Hey y'all. I'm a pretty recent American protestant convert and I'm still in the beginning stages of learning Coptic hymns and congregational responses. This is a difficult thing for me sometimes, since the melodies and progressions of Coptic hymns are unlike anything I ever listened to before I found the Church. I have a pretty good musical ear and I picked up a few things just from attending Liturgies, but now I've begun a more systematic approach- but I need some advice on the best way to go about this process. I want to start with the basic hymns that are used regularly in the Liturgy of St. Basil. Tai Shouri is up next on my list, but where should I go from there? And beyond that, can you give any advice on some methods/hints/tips/tricks that might be particularly helpful in learning Coptic hymns?
P.S. I've already got "Agios" down, so don't worry about that :) haha
Comments
Agios is great for a first step coz it's one of the general stuff.. Tai Shori is awesome too.. but a huge step :P
I think you could start with the Kireyalaysons and congregation "responses" over seasonal hymns.
Don't worry, with much repetition you'll pick it up and you be able to FEEL it in the liturgy!
I feel somewhat excited for you, It's the best feeling, being a beginner in Coptic Hymns, more specifically the Liturgy.. you feel it so much more than someone who knows the liturgy back to front.. and you'll DEF. learn something new EVERY time you attend a liturgy. I still do, it's awesome!
Good Luck
I don't have an advice about the hymns but I wanted to welcome you to the Coptic Orthodox Church. ;D :D
God bless
Ebnyasoo3
Hey y'all. I'm a pretty recent American protestant convert and I'm still in the beginning stages of learning Coptic hymns and congregational responses. This is a difficult thing for me sometimes, since the melodies and progressions of Coptic hymns are unlike anything I ever listened to before I found the Church. I have a pretty good musical ear and I picked up a few things just from attending Liturgies, but now I've begun a more systematic approach- but I need some advice on the best way to go about this process. I want to start with the basic hymns that are used regularly in the Liturgy of St. Basil. Tai Shouri is up next on my list, but where should I go from there? And beyond that, can you give any advice on some methods/hints/tips/tricks that might be particularly helpful in learning Coptic hymns?
P.S. I've already got "Agios" down, so don't worry about that :) haha
it's great to first learn the congregation responses....in english and coptic and maybe arabic....then some major hymns in the liturgy. most of those do not require much coptic (as a script) background. many of them are short lines that can easily be transliterated in english for you. but if you wanna go farther, you'd have to learn coptic as a language.
but if you wanna go farther, you'd have to learn coptic as a language.
Lol that's the last thing you'd do! But before you learn coptic as a language it'd be easier to learn the Coptic letters incase you find yourself stuck with a Coptic/Arabic book LOL.. that's one way I have been forced to learn coptic letters.. Mannnnn it helps! but this is probably your step 2 after getting down with the congregation responses and the annual liturgical hymns.. It's good to learn in any and every way in the liturgy than to get bored, it's much enjoyable. And the best thing you do is have a pencil and notepad with you at every church service. It's what I do in Passion week every year... I sit there in my awesomness way writing as many awesome notes as possible in my awesome pascha book, and it's there every year and I add to it every year.
[quote author=minagir link=topic=9972.msg121929#msg121929 date=1289359672]
but if you wanna go farther, you'd have to learn coptic as a language.
Lol that's the last thing you'd do! But before you learn coptic as a language it'd be easier to learn the Coptic letters incase you find yourself stuck with a Coptic/Arabic book LOL.. that's one way I have been forced to learn coptic letters.. Mannnnn it helps! but this is probably your step 2 after getting down with the congregation responses and the annual liturgical hymns.. It's good to learn in any and every way in the liturgy than to get bored, it's much enjoyable. And the best thing you do is have a pencil and notepad with you at every church service. It's what I do in Passion week every year... I sit there in my awesomness way writing as many awesome notes as possible in my awesome pascha book, and it's there every year and I add to it every year.
well that's what i meant.
well that's what i meant.
Meaning is not saying.
Tai Shouri-
Agios-
Psalm 150-
Epouro-
O- Kerious
He-teni -
http://www.youtube.com/user/ssicvrith#p/u/43/eclRQTP_QYA
Welcome to the Orthodox Church, I hope these hymns help. May Christ increase your understanding and shower you with Love.
[quote author=minagir link=topic=9972.msg121933#msg121933 date=1289362918]
well that's what i meant.
Meaning is not saying.
well that's why you are there :)
Like Pharaoh714 said, there are a lot of Coptic Hymns on Youtube. It takes some time to learn them, but for me it helped that I just put them on my Ipod and listen to them during travel etc. Good luck :-)
God bless you.
Hey everyone, thanks for the advice and the links! :) Something that is especially helpful for me is having the Coptic lyrics phonetically spelled out with English letters. That enables me to really follow what's being said. It's easier to learn a tune when you know the lyrics, like some of you guys said! Luckily, that is available on this site for Tai Shouri (the one I'm trying to learn right now), but it's not available for other hymns. Don't be surprised when I post, looking for you guys to give me some phonetic lyric transcriptions! :)
anytime.....
yeah, it's impossible to follow the hymns until you've worked out the special egyptian tunes!
you are reading the second verse, trying to work out what word they are on, and they are singing;
aa-aaa-aaa-aaa-aaa-aaaa-aaa-eee-eeee
which is the second syllable of the third word on the first line of the first verse!
then when u think u are getting better at it, u realise the 3rd and 4th verses are sang in a single breath, and you're behind again!
just as well our faith teaches us to persevere in faith and patience ;)
as a fairly new copt myself i know some songs but don't have any transliterations saved electronically. if u can think of 1 or 2 songs which u heard that u need the words, feel free to send me a p.m.
do u know doxa patri (glory to the Father)?
doxa patri ke eo ke agio pnevmati
ke a nin ke a ee ke es toas e onas toan e onon amin
glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit
now and forever and unto the age of all ages amen
the hymns take ages to learn, well done for doing this! :)