Byzantine music is taught at music conservatories and universities in Greece. The interviewee teaches Byzantine music at a middle school in Viotia, Greece, which aims to teach students about their cultural heritage. Students initially find Byzantine music difficult because it uses different notes than Western music. Byzantine music is based on the eight modes or "oktoehos" and has manuscripts dating back to the 10th century. The interviewee believes knowing Byzantine music helps contemporary musicians better interpret folk and religious songs because it teaches them about vocal techniques without instruments. Many famous Greek composers were influenced by Byzantine music, incorporating church hymns and folk elements. While not widely popular, Byzantine music is taught and appreciated in

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2nd
Interview
“Byzantine Music”
-Where do we teach Byzantine Music in our country (Greece)? How the students
understand this kind of music?
-Thank you very much for the invitation concerning an interview in your program.
First of all, there are faculties at each Cathedral, the conservatories. From the
conservatories, you could obtain a first degree which helps you to go to University. In
the Universities in Greece, there are departments in which they teach Byzantine Music.
At the prefecture of Viotia, Greece, I teach at the Music Middle School (Gymnasio),
which is situated in Agios Georgios (village of Viotia). It is the only school in Viotia. In
general, there are a few teachers who are teaching this kind of music.
As far as the question how the students understand Byzantine Music is concerned now.
In the beginning, students find it hard to learn it, because they are familiar with the
notes of the pentagram since our education has European orientation. Therefore, the
notes of Byzantine music are difficult and strange for them. The goal for the education
of Byzantine Music in Music Middle Schools is to make the students understand that it
consists a part of our cultural heritage. Byzantine Music has written manuscripts from
the 10th
century. Important Greek people know about Byzantine Music are Theofanis
Karikis, Ioannis Koukouzelis ,Piter Peloponisios etc. Byzantine Music has special
manner of spelling and reading. These are the basic elements of B.M. that we try to
teach the students of Music Middle School. Except from the Byzantine Music we teach
greek traditional songs at Music Middle Schools. But of course we have many
difficulties. Also , I have to mentionthatByzantine Musichas the rhymeof “octoethos”
(in Greek: οκτώηχος).
I would also say some more things about the Music Middle School of the prefecture of
Viotia. We explain students all things mentioned before, so they realize they consist a
part of a perfect system of the Music Middle School, which means they know there is a

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theoretical and practical part of the music. Besides the fact the Music Middle School
has started two months ago, students can already read notes of Byzantine Music. We
can certify this, because of five events that have been taken place in our school.
-Do youconsider it a privilege for a contemporaryartist to know the Byzantine Music?
“How does it help him?
-It helps him, because it makes him complete. When someone knows many kinds of
music, he can interpret better. As for the Folk Song, in Greece. This kind of song has
“roads” (in greek: dromous) and “makamia” (in greek). In B.M. all the turnings of the
voice are realized “acapella”, that means, without the accompaniment of a musical
instrument. That’s the issue. In that way, you learn better. When you attend a course
with a musical instrument, for example with the piano, the voice is confused with the
sound of the piano. So, the interpreters, who are interested in B.M. and the Folk Song,
understand better the musical streets, so there is a better audio result in their
attribution.
-In which kinds of contemporary music, canwe understand the impact of B.M.? In your
opinion, who contemporary composers are influenced by B.M.?
-To answer in your question, we’ll make a journey, one century ago. We will start in
1920 with composers of the National School. The National School was an attempt of
Greek Composers to be inspired by the traditional music and the church hymns
(orthodox byzantine songs) and to compose a new music. Church songs (hymns) and
Folk Songs(traditional greek songs) and European Music constitute our base. The most
important creations of Greek composer the last 50 years mention the B.M. and the Folk
Songs and are based on the rhythm of “8sounds” (in greek: oktoehos). This is what
Manos Hatzidakis, who is the founder of the new song in Greece, which is called art
song, says. Before this, Markos Vamvakaris, who was the basic representative of
rebetiko song in Greece, had mentioned the same thing. He said that all of his songs
were byzantine. Vasilis Tsitsanis, the great artist of Greek songs, was a cantor and he
started his career in Folk Songs. The songs he composed were inspired by B.M. The
most popular of his songs “SynnefiasmeniKyriaki” is inspired by the church orthodox
song (hymn)“Τη Υπερμάχω”(hymn whichrefersto ourHoly Mother).Otherartists, like
Mikis Theodorakis, whostudied in European MusicSchools,had mentionedthat, at the
beginning, because he wasn’t aware of, he didn’t appreciate B.M. When he studied it, he
managed to transform many church melodies into European music. Other artist, are
IoannisMarkopoulos,StavrosXarhakos.Wecansay that allof the songsofGreece were
based on the strict church orthodox songs (hymns). From the contemporary artists,
Ioannis Xenakis (artist with career in France), Theodore Antoniou (artist with career at
the University of Boston) mention that Byzantine melodies and music helped Greek
music to flourish.
-Do you believe that the B.M. appeals to other countries, outside of the borders of
Greece? Do you know if the Byzantine music is taught abroad?

