Carpathian Plainchant

This page is dedicated to congregational singing of Prostopinije / Plainchant in the broadest sense. That sense honors in a special way the oral and manuscript chant traditions of the Subcarpathian Rus’ while also noting the evolution of that living tradition into a chant form proper to the liturgy celebrated in modern English. As such it admits adaptations of the received chant. It also admits contributions and borrowings and adaptations from other appropriate chant traditions that aid in communal sung prayer.

The music given here is in modern 5-line-staff notation. The key signature is usually selected to give a nominal pitch for singing (one octave below) and to allow the notes (or most of the notes) to fit on the staff; it is not an indication of absolute pitch. Also, chant is intended to flow with the words; consequently, the duration of the notes is somewhat approximate. The playback is an exact rendition of the score and is intended to give an accurate sense of the chant, though unfortunately devoid of the fluidity and expression -- “duch” / spirit -- that is an essential element of the chant.

Selections from the Prostopinije* itself given here usually do not have the Slavonic text since they are intended primarily as examples of the “original” melodic phrasing of the chant (especially for comparison with the English versions).

* Prostopinije written this way means the

Tserkovnoje Prostopinije (Church Plainchant) by Fr. Bokšaj and Cantor Malinich (as directed by Bishop Firczak), first published in 1906.

See also Byzantine Catholic Liturgical Chant and Liturgical Music.

The complete Prostopinije is now available in pdf format through the efforts of the Podoben project.
Download from either:

link -- here, including index in English

[click to enlarge]

Download

(if desired or necessary) to listen to the selections below. It can be configured to play without obscuring the musical notation (listen while following the on-screen musical notation).

Access Prostopinije entries also through the Prostopinije index page. -- Links are

Great Week Services at St. George Church, Aliquippa, PA 17-MAY-2006 (OFFSITE)

Publications of the Metropolitan Cantor Institute [off site] 2-JUNE-2006

Mnohaja L'it Prostopinije
Many Years - Mnohaja Lita - short English
Many Years - Mnohaja Lita - Traditional 23-MAY-2005

Nativity of Our Lord - Matins Kanon: Ode 9 - Divine Liturgy: Instead of "It is truly proper..."

Let my prayer ascend to you - Da ispravitsja molitva. Prostopinije, 186-7 29-FEB-2004
Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts updated 1-MAR-2004

Podoben - Tone 1: Nebesnich Chinov Radovanije Joy of the Heavenly Hosts / Ranks or: Of the arrays of the Heavens 5-MAR-2005

Podoben - Tone 3: In Awe - Krasot’i Divstva Tvojeho Prostopinije 14-MAY-2004

Svitelen (Exaposteilarion) Hymn of Light at Matins Prostopinije, 139-40 12-AUG-2004

Nativity of Our Lord - Matins Kanon: Ode 9 - Divine Liturgy: Instead of "It is truly proper..." Prostopinije

You O King and Lord: Matins - / Svitelen / Exaposteilarion Prostopinije, 83-4

House of Ephratha - Dome Jeufratov Podoben Tone 2 Christmas Prefestive Prostopinije

Nativity of Our Lord - Matins Kanon: Ode 9 - Divine Liturgy: Instead of "It is truly proper..." Prostopinije

The Creed A simple, fixed repeating phrases version, based on the Prostopinije, 174-5 4-JULY-2005

Let Me This Day O Son of God (aka Mystical Supper): Great & Holy Thursday, Divine Liturgy of St. Basil

The Noble Joseph: Tone 2 Troparion, Great & Holy Friday

Blahoobraznyj Iosif: Tone 2 Troparion, Great & Holy Friday Prostopinije, 68

You O King and Lord: Resurrection Matins - Hymn of Light / Svitelen / Exaposteilarion Prostopinije, 83-4

Svitelen (Exaposteilarion) DORMITION Hymn of Light at Matins Prostopinije, 139-4012-AUG-2004

Prokimenon at the Liturgy - Prostopinije and English

24-MAY-2004

Traditional Psalm Tone Styles:

27-FEB-2004
Uzhorod, Presov, Lenten, Psalm 50, Sessional Stations (3) ...

Access Prostopinije entries also through the Prostopinije index page. -- Links are

Chant Comparison: Prostopinije In The Family of Chant by Stephen Reynolds 16-AUG-2003

Zip files added Prostopinije index page. 16-SEP-2004 19-FEB-2005

11-MAR-2005 Recording of the Divine Liturgy, 1966: Cathedral of St. Michael , Passaic, NJ, Stephen Kocisko, Bishop of Passaic. Slavonic & some English.

8-MAR-2005 Fr. Michael Sopoliga sings the Resurrectional Tones. Excerpted from his program with co-host Fr. Joseph Bertha, The Light of the East on EWTN. English.

2-MAR-2005 Krestu Tvojemu - We Bow to Your Cross. Abingdon MD Mission, February 27, 2005. English & Slavonic.

Joy of the Heavenly Hosts or: Of the arrays of the Heavens Nebesnich Chinov Radovanije Tone 1 Podoben 5-MAR-2005

Velichanije Magnification Matins 24-FEB-2005 Prostopinije, 48-49

Patterns for chanting the Resurrectional tones. 25-FEB-2005 completed

Psalm 140 Tone 1. 14-FEB-2005 Excerpt, mirrored here, chant from the Metropolitan Cantor Institute site.

11-JULY-2005
CANTOR SCHOOL DIPLOMA Uzhhorod: June 27, 1897
Original	Transliterated	Translated

Copyright © 2002-2007- by Patronage of the Mother of God Church. All rights reserved. Revised: February 03, 2008 08:01:09 -0800

Copyright © 2002-2007- by Patronage of the Mother of God Church. All rights reserved.
Revised: February 03, 2008 08:01:09 -0800