Coptic Music

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Apostolic Churches did take a big amount of music in their services and dogmas over the whole year. In the Coptic Church, almost each word during the whole year, whether in the morning or evening, is chanted. The early Christian Congregation began in Jerusalem. Although the Temple's music was instrumental, the Synagogue's music was vocal. When the first Christians became independent, they took their musical rites from the Synagogue and used only vocal singing. Composers and Readers who left Judaism and believed in Christianity used to have the same job in Christianity. So, Psalms were chanted exactly the same way they were sung in synagogues.

As in the Church of Jerusalem, the music was vocal in all Oriental and Western Churches. These Churches raised prayers, liturgies and dogmas conforming with the nature and environment of each land. Each land composed music conforming with its own taste; thus the Byzantine Church Music was Byzantine, the Egyptian Church Music was Egyptian etc. The best proof for this is that the Ethiopian Church, although conceived by and affiliated to the Egyptian Church for many generations, remained purely Ethiopian in its music and tradition. That means that the local inherited art had the most important influence in forming the Church Art. Every nation took from its previous worship tunes, which were found appropriate. So undoubtedly, Greeks took from their ancient worship hymns and used it in Christianity, and so did the Egyptians.

Singing & Music was necessary at every Ancient Egyptian festival, and no meetings lacked music. In every house, women mastered music and practised it. In the Pharaoh's Palace, there existed Musical teams or bands with singers and conductors, which were proud to fill the Pharaoh's heart with joy. Pithagorus, the Greek scientist who visited Egypt around 520 B.C., said that he could gather from Egypt elements on which he based his well known musical theory. Religious Festivals were wonderful and glorious as they moved with the God in His ship over the priest's shoulders in the temple. People used to present their offerings and salutations accompanied by musical groups. Religious liturgies were also accompanied by music, and kingly marches were lead by priests with praises and incense. Egyptians usually preferred to use blind singers. Today, Coptic Churches still choose their cantors among blinds.

In 297 B.C., the Alexandria Library responsible, Dimetrios the Valerion, said that in their Honour & Intercession festivals for gods, Egyptian Priests used to sing on the 7 Greek vowels consecutively. They produced beautiful sounds which satisfied them from using the flute or the harp. Nikomax the Mathematician who lived in the first century said the 7 vowels were special to the seven stars. Today, most Coptic Hymns are sung on these vowels. Some are sung on A and others on E, such as Aretenshonty, the Big Alleluia and the Offering Alleluia. Ancient Egyptians considered that singing with these vowels represented the most profound religious expression.

Philo, the Alexandrian Jewish Philosoph who lived in the first century said:
"The Egyptian Christians took from the Ancient Egyptian Hymns & used them in their new worship." Hence, the Egyptian Art was still living and was still Egyptian. The Singary tune was named after Singar, a city in the Nile Delta. It dates of the era of Ramses II and became widely spread in the Coptic era due to the numerous monasteries which used to exist around the city. The Edriby Tune is named after Edribah, the Upper Egyptian city whose ancient temple was converted to a church by St. Shenuty the Archimendrite.

The Oldest Christian hymn transcribed with musical signs was found on a Papyrus in Bahnasa and dates of the 3rd century A.D. It is a trisagion, which reads: "Let all forces praise the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit the only giver to good people Amen." Papyri transcribed with musical signs are very important. Some of them date back to the 9th Century and were certainly copied from older copies. Coptic Hymns were transmitted as oral tradition from one generation to another until 1927 when Coptic hymns were finally transcribed.

The Egyptian Church has its unique four masses, not found in other churches. The Cyrilian Mass (Kyrellosy) was written by St. Mark the Apostle and was edited by St. Cyril I of Alexandria. It was established long before St. Cyril, because it is very similar to St. James Mass and The Lord's Covenant Mass, the oldest liturgies known. Both the Basilian Mass and the Gregorian Mass share the same Awashy part with the Cyrilian Mass. Thus, many scholars believe that their music is based on that of St. Cyril. Unfortunatly, most of the music of St. Cyril's Mass was lost. The only parts that remained of it are the hymns of Oukoty and Ouoh Nay, which are used for the Coptic Requiem Mass.

