Znamenny Chant - Current Usage and Related Traditions

Current Usage and Related Traditions

Currently, the stolp notation (Znamenny signs) continues to be used by the Russian Old Believers, mostly in combination with the above-mentioned "red marks", as shown in the first illustration. In the 19th century Edinovertsy, particularly outside Russia, have tried to move to the modern neume form of notation that tries to capture exact relations between pitches; and they currently use a standard linear notation.

Chanting traditions that preserve and/or are descended from the Znammeny Chant include:

  • Chanting traditions of the Russian Old Believers
    • Znamenny Chant proper (Знамя, Большое Знамя)
    • Stolpovoy Chant
    • Demesvenny Chant or Demestvo (Демество)
    • Pomorsky Chant
  • 'Ukrainian Chants'
    • The chanting tradition of Galicia (known as Samoilka chant)
    • Prostopinije (or Plain Chant) of the Carpatho-Rusyns
  • Valaam Chant

The Strochnoy chant (early Russian polyphony) was also based on the Znamenny chant, and although it is not widely used in the church practice now, it can be occasionally performed by some choirs. Some Russian composers (Alexander Gretchaninov, Vladimir Martynov) have studied Znamenny chant, and used it in their compositions. There are also many adaptations of the Znamenny melodies for the 4-parts choir that are popular in some Orthodox parishes in the USA.

Read more about this topic:  Znamenny Chant

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