Liturgical Music of The Byzantine Church.

Almost all of the Divine Liturgy including scripture readings is chanted or sung without the use of instrumentation, led by an a capella choir.

Our spiritual ancestors received Christianity from SS. Cyril and Methodius and their disciples in the Byzantine Church. Along with the Byzantine liturgy they also received a fascination for the liturgical chant. Of course, during the following centuries they applied their own musical genius and, eventually, they developed their own style of liturgical chant.

Carpatho-Rusyn liturgical chant is executed in unison by the entire congregation (monodic chant). They call it "Prostopinije" (Ruth.: prostepinije-chant). in English Plain Chant, in opposition to the richly embellished polyphonic liturgical singing executed by choirs.To learn more about the history of the chant tradition in the Byzantine Church click here. --simple, plain;

Below are a samples of the Byzantine Church music as found on the Metropolitan Cantor Institute website.

 These recordings were prepared to accompany The Divine Liturgies of our Holy Fathers John Chrysostom.

• The Divine Liturgy of our Holy Father John Chrysostom - music in the Divine Liturgies, pp. 11-94
  • Opening blessing
  • Litany of Peace
  • Litany of Peace - additional petitions for the departed
  • First Antiphon or typical psalm
    • First Antiphon - Sunday
    • First Antiphon - weekday
    • First Typical Psalm - simple
    • First Typical Psalm - solemn
  • Second Antiphon or typical psalm
    • Second Antiphon - Sunday
    • Second Antiphon - weekday
    • Second Typical Psalm - simple
    • Second Typical Psalm - solemn
    • Hymn of the Incarnation ("O Only-begotten Son") - Tone 7 samohlasen
  • Third Antiphon or the Beatitudes
    • Third Antiphon - Sunday
    • Third Antiphon - weekday
    • The Beatitudes
  • Entrance Hymn
    • Entrance Hymn - Sunday - melody A
    • Entrance Hymn - weekday - melody A
  • Introduction to the Thrice-Holy Hymn
  • Thrice-Holy Hymn, or Trisagion ("Holy God, holy and mighty")
    • Thrice-Holy Hymn C
    • "All you who have been baptized" - melody A (Rusyn)
    • "All you who have been baptized" - melody B (Galician)
    • "We bow to your Cross" - melody A (Rusyn)
    • "We bow to your Cross" - melody B (Galician)
  • Responses before and after the Gospel
  • Litany of Fervent Supplication
  • Litany for the Departed - response melody A
  • Litany for the Catechumens and Litany for the Faithful
  • The Cherubikon (Cherubic Hymn)
    • Cherubic Hymn D
  • Litany over the Gifts
  • Introduction to the Symbol of Faith (Creed)
  • Symbol of Faith B
  • Opening responses at the Anaphora
  • Holy, Holy, Holy A
  • Responses at the Words of Institution
  • Anamnesis Acclamation ("We praise you, we bless you")
    • Anamnesis Acclamation H (For use with any Cherubikon melody)
  • Hymn to the Theotokos ("It is truly proper")
  • Concluding responses at the Anaphora
  • Litany of Preparation for Communion
  • The Lord's Prayer ("Our Father")
    • The Lord's Prayer - Tone 4 podoben "Udivisja Josif"
  • Responses after the Lord's Prayer
  • "One is holy"
  • Communion Hymn
    • Communion Hymn for Sunday - Cherubikon melody D
  •  Invitation to Communion
  • "We have seen the true light" - melody A
  • "Blessed is our God"
  • "May our mouth be filled" - melody B
  • Responses at the Litany of Thanksgiving
  • "Blessed be the name of the Lord"
    • "Blessed be the name of the Lord" - melody A
  • Dismissal
  • Intonation for the Living ("Many Years")
    • Intonation for the Living - melody A
  • Intonation for the Departed ("Eternal Memory")
    • Intonation for the Departed - melody A
      

Additional Hymns - music in the Divine Liturgies, pp. 450-461

• "Make us worthy, O Lord"
• Prayer of Holy Simeon the God-bearer
• "Rejoice, O Virgin Theotokos"
• "Beneath your compassions" - melody A
• "Praise the name of the Lord" (Polyeleos)
• "Accept me today as a partaker"
• "Glory to God in the highest" (Great Doxology)
• "A new commandment"

Church Slavonic