Armenian hymnody

Armenian Hymnody The documented music in Armenian culture is the sacred music associated with the liturgical services of the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church. The tradition developed soon after the invention of the Armenian alphabet (405-406). Fragmentary manuscripts of the Sharaknots (‘Hymnal’) with neumatic (khaz) notation date back to the 8th century. In common with other Christian cultures of the east, Armenian music was exclusively monodic. During the first centuries of Christianity, the musical repertoire for worship in Armenia was not very different from the rest of Christendom, principally consisting of psalmody adapted to local reciting tones. Universally sung hymns, like the...

If you have a valid subscription to Dictionary of Hymnology, please log in to view this content. If you require a subscription, please click here.

Cite this article