Ephraim Burshek
@ephraim-poetoutlook-com
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1st recording (teacher)-I am not sure if the slower tempo is a stylistic choice? That is a real question? The tempo is relaxed but the movement from note to note is smooth, or blended but the trills are not muddled. I would say his style has more feeling because these specific differences. The vocalization has more nasal resonance.
2nd recording (student)-The articulation of the down beat is a little more pronounced. Vocal quality is different, though I suppose that is only to be expected. Movement from note to note is a little more defined.
Similarities: Trills and interpretations are refined, smooth and fit with the rhythm and direction of the melody. Both chanters pitch and modulations are… can I say perfect; very expressive.
I recognize the interpretations from the exercises we did earlier. I find it easier to imitate when singing along than by myself. But still having trouble generalizing the trills. I hear them in specific context, but I doubt I could apply them affectively on my own to music I am learning from notation (with no audible example).
First- At first it seemed that I could hear the pulse on each beat, or I would get confused and could not distinguish the downbeat from an upbeat. I could, however, hear the pulsing, as you illustrated in your examples. Rhythmic articulation is an emphasis of the vowel sound on the downbeat with what sounds like a slight increase of volume, like an accent syllable in regular speech. I started to count, 1,2,1,2 and the down beat pulses clearly were more pronounced then the upbeat. I was surprised at how simply counting the beats made it easy to detect and decern the distinction between the amount of emphasis he put on each syllable.
2nd recording. Equipped with this way of counting and hearing I noticed a distinct lifting feeling on the upbeat. This is present in the first recording but more pronounced in the second.
I realize that I rarely get this feeling of articulation in my chanting where counting the beats or keeping rhythm is more about not holding a note too long or too short.
I tried to join a little late, 9:37 est and it said you had a different meeting going. You must not have been notified that I was trying to join. I am sorry that I missed the meeting.
The order of a daily service is a simplified, and shorter service due to some hymns such as the Great Doxology being omitted and some hymns chanted in a shortened or brief setting such as “Lord, I have cried.” Festal services are more particularized and the order is found using the Menaion for the special hymns, and not the Octoechos.\
We do have services on the weekday (which I noted is not the criteria for a daily service), but these will be festal services.
I have not heard a compelling argument or case to change the typikon. I don’t know how the lay person of the 2000s is in such different (ie worse) conditions than a lay person of the 1800s. If we are to believe in “progress” we all should have more time, energy and health to pursue worship and thanksgiving than ever before.
Is there a need to harmonize practices across the United States? From what I understand from the lecture, liturgical practices have and still do vary based on historical and local contexts. It is doubtful any attempt to “harmonize” any American practice would overcome the local “need” to deviate from the Typikon to accommodate one factor or another.
The question is “Do we need a New Typikon?” No, I think we need to struggle with the distance between our practice and what the Typikon actually describes as the worship of the Church.
