Divine Hymnody: Theology Set to Music
When someone first enters an Orthodox Church, they are often struck by immense beauty: colorful iconography in the glow of a candle or lamp, bright vestments that adorn the clergy and the icon stands, the sweet fragrance of incense that instantly transports a person out of the world and into the heavenly spaces. But once a service begins, something else often draws the focus of those in the church: the hymnography, sung by a single chanter or a massive choir or any combination in between. The music of Orthodox worship, using only the human voice, draws a person in and immerses them completely in the service, such that, in the words of the emissaries of St. Vladimir, they “knew not whether [they] were in heaven or on earth.” ...
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