Vespers

To view (and print) a hymn, click the word "view" next to the hymn you want.
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To hear a computer-generated sound file of a hymn, click the word "hear" next to the hymn you want.

		First Mode
		Second Mode
		Third Mode
		Fourth Mode
		Plagal First Mode
		Plagal Second Mode
		Grave Mode
		Plagal Fourth Mode
View	Hear	SPECIAL DAYS I Shall Go Into Thy House
View View View View	Hear Hear Hear Hear	Anoixantaria (end of Psalm 103) by Phokaeus (standard version) by Raidestenos (elaborate version) by St. John Koukouzeles (very long) Elaborate Finale for Anoixantaria Ancient melody
View View	Hear Hear	Blessed is the Man (Psalms 1-3) by Manuel the Protopsaltis (long) by Hieromonk Gregory (brief)
View View	Hear Hear	Lord I Have Cried (very long versions) First Mode, by Iakovos the Protopsaltis Plagal Second Mode, by Iakovos
View View	Hear Hear	Verses (Psalms 140, 141, and 129) First Mode (triple meter) Plagal Second Mode (triple meter)
View View	Hear Hear	O Joyous Light by John Sakellarides Ancient Melody (abbreviated)
View View View	Hear Hear Hear	Prokeimena for Weekdays for Lent for Bright Week and Feast Days
View View	Hear Hear	Rich Men Have Turned Poor Heirmologic (brief) versions Sticheraric (long) versions
View View View	Hear Hear Hear	O Theotokos and Virgin Eight-Mode Version, by Georgiadis Plagal First Mode, Ancient Melody Plagal First Mode, by Hierotheos
View View View View	Hear Hear Hear Hear	Responses (Lord Have Mercy) for Great Litany, Plagal Fourth Mode for Great Litany, Plagal First Mode for the Liti, Plagal First Mode, Athonite "Pathetic" First Mode, by Pringos
View View	Hear Hear	Responses (Grant this, O Lord) Plagal Fourth Mode Plagal First Mode

To download all vesper hymns of special days click here (152 pages, 6.7 Mb)

To download all music for Vespers, click here (613 pages, 40 Mb)

Note: Clicking a "Hear" link will open a MIDI file, which can be played by your computer's media player. All these MIDI files are very small (less than 10 Kb). Bear in mind that a computer plays these files using an equal-tempered scale, which does not always correspond precisely to the actual pitches of Byzantine scales. The translation used for the hymns of Vespers is copyrighted by the Holy Transfiguration Monastery in Brookline and is used with their permission. We chose their translation because many people throughout the world hold their liturgical translations in high regard due to their precision, meter, and elegance. While the music is copyright St. Anthony’s Monastery, the texts are copyright Holy Transfiguration Monastery, and may not be further distributed or used in sound or print publications or otherwise without the prior written permission of Holy Transfiguration Monastery.

Home

Introduction

Prologue by Gregorios Stathis

Concerning Adaptation

Byzantine vs. Western Notation

About the Translation

The History of Byzantine Chant

Writing Byzantine Music

Epilogue by
Photios Kontoglou

The Intervals of the Soft Chromatic Modal Genre

The Intonations of the Eight Modes

Sources

Acknowledgements

Contact Us

Links

Updates

Recordings on CD

St. Anthony's
Monastery