What Makes Byzantine Chant Byzantine?
Is Byzantine Polyphony authentic Byzantine chant or Westernization? This article shows how Byzantine Polyphony preserves Byzantine modes, cadences, and melodic structure in SATB harmony.
Konstantinos Psachos: The Musical Future Athens Rejected
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”.
The Atzem Affair: How Byzantine Traditionalists Became Ottoman Music’s Loudest Defenders
Traditionalists defend the Atzem drama as untouchable ancient tradition, while simultaneously attacking anyone who suggests using Western notation. But something doesn’t add up.
Byzantine Chant vs. Polyphonic Byzantine Music: Understanding the Difference
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.
The Monophonic Deception: The Hidden Polyphony of the East
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.