Nearly all surviving examples of Byzantine music are liturgical and the discussion and research is weighted heavily in that direction. Secular music must have played a larger role in Byzantine cultural life than prevailing opinion holds to be true. A vibrant, well-rounded civilization has popular music as part of it’s everyday life. This music will seep into all “classes” of society, the construction of hymns and chants will borrow from music heard at festivals, chariot races, and court visits. A rich tradition dating back to Ancient Greece would have influenced courtiers and commoners alike and the day to day sounds of Constantinople would owe much to secular sources despite the lack of physical evidence. Stories and songs survive in society by being handed down, while only those with the means and wealth to no longer fear hunger or poverty can set themselves to preserving cultural artifacts. The court had a liturgical agenda, as much for political reasons as spiritual ones and thus, the preponderance of hard evidence shows, only religious music was relevant to the Byzantine culture. It can be inferred, however, that the roots of this music owe much to common or “popular” music handed down through families and “pagan” traditions. The over-whelming bulk of historical research dissects liturgical work and debates notation and innovation because this is the easy way; it is what is in front of researchers. The work of uncovering hints and clues that lead to an understanding of secular music in the Empire is not being done to any great extent and those who do research secular items are often dismissed as having an agenda or of building imaginative bridges to fill the blanks. One of these researchers was Christodoulos Halaris, a scholar of ancient Greek and Byzantine music, often reconstructing it for performance and working to preserve it. Here we listen to some of his reconstructive Byzantine secular music with scenes from the Holy Mountain of Mount Athos where Byzantium is still very much alive.
12 мар 2021
