Transcript The Coptic language - The Spirit of Great Oak

Georg Friedrich
Händel
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Name and Origin: The Copts are the original Egyptians, and the word "Copt"
itself is derived from the Greek word "Aegyptus" which means Egypt.
The Copts are the descendants of the ancient Egyptians.
The Copts in Egypt are the Christian Egyptians, a minority of six to ten
millions that form 23% of the whole population of Egypt.
The rest of the population is about 75% Muslims and 2% others.
The Coptic language originates from the language spoken in Ancient Egypt
and the Coptic music has also its roots in the Old Egyptian music.
Most people in Egypt now speak Arabic.
The Coptic Religion is Christianity which was the main religion in Egypt
during the 4th to 6th centuries AD and until the Muslim conquest of Egypt.
According to ancient tradition, Christianity was introduced to the Egyptians
by Saint Mark in Alexandria, shortly after the ascension of Christ and during
the reign of the Roman emperor Claudius around 42 AD.
They are considered one of the most anthropologically pure races in the
world.
• The Coptic Orthodox Church is one of the most ancient
Churches in the world, and has carefully preserved the
Orthodox Christian Faith in its earliest and purest form,
handing it down from generation to generation, unaltered
and true to the Apostolic doctrines and patterns of worship.
• St. Mark the Apostle and Evangelist, who is the writer of
the second gospel, is the first founder, after Christ, of the
Coptic Egyptian church known as the Coptic Orthodox
Church, in the first Century.
• Both the Coptic language and Coptic music have survived
in the liturgy of the Coptic Church till today.
• Today the Coptic Orthodox Church and faith has spread
all around the world.
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Coptic music is the religious music sung and played in the
Coptic Orthodox Church of Egypt.
Coptic music is the language of the soul to praise God.
Coptic music is deep, harmonic, and well-defined songs, meant
to express the innermost emotions of the praising spirit.
It does not follow musical notes nor dedicated rhythm but
rather, it translates the pulses of the spirit.
Some of the melodies and the main characteristics of Coptic
music are believed to have been adopted from Ancient Egyptian
rites and practices.
Coptic music remains an art that must be learned and handed
down by oral tradition.
Copts have never been seriously interested in writing down
their melodies.
They preferred to trust the superb memories of their blind
cantors who sang the hymns in the churches, which is a fixed
tradition of the Coptic Church for nearly twenty centuries,
rather than having series of primitive notation symbols.
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Many transcribes completely ignored the Eastern custom of
improvisation and the prevalence of melodic formulas in Eastern
Music.
Coptic music is above all considerations vocal dependent.
This art form of spiritual music signifies the liturgical music of
the church as well as the religious hymns performed both inside
and outside of the church contexts.
The participants in the celebration of the liturgy and music are
the officiant, The deacon, and the choir.
It consists mainly of chanted hymns in rhythm with instruments
such as cymbals (daff) and triangles (muthallath).
An ancient custom that is still audible in Coptic chant is the long
vocalizes sung on one vowel or vowel sound.
The Egyptian Coptic Church is unique in that it has neglected to
devise a system of musical notation and consequently has no
important music manuscript.
Ragheb Moftah worked from the mid-1920s until his death
preserving and documenting Coptic liturgical music, presented
the Church with an anthology of pristine recordings of Coptic
Orthodox liturgical hymns and chants.
If it wasn’t for his recordings in this generation who knows what
could have happened to the Coptic Church hymns today.
The cymbals, which is also called the daff, are a pair of slightly
concave metal disks (usually silver) about 18 cm in diameter,
with a cupped center 3 cm in depth. A hole in the center of
each disk permits the passage of a string held in place by a
wooden pin that acts as a handle for manipulating the
cymbals.
The metal triangle is suspended by a string held in the
left hand, and is struck on two or three of its sides by a
small metal rod held in the right hand. Its light tinkling
beats might be described as resembling the light jangling
of the ancient sistrum.
