About Byzantine Music and
Hymnology
The legacy of the Byzantine empire is vast and encompasses
all aspects of human life, much of which preserved the
Hellenic and Roman influences and carried them into Western
thought, culture and civilisation.
Among the living treasures of Byzantium, in addition to the
architecture and art, is music and poetry. Preserved mainly
in the ecclesiastical realm, music and poetry of the
Byzantines conferred a unique and distinct character to
Byzantine culture and society.
Transmitting the features of ancient Hellenic music along
with the practices of early Christianity, Byzantine music
soon served as one of the pivotal foundations of Western
music.
In parallel with the music, the poetry of the Byzantines,
again mainly preserved in ecclesiastical texts, underwent
pivotal evolution and transformation, able to convey the
thinking, philosophy and culture of a millenial-old empire.
Largely unexplored by the West, Byzantine and
post-Byzantine poetry, through hymnology, offers a unique
opportunity to understand cultural, religious, political
and scientific formation of Western thought.
More detailed history at: Early Christian and Byzantine Music: History
and Performance