Concerning the St.Basil Masses, there exist 3 masses named after St.Basil.. St.Basil of Costantinople Church Mass, The Syrian St.Basil Mass & St.Basil Coptic Mass (it has a Greek text).. These three differ from each other in text, dogmas & music..

Certainly, the Egyptian St.Basil Mass does belong to the Egyptian Church.. It was used before the division of 451 (long before St.Basil the Great).. St.Basil's Mass Music is pure Egyptian except the confession part & Confession Introduction they are Byzantine..

This Byzantine part also belongs to the Egyptian Church since it has no brother in the Costantinople text except a small sentence.. Neither in the Music, nothing is similar.. The St.Basil Mass Music, whether the Coptic or the Byzantine is so beautiful and have big influence if chanted in their original tunes and with a beautiful talented voice..

The Gregorian Mass also belongs to the Egyptian Church before division.. It's music also is Egyptian except it's beginning "The love of God the Father..." and the Confession are Byzantine..

"The Love of God the Father" is available in both the Coptic St.Basil Mass and Byzantine St.John Christomos but still their music are VERY different.. The Gregorian Mass Music is nothing but some Big Hymns which were going to be lost unless I did record it several times from Mlm.Mikhail who was the only one to have known it complete.. This mass is used in Big feasts.. It's tunes are splendid and profound and have celebration influence..

The Malachite Church in Egypt used these 3 masses also after the division of the Church until the 12 th century..

The 4th Mass is Abba Serapion Bishop of Tomees (Tamyel Amdid) who was the disciple of St.Anthony the Great and a friend to St.Athenese the Apostolic. It was published in 1894.. We have strong proof that it belongs to the church of Alexandria.. Part of it is exactly the same in St.Mark Mass.. We do know nothing about it's music or use.. It seems it wasn't used widely and didn't last for long..

In the writings of HH Gabriel Ben-Toreik Pope No 70 we got that some people tried using different masses than the 3 known ones.. In section 26 of his writings we found: "It came to me the weak, that some people in the Southern Cities (Seiid) pray inappropriate masses different from the three we all know which are St.Basil, St.Gregory & St.Kyrollos.. I defended people who are depending on that until they come at my residence and show these masses.."

(Here was played a tape in Hegmn.Morcos priest of Matay-el-mahatta's voice "The Love of God the father", The Commemoration of Saints & Tarhim)

Concerning hymns, a big rich collection survived and was preserved for the Church.. Their number exceed 300 Big & Small hymn.. Most of their texts are Coptic, some are Greek.. BUT all the music IS Coptic... These hymns are Spiritual, Profound & Beautiful.. They represent the High Standard of Spiritual Literature.. The original source of these hymns is pure Musical.. Some of them do last 15 minutes & are sung over one or few words or just a short sentence.. Some of them (only in Greek words) are in use by Malachite but have different Byzantine Music..

All Church services as Tasbeha, Evening & Morning Incense Offering, Masses, Feasts & Fasts have their own hymns.. It differs accordingly to seasons.. Many Hymns are said just once a year. Which means it was composed for a special occasion.. Which proves that the Coptic Church is a very Musical One.. The Coptic Dogmas with their hymns throughout the year represent the LIFE in both the Old & New Testaments which shows CHRISTIANITY with splendid beauty in representation..

The sorrowful hymns have a very strong influence.. No music in the whole world is similar.. It seems that this special aspect did characterise Egypt since very old ages: Herodote who visited Egypt in 460 BC said in his book about Egypt section 79:"One thing I am wondering about, which is the source of the song called Linos.. I think it is so old there, they call it Maniros.. They say that Maniros was the only son of their very first King.. He died very young so that they sang this sorrowful song for him.. And that this song was the first one they had.." In 1933, when more than 30 European Musician & Scientist heard these sorrowful songs, in the Music Conference held in Cairo, where I had the honour to be a member, a strong feeling mastered them.. I will never forget the "Singing Science" Professors in the Sorbone - Paris who asked Hegmn. Morcos Shenouda to repeat the Commemoration of Saints OVER 6 TIMES.. Also Mr.Newlandsmith said in one of his speeches: "Give me Cruzu's voice singing some Coptic Hymns and I will destroy Jericho's Walls.."

