[Magdalen] 31 December 2015 - Beth and George Conant-Lambert

[Joseph Cirou]

Hi David,

I presume you are singing Carpatho Rusyn chant. They are trying to get the cantors more in sync. There is a website Metropolitan Cantors.org. Jeff Miercynsky (or something like that) has tapes and regularly scheduled programs (sometimes cancelled at the last minute) They are the best organized of the English speaking Byzantine Catholic cantors programs. Ukrainian are probably more musical, but English is not their strong point (g) altho they are using  more English and Sloan Rolando used to have a website. He is a former Byzantine Franciscan now he is an Orthodox priest, but his arrangements were good. I used to use them before I started using the Carpatho Rusyn Prostopinie. We are eclectic at Sts. Sergius and Bacchus because there is so much online. The OCA is probably the best and they include Greek, Arabic and Serbian chants in their repertory.

So the Melkites have tapes; very little music still in print. They had a wonderful Hymnal now out of print edited by Archimandrite Cyril Haddad (decd) He didn't speak English very well "just" Arab, Greek, Spanish, and French, but his understanding of the English verbal accent was very well attuned. They have one or two copies at St. John's but they have disappeared from the cantors stand, the priest is a good singer and uses it; I don't know whether he has a good tonal memory or can read music. The music group has vastly improved, so they are closer to the written music, but there are variants. That is a feature of chant anyway. There are a few differences from what is written and sung, but not that much. 

There used to be many discrepancies with the Carpatho Rusyn music even tho much has been in print for over 100 years at least in Old Slavonic. You can down load the English chant for most of the major feasts of the year. They are working very hard at providing a consistent chant. Where do you sing? I am glad you have some kind of musical outlet. You need it, without having to drive a long way in the winter weather or even just the mountain terrain.

Someone took my copy about 30 years ago. I was sure it was taken the day I played for the Maronite Liturgy for our Eastern Catholic Clergy Association (The Maronites have a lot of music in print) I have been trying to replace it every since.It's like my Dupré Six Antiennes pour le Temps de NOel, that disappeared at St. Jude Episcopal Church. I was given a copy about 50 years ago. A replacement copy is on line for about $70.

Joe



-----Original Message-----
>From: Cantor03--- via Magdalen <magdalen at herberthouse.org>
>Sent: Jan 2, 2016 10:10 AM
>To: magdalen at herberthouse.org
>Cc: Cantor03 at aol.com
>Subject: Re: [Magdalen] 31 December 2015 - Beth and George Conant-Lambert
>
>
>
>In a message dated 1/2/2016 1:45:13 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
>romanos at mindspring.com writes:
>
>Just  followed the liturgy; but improvised a chant for the Communion for 
>Fridays  >>>>>>
> 
> 
> 
>I've joined the cantors of one of the local Byzantine Rite parishes
>in singing that Liturgy.  Trouble is that the regular cantors  know
>the chants by memory, and do not sing always what is written in the
>chant books.  In any case, it's a lot of fun, and just a taste of  the
>"exotic" East.
> 
> 
> 
> 
>David Strang.