts of Angels - listen
Gradual Hymn in Tone 4, "From the days of my youth" - listen
The Canticle of the Mother of God (Magnificat) - listen
The Great Doxology - listen
An archive of all music appearing on this site is now available. Comments and
constructive suggestions are welcome!
Samohlasen tones online
Recordings of "Lord, I have cried" (Introduction and stichera) in all eight tones are now
available online!
Tone 1 - Tone 2 - Tone 3 - Tone 4 - Tone 5 - Tone 6 - Tone 7 - Tone 8
Some of the documents linked on this site are viewable only with Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you
need Acrobat Reader, click here to download it for free.
Dates for the
2005-2006
Metropolitan
Cantor Institute!
2005-2006
Metropolitan
Cantor Institute!