First Rehearsal in Plagal First

“The Patriarchal” music score, Mode Plagal 1st, by Markos Vasileiou

Choir rehearsal is always a joy for me. I am lucky to have such an amazing group of dedicated and enthusiastic choir members. They make my job fun and this week’s rehearsal was no exception as we started learning a new piece of music, in a new Mode - Plagal 1st.

The entire group lit up with enthusiasm as they listened to the scale, the attractions, the dominant notes, the endings, the musical phrases. It was almost overwhelming for some. That’s when I knew I had to reign it in and get down to business.

We started with paralage (solfège) for some short responses of “Kyrie Eleison” and “Grant This O Lord.” Repetition of these short phrases stick with the choir members. They listen and they repeat, again and again. After the rhythm and melody are solid with paralage, then we repeat the melody with the actual text. Again, repetition of each new line of music engrains the sound, the Mode, the yphos. No music scores were used by the choir members during this rehearsal.

Before long, the choir was asking me, “When do we get the Byzantine music scores? We need the Byzantine music scores!”

I was blown away! How could it be that my choir of 12 voices, both men and women, only one of whom speaks Greek, are in need of music scores written in Byzantine notation to help them with learning the new melodies?

The answer remains somewhat of a mystery to me. I think it has something to do with the ability of the choir members to build an association between what they hear from recordings, rehearsals, and services, with the Byzantine notation that they see in the music scores. The choir exclusively uses Byzantine notation for all music scores. And they love it!

This week they will practice Kyrie Eleison and Grant This O Lord with audio recordings and Byzantine music scores at home.

Next rehearsal, I will introduce more of the Anaphora in Plagal 1st, with Byzantine music scores.

P.S. Another joyous element from October 9th is that we have 2 more parishioners who are interested in joining the choir!