These sorrowful Hymns make the earthly boundings disappear, make the soul humble some of them could destroy the Hypocrite soul who insists in living sinner!!

(Here the chorus sang the hymn Golgotha)

The Coptic joyful hymns have their very special spiritual taste.. They make us feel that the heavenly beauty is very superior to all this world's feelings.. We do believe that a hymn, sung in a talented voice and sincere soul has big influence more than dozens of words in attracting people to the Lord..

(Another Chorus sang Ei Aghaby whose music is Coptic and another hymn said in the end of Resurrection Feast)

Religious Hymns which where composed similar to folkloric songs played a big role in spreading heresies and also in fighting them.. By the ends of the second Century, the Syrian "Beridessane" composed 150 psalm to spread the Gnostic Heresy which he joined he and his disciples.. So St.Avraam the Syrian composed hymns to resist & oppose it and gathered Choruses of Virgins who were intended to become nuns to sing them.. Also Arios composed folkloric songs to spread his heresy.. And a lot of fathers in Egypt & Europe composed opposite hymns to resist his thoughts.. As I did mention previously, Coptic Music was transmitted orally since the beginning of Christianity until 1927 when I called the Great Professor Newlandsmith who spent eight years transcribing it from the voice of Mlm.Mikhail until the work was done in 16 volumes..

In 1931, when this job came to it's middle, the renewing supporters who called themselves the Reformation Party attacked me saying that I don't want to preserve the old things.. On this same year in May, I travelled to England and gave with Mr.Newlandsmith three speeches concerning Coptic Music in the universities of Oxford, Cambridge and London.. Hundreds of Newspapers & Magazines in Europe, the States, Egypt & the Far East wrote about these speeches.. Fortunately, I still have all these speeches, here I show it to you.. Here on the first page an article in Oxford Newsletter: "A Great Speech added to the group of this season's speeches" These articles described Coptic Music as Very Spiritual Music Very impressive and A Great Musical Treasure..

Here are the 16 volumes dear Copts would you publish them.. I don't want any personal benefit, I even don't want to write my name down there.. After that, I don't think that any group of people would lack in preserving the most important tradition he & the whole world have, the oldest musical heritage. Many scientists everywhere are waiting for the publishing of these volumes to study Coptic Music & know the Coptic musical scales.. Although great researches on Byzantine, Syrian, Gregorian Music were published, not a word in any Musical Encyclopaedia was written about Coptic Music!!

I am working on recording the hymns on tapes to provide the Great Genius Prof. Phales with the recordings and transcriptions and prepare to publish them. This Professor is the one who deciphered Old Byzantine Music Transcription..

Coptic Music is Not Arabic, Not Turkish, Not Byzantine & Not Western IT IS PURE ORIGINAL EGYPTIAN MUSIC..

Until today, many traditional Church music is only vocal among which Coptic, Greek & Syrian.. Above mentioned Scientists and many others advised to preserve it. They said it is the biggest crime to try playing it on musical instruments for it was designed for human's voices.. Playing it on strings gives poor, cut performance which does not represent by any way the hymn itself.. Playing it on Piano (or keyboards) requires adding harmony which also is not appropriate and requires us to destroy it's basis & squeleton foundations.. That means destroying the Church Heritage which is considered one of the most profound Church traditions.. The Greek Church also doesn't use instruments even the Cymbal & Triangle are not used there..

Prof.Newlandsmith did find some few small Coptic pieces, counted on one's hand fingers which could give the same effect when played on violin as when sung (A Capella) such as the Revelation Book Response..

(Here Monsieur Yoanides played it on his violin, then Mlm.Sadek Attalla sang it, both were wonderful and mastered it very well.. To show the difference, Monsieur Yoanides played the Blessing Hymn (Lahnel Baraka) which is Tenouosht.. Mlm.Sadek sang it as well.. The difference was really big & clear, which proves that these hymns should be only vocal and should never be played on instruments..)

Although we do have this great heritage, Copts tend now to use western songs & hymns which are superficial in both structure & meaning.. It's music is repulsive with our Church's beautiful dogmas & hymns.. What really hurts me & breaks my heart is that these songs did invade some of our Coptic Orthodox Church's atmosphere.. which surely not appropriate with our father's spirit..