The hand cymbals and triangle are usually played by one of the deacons and/or the cantor, to signal the
congregation to participate and unify the singing. When the hand cymbals and triangle are played
simultaneously, intricate rhythmic patterns emerge, and as these instruments accompany the varied
meters of the vocal music, a complex and distinct polyrhythm is produced.
Although the only musical instruments used in the church are the cymbals and the triangle,
other instruments are sometimes used in non-liturgical Coptic events such as the:
timbrel
Harp
Lute (Oud)
sistrum
The Lord is with you.
Holy is, the Father, the King Who observes our humility, the essence of glory, with the Holy
Spirit.
Just is, the Father, our supporter in our weaknesses, for the sake of the Heavenly life, with the
Holy Spirit.
Praise belongs to the Father, the treasure of our humility, and Jesus Who is from Heaven,
with the Holy Spirit.
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one of the greatest composers of the late Baroque era.
Born in Halle, Germany, February 23, 1685
he was a German composer, trained in Italy, who spent most of his life in England.
He endured much opposition from church.
his music is eminently vocal.
by the age of seven he was a skilful performer on the harpsichord and pipe organ, and at nine he began to compose music.
His father was opposed to his son's wish to pursue a musical career, preferring him to study law.
Handel's mother, Dorothea, encouraged his musical aspirations.
In 1702, when George was 17, he entered the University of Halle as a law student, but after his father's death the following
year, he abandoned law for music.
He then became an organist of the Cathedral at the age of 17.
Later he worked as a violinist and keyboard player in the Hamburg opera orchestra.
In 1706 he moved for four years to Italy where he studied opera.
There he established a reputation as a keyboard virtuoso, and as an operatic composer.
In 1720 he worked at the King's Theatre, London.
He produced several operas influenced by his experience in Italy.
• Slowly he began turning to the composition of oratorio: dramatic, non-staged works for the concert hall,
usually with a great deal of choral music, and most often with a Biblical subject, the text in English.
• After a stroke in 1737, he recovered, and afterwards wrote some of his most memorable work. With the
composition of the 'Messiah' oratorio (1742) the entire baroque tradition reached its climax.
• His enormous work included over 40 operas, about 20 oratorios, cantatas, sacred music, and orchestral,
instrumental, and vocal works.
• His most famous works are Messiah, an oratorio set to texts from the King James Bible; Water Music; and
Music for the Royal Fireworks.
• G.F. Handel's works have been catalogued and are commonly referred to by a HWV number.
• His most famous work is the Messiah oratorio with its "Hallelujah" chorus.
• Handel's Messiah is also known as HWV 56.
• George became blind near the end of his life, but he still continued to perform on the organ.
• He also continued to compose music by dictating it to a friend who wrote it down for him.
• Died in London, April 14, 1759.
Comparison
~Does not follow musical notes.
~They are both based of biblical themes
~Follows traditional musical notes.
~Does not dedicated rhythm.
~They both praise God.
~Coptic Text
~They are both vocal dependent.
~Adopted ancient Egyptian practices.
~they both use base and alto voices.
~Many voices blend together one
right after another in a contrary
motion.
~Follows ancient tradition of having
long vocalizes sung on one vowel or
vowel sound.
~They both have a main chorus repeated
throughout the piece.
~The singers alternate according to
the form of the musical phrase.
~They are both a mix of male and female
~has a Constant tempo.
~ ignored the Eastern custom of
improvisation and the prevalence of
melodic formulas in Eastern Music.
~They can both be performed both
inside and outside of the church.
voices.
~The instruments start playing before the
vocalists.
~Both use similar instruments such as the
harp and the lute.
~Has a Faster tempo.
~uses soprano voices.
~English Text.
~influenced by the techniques of the
great composers of the Italian
Baroque.
~followed the traditional eastern
custom of improvisation and the
prevalence of melodic formulas in
Eastern Music.