Manuel Chrysaphes
Encyclopedia
Manuel Doukas Chrysaphes was the most prominent Byzantine
musician of the 15th century. He was a singer, composer and musical theoretician.
Little is known of his life, except that he held the office of lampadarios, and received commissions from the last two Byzantine emperors, John VIII Palaiologos
and Constantine XI Palaiologos. Two of his own autographs survive, one from July 1458 in the Iviron Monastery
in Mount Athos
, and one from July 1463 in the Topkapi Palace
collection. He is also one of the few Byzantine musicians to write on theoretical issues. His surviving treatise, On the Theory of the Art of Chanting and On Certain Erroneous Views That Some Hold about It, is an invaluable guide to Byzantine music
and the evolution of Byzantine singing in the late Palaiologan period.
Byzantine
Byzantine usually refers to the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages.Byzantine may also refer to:* A citizen of the Byzantine Empire, or native Greek during the Middle Ages...
musician of the 15th century. He was a singer, composer and musical theoretician.
Little is known of his life, except that he held the office of lampadarios, and received commissions from the last two Byzantine emperors, John VIII Palaiologos
John VIII Palaiologos
John VIII Palaiologos or Palaeologus , was the penultimate reigning Byzantine Emperor, ruling from 1425 to 1448.-Life:John VIII Palaiologos was the eldest son of Manuel II Palaiologos and Helena Dragaš, the daughter of the Serbian prince Constantine Dragaš...
and Constantine XI Palaiologos. Two of his own autographs survive, one from July 1458 in the Iviron Monastery
Iviron monastery
Holy Monastery of Iviron is an Eastern Orthodox monastery at the monastic state of Mount Athos in Greece...
in Mount Athos
Mount Athos
Mount Athos is a mountain and peninsula in Macedonia, Greece. A World Heritage Site, it is home to 20 Eastern Orthodox monasteries and forms a self-governed monastic state within the sovereignty of the Hellenic Republic. Spiritually, Mount Athos comes under the direct jurisdiction of the...
, and one from July 1463 in the Topkapi Palace
Topkapi Palace
The Topkapı Palace is a large palace in Istanbul, Turkey, that was the primary residence of the Ottoman Sultans for approximately 400 years of their 624-year reign....
collection. He is also one of the few Byzantine musicians to write on theoretical issues. His surviving treatise, On the Theory of the Art of Chanting and On Certain Erroneous Views That Some Hold about It, is an invaluable guide to Byzantine music
Byzantine music
Byzantine music is the music of the Byzantine Empire composed to Greek texts as ceremonial, festival, or church music. Greek and foreign historians agree that the ecclesiastical tones and in general the whole system of Byzantine music is closely related to the ancient Greek system...
and the evolution of Byzantine singing in the late Palaiologan period.
See also
- John KukuzelisJohn KukuzelisSaint John Kukuzelis or Kukuzel was a medieval Orthodox Christian composer, singer and reformer of Orthodox Church music....