For centuries, Coptic music scholars and many archeologists tried to understand the roots of Coptic Hymns. They agreed that there may have been three influencing sources: Jews, Greeks and Ancient Egyptians.

Jews played a big role in the spread of Christianity, since the Old Testament and many rituals originated from them.

Greece produced many Greco-Egyptian musicologists who helped develop the rules, styles, and forms of the known musical culture. These include Dydimus of Alexandria, Pseudo-Demetrius of Phaleron (First Century), Claudius Ptolmy (Second Century), etc. Some Coptic hymn manuscripts from this period (Oxyrhynchus Papyrus) were found to have circles with different shapes and colors over the text of the hymn. This was interpreted as an ancient method of musical notation where the colors and the shapes represent the different tones and musical lengths respectively.

Ancient Egyptian music greatly influenced that of the early Church. There seems to be a relationship between the Coptic Kyrie and the ancient Egyptian tradition of sun worship. Furthermore, the Antiphonal singing system was used between groups of priests and priestesses. Ancient Egyptian music was also characterized by the melismata (singing many notes over one of the seven vowels, which were called “Magic Vowels,” giving an immense feeling of piety and humility in religious occasions). Ancient Egyptians also used professional blind singers and some percussion instruments during worship. Scholars have noticed many similarities between Egyptian village folklore and Coptic music.

Lesson Outline:

Coptic music has evolved through three different stages:

I. During the reign of the Roman Empire

During the reign of the Roman Empire, Coptic missionaries (such as the Theban Legion) in Northern Italy, Switzerland, the Rhine Valley and Western Europe, introduced Coptic musical culture along with the Gospel. The ancient Egyptian harp can be found in Ireland today. There is great similarity between Ancient Latin hymns and Egyptian hymns (e.g. Crucem tuam adoramus, Flectamus genuaand levata, etc.). Music also spread through monasticism and mysticism.

II. After the Council of Chalcedon

After the Council of Chalcedon, the Church was divided. The Copts cut contact with all other churches, except the Syrian church, in order to keep their Orthodox faith uncontaminated. This, although unpredictable, had a very positive influence on preserving the ancient musical heritage.

III. After the Arab Invasion of Egypt

The Egyptian ability of preserving and maintaining their culture could be seen after the Arab invasion of Egypt. All Egypt spoke Coptic until the time of H.H. Pope Zacharia (1004-1032 AD), and some villages in Southern Egypt maintained the language until the 19^th century. Until this day, a big part of the Egyptian culture is still preserved. Three writers from the Middle Ages described the Church rituals and hymns: Ibn El-Assal, Ibn-Saba (13th Century), and Abul-Barakat Ibn-Kabbar (14^th Century). Today, we find these rituals and hymns preserved in the same way as described in their books.

Because the clergy were not professional singers, the Church decided to use talented singers (usually blind). The German archeologist Hans Hickmann proved that those cantors still move their hands and fingers systematically (Cheironomy) with the music, as their ancestors did when conducting music in the Fourth Dynasty (2723-2563 BC). These cantors played a big role in transferring this heritage to us with great precision! They considered it a precious treasure to be kept for future generations.

At the time of H. H. Pope Kyrellos, Father of Reformation (1854-1863 AD), the senior Cantor at the Great St. Mark’s Cathedral in Cairo, Moalem Takla was assigned to compile and revise the Coptic hymns from northern to southern Egypt through the assistance of Mr. Erian Moftah, professor of Coptic language at the Cairo Theological Seminary. Moalem Takla taught seven cantors all the treasures he collected. These great men instructed the great Moalem Mikhail Gerges El-Batanony, who later became the cantor of the 20th Century.

In 1927, in an effort to preserve Coptic music heritage, a young man named Ragheb Moftah invited the famous British Musician Ernst Newlandsmith, who transcribed 16 volumes of Coptic hymns to modern musical notation in 9 years. He also taped Coptic hymns sung by Moalem Mikhail and several others. By doing that, Dr. Ragheb Moftah inaugurated the new age of Coptic Music. These records are considered to be the world’s most precise, upon which most studies are conducted by scholars such as Hans Hickmann, the Hungarian ladies Ilona Borsai and Margerit Toth, and the Americans Martha Roy and Marian Robertson.

IV. Theses on Coptic Music

Several theses have now been written on Coptic Music:

v Master Thesis-1975 on Coptic Music Bibliography by Salwa El-Shawan

v Master Thesis-1976 by Nabil Kamal Boutros

v The first Ph.D.-1986 by Nabila Erian in Baltimore County, Maryland State University

v In 1989, the Coptic Encyclopaedia was compiled by the efforts of Professor Aziz Suriel Attia at Utah University and published with the most recent and elaborated information and research work about Coptic Music Studies.

v Fouad Asaad Attia submitted another Ph.D. thesis, ICS-Cairo-1995, on the psychological effect of Coptic Music.

