My Blog | Sound and Silence

Mar 22
1 min

Choral Corner #38: At Forgiveness Vespers, “Vouchsafe, O Lord” is read extremely slowly, while the vestments and paraments are changed and the choir begins to use Lenten melodies. What’s going on?

These actions signify the official beginning of Great Lent. “Vouchsafe, O Lord” is read very slowly to allow the maximum possible time...

Feb 9
2 min

Choral Corner #37: Why is there no uniform, standardized series of service texts mandated for use throughout the whole Orthodox Church in America?

Q: Why is there no uniform, standardized series of service texts mandated for use throughout the whole OCA? A: This is largely a function...

Feb 5
2 min

Choral Corner # 36: Why do we use traditional pronouns?

Q: At our parish, we use the traditional liturgical pronouns (Thy/Thou), but some other parishes use more contemporary language...

Oct 9, 2023
2 min

Choral Corner #35: Why doesn't our choir sing famous Orthodox concert music?

Choral masterpieces such as Sergei Rachmaninoff’s All-night Vigil are undeniably gorgeous, and can play an important evangelistic role in...

Oct 9, 2023
2 min

Choral Corner #34: In the Holy Anaphora, what does "Sabaoth" mean?

The Scriptural source of this text, called the Sanctus in western Christianity, is the majestic vision recorded in Isaiah 6, in which...

Oct 9, 2023
1 min

Choral Corner #33: An Anaphora fun fact!

Immediately before the choir sings "Holy, Holy, Holy Lord of Sabaoth! Heaven and earth are full of Thy glory," the priest chants the...

Oct 9, 2023
1 min

Choral Corner #32: Why are some troparia & kontakia virtually identical?

Certain saints and commemorated events have more unique hymnography than others, determined largely by their prominence on the liturgical...

Oct 9, 2023
1 min

Choral Corner #31: Do some saints have multiple troparia/kontakia, and if so, why?

Most saints have a single troparion and kontakion (which, by the way, autocorrect insists on rendering as "contagion". Alrighty then.)....

Oct 9, 2023
2 min

Choral Corner #30: About the ending of the Lord's Prayer — "evil one" or just "evil"?

In most American Orthodox parishes, the Lord's Prayer concludes with the phrase, "...but deliver us from the evil one." However, we...

Jul 6, 2023
2 min

Choral Corner #29: What is Small Compline?

A note on context: This was originally published shortly after our parish began hosting a monthly social event that begins with Small...

Jul 6, 2023
2 min

Choral Corner #28: What is the exclamation before "Holy God" when a hierarch is present?

A note on context: This article was originally published the week following our annual archepiscopal visit, when our hierarch served as a...

Jul 6, 2023
1 min

Choral Corner #27: What does "Eis polla eti, Despota" mean?

When a hierarch gives a blessing, the singers (or those standing about, if in a non-liturgical context such as a diocesan assembly or...

Jul 6, 2023
2 min

Choral Corner #26: What is the Kneeling Vespers Service?

The Kneeling Vespers of Pentecost is a unique form of Vespers served directly after the Divine Liturgy on Holy Pentecost. As Vespers is...

May 31, 2023
1 min

Choral Corner #25: What does the word "Theotokos" mean?

Theotokos is a Greek word that means “bearer of God” * or “she who bore/gave birth to God”. There is no single-word English cognate; in...

May 31, 2023
1 min

Choral Corner #24: What is the Kliros?

The kliros is the area of the nave (the area west of the iconostas) where the choir stands; the term also refers to the podium and...

May 13, 2023
1 min

Choral Corner #23: Why do we not serve from memory?

Clergy, readers and singers are forbidden from serving from memory; the appropriate service book must be open to the proper page, even if...

May 2, 2023
2 min

Choral Corner #22: Why don't we sing "O heavenly King" from Pascha until Pentecost?

Although the prayer “O heavenly King” appears near the beginning of almost every service and personal prayer rule throughout the...

Apr 27, 2023
2 min

Choral Corner #21: Why are the services a bit different for 40 days after Pascha?

Most great feasts are followed by a short festal period, during which time the rubrics prescribe certain hymns of that feast to be...

Apr 12, 2023
2 min

Choral Corner #20: Why is Bridegroom Matins called "Bridegroom", & what are its special features?

Bridegroom Matins is a form of Matins served on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of Holy Week. These services have a distinctly...

Apr 3, 2023
2 min

Choral Corner #19: How are the hymns of late Lent/Holy Week different than those sung earlier?

Q: How are the hymns of the sixth week of Lent (this week), and also of Holy Week, different from those sung earlier in this liturgical...

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