The fthores are making a bit more sense – I think this week’s section about fthores made sense to me even on the 1st read! Also I’m trying to skim things first and then go back and take notes instead of getting behind because I’m trying to be super thorough the first time. This will be good for me because it will make me look at it on 2 separate occasions. I’ll probably remember things better. All the new symbols will take me some time to learn though, because I didn’t study the fthores before.
I know what to focus on now – reading! In the past I spent a lot of time listening to hymns and then practiced chanting them with ornamentation and using good vocal techniques. But I can’t focus on everything at once. I’m glad to know that the goal of this class is to read on parallagi fluently. So I will work on that, and not worry about melos until I get bored 🙂
I feel good about the confidence I’ve gained in reading the notation for up and down 3 pitches. I’ve also started reading several hymns from Orthros in Byzantine notation. It feels uncomfortable now, but I’m glad I’m trying it.
I have also been trying to learn some hymns for Matins, like the apolytikia for the day, with Byzantine notation. It takes me a lot longer but it’s doable!
That’s great! It will get easier with time. I tried reading apolytikia at the beginning too, but I didn’t understand modal signatures or martyries, and didn’t know the intonations, so I had no idea how the hymns should sound. It was frustrating. So glad that you’re having a better time with it!