OCTOECHOS - HISTORICAL DEVELPMENT - USE - THEMS

Octoechos (liturgy)

The Octoechos (Greek Οκτώηχος; Slavonic: Октонхъ, Oktoikh , or Осмогласникъ, Osmoglasnik)-literally, the book "of the Eight Tones"-contains an eight-week cycle, providing texts to be chanted for every day at Vespers , Matins , the Divine Liturgy , Compline and (on Sundays) the Midnight Office . Each week begins a new mode (Greek: ἤ χος, échos ) or tone (Slavonic: глáсъ, glás' ), and within that mode texts are provided for each day of the week. The new mode begins with Saturday night Vespers.

Sometimes the word "Octoechos" will be used to describe a briefer volume that contains only the texts for the Sunday services. To distinguish the full version from the briefer one, the term Paraklētikē (Greek: Παρακλητική ) can be used to describe the complete volume. The word Paraklētikē comes from the Greek parakalein (παρακαλείν), meaning, "to supplicate" (the more penitential texts are found on weekdays).

In addition to the standard melodies provided by the eight modes, there are also several "special melodies" (Greek: Idiomelon , Slavonic: Samoglasen ), and the "pattern melodies" (Greek: prosomoia , Slavonic: podobny ) which are based upon them. Each of these belongs to one of the tones and will be indicated in the superscription introducing some of the hymns in the Octoechos and other liturgical books .

Historical Development

The origins of this book traditionally go back to the Monastery of Mar Sabba in Palestine , with compositions by St. John Damascene (c. 676 – 749 ) and St. Cosmas of Maiuma († 773 ). Other prominent hymnographers include Saint Joseph the Hymnographer ( 810 - 886 ); Saint Theophanes the Branded , Bishop of Nicaea (c. 775 - 845 ); Paul of Amorium ; Metrophanes of Smyrna ; as well as numerous anonymous authors.

The Oktoechos was the very first book printed ( incunabu- lum ) in Cyrillic typeface. It was published in Cracow in 1491 , by Schweipolt Fiol, a native of Franconia . There are only seven known copies of this first publication remaining, the only complete one being in the collection of the Russian National Library .

In the Russian Church a special singer's Octoechos developed in the second half of the fifteenth to early sixteenth centuries , containing not only the text but also musical notation. The first printed edition, the Oktoikh notnago peniya, sirech' Osmoglasnik , using square notation, was published in 1772 . It contained the hymns in Znamenny Chant , as well as the "pattern melodies" mentioned above, that belong to each of the Eight Tones.

Use

The cycle of the Octoechos is a part of the Paschal cycle (moveable cycle) of the church year; that is to say, it is dependent upon the date of Pascha (Easter). During Bright Week (Easter Week), one of the eight tones is used each day of the week (excluding the Seventh or "Grave" Tone). Then, beginning on Thomas Sunday (the Sunday after Pascha), the First Tone is used for the entire week, and the cycle continues uninterrupted, one tone per week, until Palm Sunday of the following year. It should be noted that Holy Week has no tone assigned to it (the natural order of things is interrupted), while Bright Week has all tones assigned to it (the Resurrection is the sum of all joy).

The Octoechos is not used at all from Lazarus Saturday (the day before Palm Sunday) through Thomas Sunday. It is not used on major feast days when they fall on weekdays. It is always used on Sunday, unless a Great Feast of the Lord occurs on that day.

The hymns of the Octoechos (the moveable cycle) will be combined with hymns from the Menaion (the fixed cycle), which contains the texts for the saints whose commemorations are determined according to the day of the calendar year. When more of the service is chanted from the Menaion, less of the Octoechos will be used; when less material is found in the Menaion, more from the Octoechos will be used. Since the services from the Octoechos on weekdays tend to be penitential, days on which more of the Octoechos is used are more penitential in nature. For this reason, services to monastic saints in the Menaion tend to be simple services, so that more hymns from the Octoechos will be utilized.

Most liturgical texts are not printed with either staff notation or neumes ; rather, only the tone is named, and the chanter is expected to know the appropriate melody and apply it extemporaneously to the text.

Themes

In the Orthodox liturgical tradition, each day of the week has a distinct theme:

These themes are developed primarily in the texts of the Octoechos.

Terminology :
Troparion - a short hymn of one stanza, or one of a series of stanzes (could connotate a hymn interpolated between psalm verses). Ex. O Gladsome Light, Only begotten Son, etc. They have special names to indicate function or subject (ex. stavrotheotokion- a troparion in which the Mother of God is pictured by the Cross, lamenting the cruel death of her Son.

Choros - (chorus, choir) refers not to a separate group within the congregation entrusted with musical responsibilities, but to the congregation as a whole.

Kontakion - a long and elaborate metrical sermon, reputedly of Syriac origin, highly developed by St. Romanos the Melodist (6th cent.). A dramatic homily, which usually paraphrases a biblical narrative, comprises some 20-30 stanzas and was sung during the morning Orthros service. Later these were reduced to the prooimion (introductory verse) and first oikos (stanza).

Kanon - A hymnodic complex comprised of nine odes. The odes were originally attached to nine biblical canticles. This supplanted the kontakion in the late 7th century and was initiated by St. Andrew of Crete and developed by St. John of Damascus and Kosmas of Jerusalem (8th cent.)

Canticle - the original nine were:

1. First Song of Moses- Ex. 15:1-19

2. Second Song of Moses- Duet. 32:1-43

3. Prayer of Hannah- 1Kings 2:1-10

4. Prayer of Habbakuk- Hab 3:1-19

5. Prayer of Isaiah- Is. 26:9-20

6. Prayer of Jonah- Jon. 2:3-10

7. Prayer of the Three Children- Dan. 3:26-56

8. Song of the Three Children- Dan. 3:57-88

9. The Magnificat and Benedictus- Lk. 1:46-55; 68-79

Hiermos - initial troparion of each ode, which are metrically dissimilar

Ode - nine series of hymns which comprise the kanon, usually the second ode is omitted. Each is united musically in the same tone and textually by references to a general theme of the liturgical occasion.

Stichera - the most important and numerous group of troparia, which are sung in the morning and evening services.

Ainoi (Lauds, Praises)-

Apolytikion - dismissal hymn

Liturgical Books - Menaia, Parakletike, Triodion, Pentecostarion,