Τη Υπερμάχω / Te Ypermaho
Κοντάκιο του Ακαθίστου Ύμνου / Contakion of the Akathist Hymn
Short version
Scores
Analytic version of Te ypermacho
as I. Nafpliotis would chant it [jpg]
Written by his student and Domestikos, Angelos Boudouris.
Boudouris explicitly writes that a slow tempo is to be used for this particular
version he wrote down. He also specifies that the chronos to be used is double (diplous)
as opposed to other pieces which he indicates they should be chanted in chronos
simple (haplous).
Interpretations
Patriarchal
Iakovos Nafpliotis
Notice the subtle but noticable interpretation of some petastai signs in the text.
Also notice that he doesn't follow exactly the analyseis recorded in Boudouris'
score. Finally notice that the co-chanter (Pringos) does small variations of analyseis
here and there without that destroying the coherence of the chant. The piece can
be chanted at various tempos (fast, slow) depending on the occasion/time in the
service.
The same recording (different
sound quality)
(a) [mp3] (b)
[mp3]
(c) [mp3] (from cmkon.org)
[rm] (from ec-patr.net)
Basileios Nikolaidis / Basileios
Emmanouilidis
[rm]
(1980s, Patriarchate, from cmkon.org)
Notice how they don't do the oxeia (jump) in the beginning. The whole interpretation
is much simpler and dryer, compared to Nafpliotis above.
Leonidas Asteris / Basileios
Emmanouilidis
[rm]
(1990s, live from the Patriarchate, from cmkon.org)
Same comments as in Nikolaidis/Emmanouilidis' recording.
Thessaloniki style
Eleftherios Georgiadis' choir
[mp3, 415 Kb]
(from
lyk-mous-thess.thess.sch.gr )
Conservatorium
style
Spyridon Peristeris
[mp3,
520 Kb] (from ieropsaltis.com)
Other
recordings
Athanassios Paivanas' choir (Ergasteri Psaltikis)
[rm]
(from ieropsaltis.com)
Manolis Hatzimarkos
[ram, 427 Kb]
(from ieropsaltis.com)
Stelios Kontakiotis' choir
[mp3]
Michail Lagoudakis offered this recording from a recent concert at Duke University
(US). The 7 chanters performing come from various backgrounds (different schools,
including Karas) and the hymn was performed on the spot (without music) with audience
participation (clearly heard). This recording perhaps represents a "popular version"
of the hymn.
G.K. Michalakis
[mp3, 330 Kb]
[mp3,
340 Kb]
Gregorios Daravanoglou
[mp3, 1.6 Mb]
Unknown choir
[mp3, 1.4 Mb]
Simon Karas'
style
Simon Karas' choir (Choir of the Association for the Dissemination of National Music)
[mp3]
See comment referring to the Greek Byzantine Choir below. Notice the double petaste
in "Ina kra-". A trademark of Karas' style.
( 1980s, Athens, bad sound quality, from www.melopoieia.com)
Lykourgos Angelopoulos' choir (Greek Byzantine Choir)
[mp3, 700 Kb]
Notice the overdone elxeis and the repetitiveness of interpretation. The mechanical
interpretation of analyseis which, however, are in concept the closest to what Boudouris
wrote down (see score above). Finally notice the identical performance style with
that of Angelopoulos' teacher choir, that of Simon Karas above. Compare the subtle
interpretation of petastai by Nafpliotis above with the over-simplified, rigid interpretation
here. The same or identical recordings can be found here [
html]
(clubs.pathfinder.gr) and here [
html]
(apostoliki-diakonia.gr)
"Moisey Petrovich" choir (Serbian
and Greek)
[rm]
Notice the identical performance style compared to the previous choirs. Not so extreme
elxeis though.
(from http://home.drenik.net/npopm/downloadgre.html)
(link by M. Lagoudakis)
Ioannis Arvanitis/Yorgos Bilalis
[wma, 1.2 Mb]
Capella Romana
(director Alexander Lingas)
[wma,
3.6 Mb]
Speculative reconstruction from the 13th c. ms performed by mostly Western-trained
musicians.
Intrument
approximations
D. Politis
[ra]
With electronic instrument argued to reproduce the Byzantine music intervals exactly
(1990s, Thessaloniki) (from
csd.auth.gr)
Other cultures
Elie Khoury (Arabic)
[mp3,
461k] (from psaltopedia)
The intervals of this performance sound to me quite westernised. The melody is close
but different from the Greek at places.
Eikona (English)
[html]
(from goarch.com)
The intervals of this performance are completely western. No ornamentation
at all. Notice however the preservation of the skeleton of the original melody in
the English adaptation.
Long version
Ancient Melos
Basileios Nikolaidis
(pending)
Thrasyvoulos Stanitsas
[wma, 1.5
Mb]
(exerpt, 1950s)
Simon Karas (Choir of the Association for the Dissemination
of National Music)
[asf]
(from ecclesia.gr)
Lykourgos Angelopoulos (Greek Byzantine Choir, EBX)
(pending)
Michalis Makris (Orthodox Greek Byzantine Choir, OEBX)
(pending)
Ioannis Arvanitis/Yorgos Bilalis
Syntmesis by Ioannis Arvanitis
[wma, 5.6 Mb]
Basileios Emmanouilidis
(pending)
Demosthenis Paikopoulos
[mp3, 3.4 Mb]
Petros Byzantios'
composition
G. K. Michalakis
[mp3,
6.3 Mb]