THE HOLY FATHERS AND THE ORTHODOX MUSIC

Abstract

Byzantine music represents the creative aspect as well as the interpretation (the most visible one), although the former is often marked by anonymity or by the humbleness of not acknowledging it: all the hymnists were also composers of melodies (makers of music), and singers (performers). In all cases, the emphasis is on professing one’s faith (not only on the artistic side), on the inner dimension of the musical art: Saint Basil the Great (in Word to the Youth) advises them “to shut their ears to the songs that pervert the soul, because this type of music gives rise to slavish and base passions. We should embrace the other type of music, which leads to good and was used by David, the poet of holy songs“ (our translation).