Znamenny chant

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Notation#

Znamenny Chants are not written with notes (the so-called ’linear notation’), but with special signs, called (Russian for “marks”, “banners”) or (“hooks”), as some shapes of these signs resemble hooks. Each sign may include the following components: a large black hook or a black stroke, several smaller black ‘points’ and ‘commas’ and lines near the hook or crossing the hook. Znamenny notation would be incredibly difficult to interpret via modern western notation, due to the fact that the specific instructions provided by the signs were up for interpretation. For example, a sign could mean “1 sound, 1/2 down.” It would be up to the individual singer to determine how long 1 sound was, what pitch 1 sound was, and how far “1/2 down” meant. This was due to the nature of Znamenny chant’s oral tradition. The most notable feature of this notation system is that it records transitions of the melody, rather than notes. This type of notation is known as neumatic notation, and they are adiastematic. The signs also represent a mood and a gradation of how this part of melody is to be sung (tempo, strength, devotion, meekness, etc.) Every sign has its own name and also features as a spiritual symbol. For example, there is a specific sign, called “little dove” (, ), which represents two rising sounds and is also a symbol of the Holy Ghost.

ZN on Music Theory Print

Znamenny chant

Notation#