Ypakoe
Encyclopedia
The Ypakoë is a troparion
chanted at Orthros (Matins) and the Midnight Office
on Great Feasts and Sundays throughout the liturgical year
in the Eastern Orthodox Church
. The Ypakoë which is chanted on Sundays is found in the Octoechos
and there are eight of them, according to the Tone of the Week
. The Ypakoë used at one of the Great Feasts will be written in the tone of the hymnographer's choice.
The Ypakoë, as its name suggests, illustrates the theme of being sent to proclaim the Gospel
; and in particular the Resurrection of Jesus
by the Myrrh-bearers (Sundays and Pascha) or the theme of the particular Feast being celebrated.
The hymn occurs in several places, depending upon the day and the service:
Nativity of Christ (Tone 8)::
Pascha (Tone 8):
In 1997, Sir Nicholas Goodison of the City of London Festival
commissioned English composer
and Orthodox Christian John Tavener
to write a piece for the festival. He wrote a suite
for solopiano
, entitled, Ypakoë, based on the Ypakoë of Pascha. It was premiered at the 1999 Festival by Venezuelan pianist Elena Riu (daughter of Catalan philosopher Federico Riu). The work is a 20-minute meditation on the Passion and Resurrection of Christ
. The composer has described the piece as "a totally spiritual concept – to atune the individual’s (performer’s of listener’s) will to the divine will."
Troparion
A troparion in Byzantine music and in the religious music of Eastern Orthodox Christianity is a short hymn of one stanza, or one of a series of stanzas. The word probably derives from a diminutive of the Greek tropos...
chanted at Orthros (Matins) and the Midnight Office
Midnight Office
The Midnight Office is one of the Canonical Hours that compose the cycle of daily worship in the Eastern Orthodox Church. The office originated as a purely monastic devotion inspired by Psalm 118:62, At midnight I arose to give thanks unto Thee for the judgments of Thy righteousness , and also by...
on Great Feasts and Sundays throughout the liturgical year
Liturgical year
The liturgical year, also known as the church year, consists of the cycle of liturgical seasons in Christian churches which determines when feast days, including celebrations of saints, are to be observed, and which portions of Scripture are to be read. Distinct liturgical colours may appear in...
in the Eastern Orthodox Church
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
. The Ypakoë which is chanted on Sundays is found in the Octoechos
Octoechos (liturgy)
The Octoechos —literally, the book "of the Eight Tones"—contains an eight-week cycle, providing texts to be chanted for every day at Vespers, Matins, the Divine Liturgy, Compline and the Midnight Office...
and there are eight of them, according to the Tone of the Week
Octoechos
Oktōēchos is the name of the eight mode system used for the composition of religious chant in Syrian, Coptic, Byzantine, Armenian, Latin and Slavic churches since the middle ages...
. The Ypakoë used at one of the Great Feasts will be written in the tone of the hymnographer's choice.
The Ypakoë, as its name suggests, illustrates the theme of being sent to proclaim the Gospel
Gospel
A gospel is an account, often written, that describes the life of Jesus of Nazareth. In a more general sense the term "gospel" may refer to the good news message of the New Testament. It is primarily used in reference to the four canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John...
; and in particular the Resurrection of Jesus
Resurrection of Jesus
The Christian belief in the resurrection of Jesus states that Jesus returned to bodily life on the third day following his death by crucifixion. It is a key element of Christian faith and theology and part of the Nicene Creed: "On the third day he rose again in fulfillment of the Scriptures"...
by the Myrrh-bearers (Sundays and Pascha) or the theme of the particular Feast being celebrated.
The hymn occurs in several places, depending upon the day and the service:
- On some Great Feasts it is chanted at Matins after the Little LitanyEkteniaEktenia , often called simply Litany, is a prayerful petition in the Eastern Orthodox/Eastern Catholic liturgy...
which follows Canticle Three of the CanonCanon (hymnography)A canon is a structured hymn used in a number of Eastern Orthodox services. It consists of nine odes, sometimes called canticles or songs depending on the translation, based on the Biblical canticles. Most of these are found in the Old Testament, but the final ode is taken from the Magnificat and...
of the Feast. Not all of the Great Feasts have an Ypakoë; sometimes, a different troparion, called a Sessional Hymn occurs at this point.
- On Sundays at Matins, it is chanted after the KathismaKathismaA Kathisma , literally, "seat", is a division of the Psalter, used by Eastern Orthodox Christians and Eastern Catholics who follow the Byzantine Rite...
ta (readings from the PsalterPsalterA psalter is a volume containing the Book of Psalms, often with other devotional material bound in as well, such as a liturgical calendar and litany of the Saints. Until the later medieval emergence of the book of hours, psalters were the books most widely owned by wealthy lay persons and were...
