Cappella Romana – Divine Liturgy of the Orthodox Church in English in Byzantine Chant.

This is byzantine orthodox style of singing. Mostly, its to part singing – two voices: higher one is a leading melody and the lower is called “Ison”. Byzantine church singing was build on a different scales, called “modus”, in free translation it could be translated as moods, since changing of the scale also influent the mood of the listener. On the begging of this Holy Liturgy you can hear Priest or Deacon singing, or telling, they part, and choir is answering to their sentences. This, first part, with so called “antifone” part, is not sung on a typical modus scale, it is classical major scale – mostly. As i could hear, only once, a deacon sings a different type of scale called in classical music education “moldura”. Priest or deacon sing on the interval of perfect fifth, comparing to low voice called “Ison”. Choir, in this first part, is responding from the basic tone of the major “chord”, then later from perfect fourth, then fifth and then on octave!

The way this Divine Liturgy is chanted is so beautiful – isn’t it?  This is what brings me peace on my way to and from work everyday.

Fr. Alex attended in person in 2004.