Conclusion:

What we need to stress here is that this strong and impressive music, inherited from one generation to another, has begun to disappear and to be influenced by modern, attractive media. Instead of using it in our daily lives and allowing it to flourish in universities, musical institutes, musicology, ethnomusicology, music therapy departments and choirs as one of the most precious and oldest music in the whole world, it is unfortunately ignored by many. We pray that it will last and not be forgotten along with ancient Egyptian secrets such as building the pyramids and mummifying the human body!

Applications:

Try to attend Coptic hymn classes in your church to learn a few hymns, or listen to Coptic hymn tapes and try to memorize them.

v v v

Tones of the Hymns in the ChurchW

1. Festal (joyful) tone

2. Palm Sunday tone (hosanna)

3. Kiahk tone

4. Fasting tone

5. Annual tone

6. Holy Passion Week tone

The Joyful tone is said during the following:

1. From Nayrouz feast, Thuout first, to the Feast of the Cross, on Thuout 19

2. From the Nativity Feast, Kiahk 28 or 29, to the Circumcision Feast, on Tobi 6

3. From the Epiphany Feast, Tobi 11, to the Feast of the Wedding at Cana of Galilee, on the 13^th of Tobi

4. From Easter (Resurrection Feast) to the end of the prayers for the reading of the Gospel in the 2^nd Kneeling Prayer on the day of Pentecost

5. All the major and minor Lord's Feasts, except the Annunciation Feast if it comes in the period between the last Friday of Lent and Easter (In this case, the feast is not celebrated)

6. On the 29^th of every Coptic month, except the months of Tobi and Amshir

The Palm Sunday tone is said on:

1. The Feast of the Cross, Thuout 17-19 and Baramhat 10

2. The day of Palm Sunday

The Kiahk tone is said during the month Kiahk until the Paramoun of Nativity Feast.

The Fasting tone is said on:

1. The three days of Ninevites’ Fasting

2. Great Lent: there are 2 tones, one for Saturdays and Sundays and the other for weekdays

The Holy Passion Week has special rites and tones:

Psalms are said by what is known as the Adreebi tone.

The Annual tone is used during the rest of the year.

v v v

Coptic Hymns…

(Lesson Outline for Junior High Students)

I. Introduction

A. When we sing hymns, we join Angels and Saints in pursuing the life in God’s Kingdom.

B. Praising God is a sacrifice and an offering.

1. The Sacrifice of Praise

2. “Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.” Hebrews 13:15

C. “Praising with psalms is a medicine for the sick soul.” St. Athanasius

D. Understanding and meditating on the deep theological meanings is not as important as simply praising the Lord from a sincere heart.

1. Meditations end quickly; there is not need to be philosophers.

2. Enjoying prayers and praises with a simple and sincere heart lasts forever.

II. Coptic Hymns

A. Coptic Hymnal Books (display to the students the large number of hymns)

1. The Psalmody Book

2. Deacon Service Book

3. The Kiahk Psalmody Book

4. The Pascha Book

B. Ancient Hymns

1. Our church has the most ancient hymns, older than those of all other churches!

2. Some Coptic melodies date back to the days of the Pharaohs!

3. Greek hymns date back to the days of early Christianity!

4. Great Saints used to sing hymns in Coptic: St. Mina, St. Anthony, St. Bishoy, etc.

C. Preserving our Christian heritage

1. By neglecting Coptic hymns, we contribute to the loss of Church treasures.

2. We become careless with the inheritance handed down by our Church fathers.

3. We cannot appreciate the beauty of the hymns when we don’t put an effort to learn them.

4. We cannot enjoy Church services if we don’t participate by singing the replies.

v v v

NAME: ____________________________
^{first
last
.}

Coptic Hymns

Verse to memorize:

Sing to the Lord a new song, and His praise in the assembly of the saints.

Psalm 149:1

1. With no effort to learn Coptic hymns, we

a) Cannot enjoy Church services

b) Cannot appreciate the beauty of the hymns

c) Contribute to the loss of Church treasures

d) Lose a major part of our ancient heritage

e) All the above

2. The Fasting tone is used during (Circle all possible answers)

a) Palm Sunday

b) Kiahk

c) Epiphany

d) Great Lent

e) Nineveh’s Fast

3. The Festal tone is used during all the following occasions, except

a) Nayrouz (Coptic New Year)

b) Holy Passion week

c) Epiphany

d) 29th. of almost every month

e) Nativity

4. During which Coptic month is the Kiahk tone used? ___________

5. Which tone is used during Palm Sunday & the Feast of the Cross?

a) Fasting b) Annual c) Kiahk d) Passion Week e) Sha-anini

6. The ___________ tone is sung _____________ the whole _________, when there is no specific ________________ to use the other tones. [year, Annual, occasion, throughout]

7. The melody-type Adam is used on (Circle all possible answers)

a) Sunday

b) Monday

c) Tuesday

d) Wednesday

e) Thursday

f) Friday

g) Saturday

W Notes from the Seminary course Liturgical Studies I, Very Reverend Hegumen Felimon Mikhail, Archangel Michael Coptic Orthodox Church, Santa Ana, CA, U.S.A.

… Prepared by Ossama Ekladious, St. George Coptic Orthodox Church, Bellflower, CA, U.S.A.

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