Search - Coptic Traditional :: Liturgy of the Coptic Orthodox Church: Holy Week

Awe-Inspiring

06/21/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Holy Week in the Coptic Church is by far the most important season in the liturgical calendar. Immediately after the mass on Palm Sunday, the church is clothed in black, images of Christ on the cross are brought at the front of the church with continually burning oil lamps infront of them, and the joyous tunes of Palm Sunday are immediately substituted for by the solemn, sad tunes of Holy Week. The "Thok Te Tigom" hymn, the sad recantation of the psalms on the tune of "Ke Iperto", the proclamation of "Khen Efran en Tietrias" all put the believer in the mood for the upcoming events of Holy Week, culminating in Good Friday. "O Monogenis" is probably one of the most majestic hymns in the Coptic church. It is sung in the sixth hour on Good Friday, with powerful words and a tune that reminds the believer of the bitter price that Christ had to pay for his/her sins: death like a criminal. What makes this CD more interesting is that a lot of the hymns of Holy Week in the Coptic church actually have their origin in burrial music of the ancient Egyptians, which gives them an extra dimension of beauty. Truly, this CD is masterfully crafted, and absolutely awe-inspiring."

Interesting, uncommon but ...

M. J. Smith | Seattle, WA USA | 08/11/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I found the liner notes for this cd very disappointing. They told me much about the history of the Copts and little about the music which apparently traces its roots back to the early Egyptian Christians and perhaps back to the time of the Pharoahs. Be that as it may, the music can be enjoyed without the notes regarding music I would have prefered. The hymns for Holy week appear to be plainsong (chant) that is unlike the better known chant forms of East or West - a sound further from the other middle eastern rites than I would have expected. The choice of Holy Week material is excellent as it is available in Maronite, Armenian, Melkite, Syrian and other less common liturgical music traditions. Consider this an excellent volume for a broadening of your liturgical music vocabulary."

The beauty of Holy Week Hymns in Coptic

M. J. Smith | 01/24/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This CD gives you a small flavor of the Coptic Orthodox Church through Holy Week. The beautiful repetition of "Thok Teti Gom", the Attribis introduction of the Gospel, the sacred song of Good Friday, "Omonogenis", and the ancient tune of the burial song which marks the end of Good Friday, "Golgotha" have unique tunes and melodies that go back to the pharaohs of Egypt. It is perfect for any Christian who loves hymns, especially ancient hymns. I highly recommend it to any Orthodox believer since Holy Week is the holiest time of the year."