Coptic music
Encyclopedia
Coptic music is the music
sung and played in the Coptic Orthodox Church (Church of Egypt
). It consists mainly of chanted hymns in rhythm with instruments such as cymbal
s (hand and large size) and the triangle
. Coptic music is purely religious.
Coptic chant is a very old tradition, assumed to have links with the ancient liturgies of Jerusalem or Syria, while some of the melodies had been adopted from Ancient Egypt
ian burial practices and other rituals; however, manuscripts survive only since recent times and little is known for sure about the older tradition. Until these recent liturgical book
s, the music was transmitted orally
. In the modern chant, there is extensive use of melody type
s, which allow some improvisation by the singers.
The percussion instruments used in the Coptic Church are unusual among Christian liturgies. Since similar instruments appear in ancient Egyptian frescoes and reliefs, some believe that they may represent a survival from a very old tradition.
The most famous modern Coptic cantor is the late Cantor Mikhail Girgis El Batanouny, whose recordings have helped preserve and unify many ancient chant
s that otherwise would have been lost, however, they were recorded in Greco-Bohairic Pronunciation.
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
sung and played in the Coptic Orthodox Church (Church of Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
). It consists mainly of chanted hymns in rhythm with instruments such as cymbal
Cymbal
Cymbals are a common percussion instrument. Cymbals consist of thin, normally round plates of various alloys; see cymbal making for a discussion of their manufacture. The greater majority of cymbals are of indefinite pitch, although small disc-shaped cymbals based on ancient designs sound a...
s (hand and large size) and the triangle
Triangle (instrument)
The triangle is an idiophone type of musical instrument in the percussion family. It is a bar of metal, usually steel but sometimes other metals like beryllium copper, bent into a triangle shape. The instrument is usually held by a loop of some form of thread or wire at the top curve...
. Coptic music is purely religious.
Coptic chant is a very old tradition, assumed to have links with the ancient liturgies of Jerusalem or Syria, while some of the melodies had been adopted from Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt was an ancient civilization of Northeastern Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now the modern country of Egypt. Egyptian civilization coalesced around 3150 BC with the political unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the first pharaoh...
ian burial practices and other rituals; however, manuscripts survive only since recent times and little is known for sure about the older tradition. Until these recent liturgical book
Liturgical book
A liturgical book is a book published by the authority of a church, that contains the text and directions for the liturgy of its official religious services.-Roman Catholic:...
s, the music was transmitted orally
Oral tradition
Oral tradition and oral lore is cultural material and traditions transmitted orally from one generation to another. The messages or testimony are verbally transmitted in speech or song and may take the form, for example, of folktales, sayings, ballads, songs, or chants...
. In the modern chant, there is extensive use of melody type
Melody type
In ethnomusicology and musicology, a melody type is a set of melodic formulas, figures, and patterns which are used in the composition of an enormous variety of music, especially non-Western and early Western music. Such music is generally composed by a process of centonization, either freely In...
s, which allow some improvisation by the singers.
The percussion instruments used in the Coptic Church are unusual among Christian liturgies. Since similar instruments appear in ancient Egyptian frescoes and reliefs, some believe that they may represent a survival from a very old tradition.
The most famous modern Coptic cantor is the late Cantor Mikhail Girgis El Batanouny, whose recordings have helped preserve and unify many ancient chant
Chant
Chant is the rhythmic speaking or singing of words or sounds, often primarily on one or two pitches called reciting tones. Chants may range from a simple melody involving a limited set of notes to highly complex musical structures Chant (from French chanter) is the rhythmic speaking or singing...
s that otherwise would have been lost, however, they were recorded in Greco-Bohairic Pronunciation.
Contemporary Personalities Contributing to Coptic Music
- Mikhail Girgis El BatanounyMikhail Girgis El BatanounyCantor Mikhail Girgis El Batanouny was an expert in Coptic music, and knowledgeable in church rites, in addition to being skilled in the languages of Coptic and Arabic....
- Ilona Borsai
- Adel KamelAdel KamelDr. Adel Kamel عادل كامل was a Music critic, musicologist and composer.He was one of the writers in Watani newspaper, the founder of “Panorama” section, a lecturer in Universities in Egypt and abroad, a member of jury in international choir competitions, amember of many international...
- Ragheb MoftahRagheb MoftahDr. Ragheb Moftah was an Egyptian musicologist and scholar of the Coptic music heritage. He spent much of his life studying the recording and notation of Coptic liturgical texts...
- Ernest NewlandsmithErnest NewlandsmithErnest Newlandsmith, born 1875, was a musicologist with strong Christian belief who formed the Laresol Society to promote artistic vocation of a religious nature. Together with Dr...
- Margit Toth
External links
- Complete collection of Cantor Mikhail Girgis El Batanouny's recordings of Coptic chant from coptichymns.net
- DeaconTube - A video sharing website for Coptic Orthodox deacons containing videos, articles, books, audio and other useful material
- coptichymns.net coptichymns.net - Sharing the Joy of Coptic Hymns Around the World
- copticheritage.org The Official Website of the Heritage of the Coptic Orthodox Church.
- Coptic Music, Hymns, and Rites Articles from coptichymns.net
- Coptic Music Articles
- Coptic Multimedia Archive at Saint TeklaHimanot Church of Egypt Articles
- Tasbeha.org Contains digital music and videos of Coptic liturgies, hymns, songs, and Coptic hymn lessons.
- Coptic Orthodox Liturgical Chant & Hymnody The Ragheb Moftah Collection at the Library of Congress
See also
- Music of EgyptMusic of EgyptThe music of Egypt has been an integral part of Egyptian culture since ancient times. The ancient Egyptians credited one of their Gods Thoth with the invention of music, which Osiris in turn used as part of his effort to civilize the world...
- Coptic Orthodox Church
- Institute of Coptic StudiesInstitute of Coptic StudiesThe Institute of Coptic Studies was founded in 1954 by the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria. It is based in Cairo....