Coptic music is the
music
Music is generally defined as the art of arranging sound to create some combination of form, harmony, melody, rhythm or otherwise expressive content. Exact definitions of music vary considerably around the world, though it is an aspe ...
sung and played in the
Coptic Orthodox Church (Church of
Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Medit ...
) and the
Coptic Catholic Church. It consists mainly of chanted
hymns
A hymn is a type of song, and partially synonymous with devotional song, specifically written for the purpose of adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification. The word ''hymn'' ...
in rhythm with instruments such as
cymbals (hand and large size) and the
triangle
A triangle is a polygon with three edges and three vertices. It is one of the basic shapes in geometry. A triangle with vertices ''A'', ''B'', and ''C'' is denoted \triangle ABC.
In Euclidean geometry, any three points, when non- colline ...
. Coptic music is purely religious.
Coptic chant is a very old tradition, assumed to have links with the ancient liturgies of Jerusalem or Syria, however, manuscripts survive only since recent times and little is known for sure about the older tradition. Until these recent
liturgical book
A liturgical book, or service book, is a book published by the authority of a church body that contains the text and directions for the liturgy of its official religious services.
Christianity Roman Rite
In the Roman Rite of the Catholic C ...
s, the music was transmitted
orally. In the modern chant, there is extensive use of
melody type
Melody type or type-melody is a set of melodic formulas, figures, and patterns.
Term and typical meanings
"Melody type" is a fundamental notion for understanding a nature of Western and non-Western musical modes, according to Harold Powers' ...
s, which allow some improvisation by the singers.
The percussion instruments used in the Coptic Church are unusual among Christian liturgies. Since similar instruments appear in ancient Egyptian frescoes and reliefs, some believe that they may represent a survival from a very old tradition.
The most famous modern Coptic cantor is the late
Cantor Mikhail Girgis El Batanouny, whose recordings have helped preserve and unify many ancient
chants that otherwise would have been lost, however, they were recorded in Greco-Bohairic Pronunciation.
Contemporary personalities contributing to Coptic music
*
Mikhail Girgis El Batanouny
Cantor Mikhail Girgis El Batanouny ( ''Mikhail Georgios Phrembatanon'') (also title ''Mu'allim'', which is Arabic for "teacher") (14 September 1873 - 18 April 1957) was an expert in Coptic music, and knowledgeable in church rites, in addition to be ...
*
Adel Kamel
*
Ragheb Moftah
*
Ernest Newlandsmith
*
Nabila Erian
Nabila M. Erian (Arabic: نبيلة عريان, born 1941) is a professor of vocal sciences at the Cairo Conservatoire, Academy of Arts. Her career as a leading soprano opera singer debuted in 1960. She is also an expert on the history of Co ...
*
Emmanuel Saad
*Abanob Ghobrial
See also
*
Music of Egypt
Music has been an integral part of Egyptian culture since antiquity in Egypt. Egyptian music had a significant impact on the development of ancient Greek music, and via the Greeks it was important to early European music well into the Middle A ...
*
Coptic Orthodox Church
*
Institute of Coptic Studies
The Institute of Coptic Studies (معهد الدراسات القبطية) was founded in 1954 by the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria. It is based in Cairo.
Description
The institute is the Egyptian church's main research centre in subjects ...
*
Agpeya
The ''Agpeya'' ( Coptic: Ϯⲁⲅⲡⲓⲁ, ar, أجبية) is the Coptic Christian "Prayer Book of the Hours" or breviary, and is equivalent to the Shehimo in the Indian Orthodox Church (another Oriental Orthodox Christian denomination), as wel ...
References
External links
"The Transmission of Coptic Orthodox Liturgical Music: Historical and Contemporary Forms of Theorization, Translation, and Identity Construction"A PhD dissertation exploring the history and current practice and theory of Coptic music.
"Coptic youth blog"Contains digital music and videos of Coptic liturgies, hymns, songs, and Coptic hymn lessons.
"Coptic Music," Claremont Coptic Encyclopedia*
ttp://www.deacontube.com/ DeaconTube - A video learning website for Coptic Orthodox hymnscoptichymns.netcoptichymns.net - Sharing the Joy of Coptic Hymns Around the World''
copticheritage.org''The Official Website of the Heritage of the Coptic Orthodox Church.''
Coptic Music, Hymns, and Rites Articles from coptichymns.netCoptic Music Articles*
ttp://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/ihas/html/coptic/coptic-home.html Coptic Orthodox Liturgical Chant & Hymnodyand th
Ragheb Moftah Collectionat the Library of Congress
{{Chant
Egyptian music
Coptic Orthodox Church
Church music