Ierodiacon Avraam Bugu
Four-meter phrases in Middle Byzantine chant (I) | p. 317–336


Keywords
exegesis, meter, neumatic notation, Old Byzantine music, rhythm

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to bring evidence that Old Byzantine Chant – like other music genres and according to a general metric principle observed by the majority of music theorists (up to the beginning of the 20^th century) – is metrically structured, usually in cycling phrases of four Common Time measures. This metrical principle could be a key for understanding and deciphering the old neumatic notation.