)—specifically, after the Evlogitaria of the ResurrectionResurrectionResurrection refers to the literal coming back to life of the biologically dead. It is used both with respect to particular individuals or the belief in a General Resurrection of the dead at the end of the world. The General Resurrection is featured prominently in Jewish, Christian, and Muslim...
and the Little LitanyLittle LitanyThe Little Litany or Little Ektenia or Little Synapte is a brief ektenia which is recited at various times during the liturgical worship of the Byzantine Rite, as observed by the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Greek Catholic Churches....
.
- On Sundays at the Midnight Office it is read after the "Canon to the Most Holy TrinityTrinityThe Christian doctrine of the Trinity defines God as three divine persons : the Father, the Son , and the Holy Spirit. The three persons are distinct yet coexist in unity, and are co-equal, co-eternal and consubstantial . Put another way, the three persons of the Trinity are of one being...
" (this is the same Ypakoë that is chanted after the Kathismata)
- At PaschaEasterEaster is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
(Easter), in addition to its place after the Third Ode of Matins, it is chanted again during the Paschal HoursPaschal HoursThe Paschal Hours are the form in which the Little Hours are chanted on Pascha and throughout Bright Week in the Eastern Orthodox Church and those Eastern Catholic Churches which follow the Byzantine Rite.Specifically, the Paschal Hours replace:...
and the Divine LiturgyDivine LiturgyDivine Liturgy is the common term for the Eucharistic service of the Byzantine tradition of Christian liturgy. As such, it is used in the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches. Armenian Christians, both of the Armenian Apostolic Church and of the Armenian Catholic Church, use the same term...
along with the Paschal troparionPaschal troparionThe Paschal troparion or Christos anesti is the characteristic hymn for the celebration of Pascha in the Eastern Orthodox Church and those Eastern Catholic Churches which follow the Byzantine Rite....
and kontakionKontakionKontakion is a form of hymn performed in the Eastern Orthodox Church. The word derives from the Greek word kontax , meaning pole, specifically the pole around which a scroll is wound. The term describes the way in which the words on a scroll unfurl as it is read...
.
Examples
Sunday (Tone 5):The myrrh-bearing women, their minds dazzled by the sight of the angel and their souls enlightened by Thy divine Resurrection, preached the good tidings to the Apostles: "O spread among the nation the news of the Resurrection of the Lord, He, Who works wonders and grants us His great mercy."
Nativity of Christ (Tone 8)::
Calling the MagiMagiMagi is a term, used since at least the 4th century BC, to denote a follower of Zoroaster, or rather, a follower of what the Hellenistic world associated Zoroaster with, which...
by a star, heaven brought the first fruits of the Gentiles unto Thee, a Babe lying in the manger: and they were amazed to see neither sceptre nor throne but only utter poverty. For what is meaner than swaddling clothes? Yet therein shone forth the wealth of Thy divinity: Glory to Thee, O Lord!
Pascha (Tone 8):
Before the dawn, Mary and the women came and found the stone rolled away from the tomb. They heard the angelic voice: "Why do ye seek among the dead, as a mortal man, the One Who is Everlasting Light? Behold the clothes in the grave! Go, and proclaim to the world: The Lord is risen! He hath slain death, as He is the Son of God, saving the race of man."
In 1997, Sir Nicholas Goodison of the City of London Festival
City of London Festival
The City of London Festival is an annual arts festival that takes place in the City of London, England, over two to three weeks in June and July. The Festival is strongly geared towards classical music, but also offers a programme that includes jazz, world music, opera, film screenings, lectures...
commissioned English composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and Orthodox Christian John Tavener
John Tavener
Sir John Tavener is a British composer, best known for such religious, minimal works as "The Whale", and "Funeral Ikos"...
to write a piece for the festival. He wrote a suite
Suite
In music, a suite is an ordered set of instrumental or orchestral pieces normally performed in a concert setting rather than as accompaniment; they may be extracts from an opera, ballet , or incidental music to a play or film , or they may be entirely original movements .In the...
for solopiano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, entitled, Ypakoë, based on the Ypakoë of Pascha. It was premiered at the 1999 Festival by Venezuelan pianist Elena Riu (daughter of Catalan philosopher Federico Riu). The work is a 20-minute meditation on the Passion and Resurrection of Christ
Death and Resurrection of Jesus
The Christian belief in the resurrection of Jesus states that Jesus returned to bodily life on the third day following his death by crucifixion. It is a key element of Christian faith and theology and part of the Nicene Creed: "On the third day he rose again in fulfillment of the Scriptures"...
. The composer has described the piece as "a totally spiritual concept – to atune the individual’s (performer’s of listener’s) will to the divine will."
External links
- Hypakoe article from OrthodoxWiki
- John Tavener : Ypakoë
- Tavener Premiere—Hypakoë