In 1904, Konstantinos Psachos came to Athens to teach Byzantine Music. He stood at the crossroads of East and West as a serious musician who understood that musical excellence requires both traditional knowledge and systematic pedagogy. And that’s why he was attacked viciously by “traditionalists”.
Traditionalists defend the Atzem drama as untouchable ancient tradition, while simultaneously attacking anyone who suggests using Western notation. But something doesn’t add up.
The inherited monophonic chant tradition and the emerging practice of polyphonic Byzantine music share repertoire and modal roots, but differ fundamentally in structure, tuning philosophy, and performance practice.
Is Byzantine music truly monophonic, or is it a victim of institutional error? Excavating the “hidden polyphony” within traditional chant, this article dismantles the monophonic myth.
