Week 3 Unwritten Typikon definitions canonarch

[pdfallon]

The class has this definition for canonarch in week 3 the “Unwritten Typikon” page: “Canonarch(s)- These are children who stand at the analogion in order to learn. Traditionally, the canonarchs would intone the words in a chant, phrase-by-phrase, before the chanters would sing them. Today at the Patriarchate, they no longer fulfill this role, but still gain an invaluable education by standing beside the master chanters week after week, until they are ready to become chanters in their own right.”

I got a chuckle because it seems to have fallen from glory. The bilingual Violakis Typikon published by the Metropolis of Denver Church Music Federation has the following definition:

CANONARCH (κανονάρχης, ὁ): The Canonarch is one of the chanters or readers whose task is to see that the other singers sing the correct texts in the correct mode and with the correct melody by reciting in a recitative style each phrase of a slow (andante or slower) hymn before the chanter finally sings it with its proper melody and rhythm. The Canonarch is higher in rank than a Reader and lower in rank than the Deacon. The Canonarch is tonsured by the Bishop. This tonsure seems to have covered both the Subdeacon and the Canonarch similar to a single tonsure having covered the office of taper-bearer, chanter and reader. The Slavonic Typikon also mentions that a monastic canonarch performs his duties with a covered head (i.e. wearing a klobuk).

• This topic was modified 1 week, 5 days ago by pdfallon. Reason: autocorrect split canonarch

[Peter George]

Interesting! It’s important to note that the role of canonarch is still very prevalent in monasteries, where the role is given to a monk.

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