Beth Gazo ( ; literary "the house of treasure") is a Syriac liturgical book that contains a collection of Syriac chants and melodies. The book is considered a reference of

Syriac Hymnody Syriac sacral music is music in the Syriac language as used in the liturgy of Syriac Christianity. Historically it is best known from and important for its part in the development of Christian sacred music since Antiquity. The Syriac churches hav ...

and without it clerics belonging to the West Syriac Tradition cannot perform their liturgical duty. There exist modern varieties of this book with different names such as: ''beṯ gázo dqinóṯo'' (), ' () and ' ().

History

The origin of Beth Gazo can be traced back to the early centuries of Christianity going as far as

Bardaisan Bardaisan (11 July 154 – 222 AD; , ''Bar Dayṣān''; also Bardaiṣan), known in Arabic as ibn Dayṣān () and in Latin as Bardesanes, was a Syriac-speaking Prods Oktor Skjaervo. ''Bardesanes''. Encyclopædia Iranica. Volume III. Fasc. 7-8. . ...

(154–222 CE).Edessian Preservation Initiative
lostorigins However, the bulk of the hymns is attributed to

Ephrem the Syrian Ephrem the Syrian (; ), also known as Ephraem the Deacon, Ephrem of Edessa or Aprem of Nisibis, (Syriac: ܡܪܝ ܐܦܪܝܡ ܣܘܪܝܝܐ — ''Mâr Aphrêm Sûryâyâ)'' was a prominent Christian theology, Christian theologian and Christian literat ...

(306 – 373 CE). There are two main traditions in chanting: western based on the

School of Mardin A school is the educational institution (and, in the case of in-person learning, the building) designed to provide learning environments for the teaching of students, usually under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of fo ...

and eastern in Tikrit formerly. There is a daily breviary found in the

Syriac Orthodox Church The Syriac Orthodox Church (), also informally known as the Jacobite Church, is an Oriental Orthodox Christian denomination, denomination that originates from the Church of Antioch. The church currently has around 4-5 million followers. The ch ...

called " Shehimo: Book of Common Prayer" where the West Syriac style of chants and melodies from Beth Gazo are followed.

The abridged version of Beth Gazo contain the following hymns: #Qole shahroye () "vigils". These were sung by those belonging to the order of shahroye "vigilants". they are dedicated to the Virgin, the saints, to penitence and the departed. #Gushmo () "body". Each of which consists of eight modes. These are recited during the daily offices known as ''šḥimo'' (). #Sebeltho d'madroshe () "ladder of hymns". It is this category that seems to have mostly inherited

Ephrem Ephrem is a masculine given name, a variant spelling of Ephraim (also spelled ''Efrem'', ''Efreom'', ''Ephraem,'' '' Efren'' or ''Efrén''). It is the name of biblical Ephraim, a son of Joseph and ancestor of the Tribe of Ephraim. People First n ...

's. #Fardo () "single". These are short hymns divided into eight collections corresponding to the eight Syriac maqams. #Qonuno yawnoyo () "Greek canon". Divided into eight collections. #Mawrbo () "magnificat". Dedicated to the Virgin Mary. #Qole ghnize () "mystic hymns". Those were lost. #Takheshphotho rabuloyotho () "litanies of Rabula". Attributed to

Rabbula Rabbula () was a bishop of Edessa from 411 to August 435 AD, noteworthy for his opposition to the views of Theodore of Mopsuestia and Nestorius. However, his successor Ibas, who was in charge of the school of Edessa, reversed the official stanc ...

bishop of Edessa. #Tborto () "broken". They fall into three categories: those attributed to St. Jacob of Serug, St.

and of St. Balai of Qenneshrin. #Quqlion () "cycles". These are cycles from the Psalms.

References

*Gregorios Y. IBRAHIM
Ephrem's Madroshe and the Syrian Orthodox Beth Gazo: A Loose, But Fascinating, Affinity
Hugoye
The Treasury of Chants
Hugoye
History of The Syriac Music Church
Abrohom Lahdo and Elias Zazi

Music Music is the arrangement of sound to create some combination of Musical form, form, harmony, melody, rhythm, or otherwise Musical expression, expressive content. Music is generally agreed to be a cultural universal that is present in all hum ...

Hymnology Texts in Syriac {{christianity-book-stub

History

Contents

References