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-When people become aware of B.M. they adore it. Unfortunately, it is not a popular
kind of music.For example, in the Festival of ChurchMusic in Ravena of Italy,in 1995,
the musician Erkato Mouti, said that it was his first time, he was in touch with B.M. In
Slavic Countries (Romania, Serbia, Bulgaria) and also in Albania, Syria, Ukraine and
Russia they try to teach B.M. music to people. We can say that Romania, with the
research it realizes in B.M. , can exceed even our country (Greece). In our country,
unfortunately, we forget B.M., but we must work more because we receive invitations
from other countries toteach B.M.and collaborate.Wehave toclarify thatfor a number
of people B.M. means church music, they think about the cantors. There is also cosmic
B.M. This kind of music is related to the one we play and hear outside of church. The
last years, in Greece we have groups of graduates of Universities with excellent
knowledge in B.M. who also play musical instruments, travel abroad, mainly in France,
and play thec music which existed in Byzantium. One of these groups “ En hordes”
organizes concertsand publishesdisks. Inthis way, people can becomeacquainted with
the B.M.
-In which ways, do you think that we can export B.M.?
-By teaching it. Just how it happens in Music Middle School I mentioned before.
However, I suggest, that this teaching must start from Primary Schools. We have to
relized that B.M. constitutes a part of our tradition and with this we can move forward.
Moreover, in our Universities, we have researchers and doctors who can help. We have
approximately 7000 codes which have not been rewritten properly and have not been
published. If we use these, we’ll see a new kind of music in Greece. Media should spend
time for the appropriate presentationof B.M. After that, it is possible that weappreciate
B.M. even more in our country, Greece.
- Another question is: “Can you compare B.M. with other types of music?”
- We can make a comparison between B.M. and the Folk Song (traditional music of
Greece) and between B.M.and Europeanmusic.As far as their similarities is concerned,
they have a common origin. This is the Ancient Greek music, this is our origin. B.M. is
based on the rhythm of “eight sounds: (in gree: “oktoehos”) just like the eight sounds
of the ancient Greek songs. B.M. also has three generations as the three generations of
ancient Greek music. Of course they have different systems they work. The system of
B.M.is better.Their similarities are that they are monophonic(weallsing in one voice).
The differences are the way of interpretation and their purpose. B.M. refers to God, that
is, it has a devotional purpose while the traditional one has a temporal character,
referring to the real world. In B.M. we not allow the use of musical instruments while
in the Folk Songs it is allowed. B.M. is established in the 10th century (we know people
who have written texts (manuscripts) while in Folk Songs write documents are
considered to own to the people of the country. As far as the differences with European
Music is concerned: in B.M. the words of the songs submits music, which belongs to
ancient Greek concept. In the Western European music dominates. There is an
instrument of church found in the Western churches used in the B.M. too, which we
can also find in Ancient Greece and it is called "hydraylis" (in greek: ύδραυλις). Later

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on via Byzantium, the use of this instrument turned to the Church of Rome. Another
difference is that B.M. is monophonic in contrast to European Music that is polyphonic.
The only thing we use in B.M. is the so-called "echo" (in greek: ισοκράτημα), which
means equal tones, a sound of voice that moves according to the melody without
altering the monophonic character of the music. Finally, B.M. is tropical, unlike the
European that is tonal. This means that B.M. is based on eight sounds (that we
mentioned before as oktoehos), while the European has two ways, the major and the
minor.
- Do you think that B.M. remains a thriving part of the culture of Greece?
- Β.Μ. has an even and unbreakable history just like the history of Greek language. It
will never remain static (which means with no changes), it evolves through research
and teaching. As long as there is the Orthodox Church, there will be also the B.M. This
music Alexandros Papadiamantis called "The Music of the Angels".
- Mr Fressas, we would like to thank you for your interview .
- Thank you too, and wish you all the best for your program.
Interviewee:Mr.Fressas