Rashkovich Anna

Theta-formulae in two serbian menaions of the 14th century and their relation to russian sticherarions of the 16th — 19th centuries

Abstract

Theta-formulae in Serbian menaions of the early Jerusalem tradition have never been studied so far. This article examines three text fragments from three stichera provided with theta-complexes, which I discovered in two Serbian menaions of the 14th century in services to St. Savva and St. Arseniy of Serbia. These fragments were at first included in the context of other South Slavonic manuscripts with similar or identical theta-complexes. They are analysed in diachronic and comparative perspectives using two Serbian menaions of the 14th century, seven Serbian-Greek sticherarions from Athos of the 14th, 18th, and 19th centuries, and 24 Russian sticherarions of the 16th — 19th centuries. Results of the analysis demonstrate musical affi nity of the Serbian menaions and Russian sticherarions on the level of the presence of theta in identical text fragments. In Serbian-Greek sticherarions, this affi nity is absent in these fragments. Analogies between Serbian menaions and Russian sticherarions may point to transmitting not only Serbian hymnographic texts to Rus’ during the prolonged process of adopting the Jerusalem Statute and the accompanying liturgical reform in the Russian Orthodox Church, but also to archaic versions of their chant, which received further development in Old Russian art of church singing, having become part of Russian musical tradition.

Keywords

theta, theta-complex, theta-formula, Znamenny Chant, menaion, sticherarion, stichera

References

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Information about the author

Rashkovich Anna

Academic Degree: Candidate of Sciences* in Art Criticism;
Student status: Graduate student;
Place of study: University of Belgrade; 11B Mije Kovacevica Str., Belgrade, 11000, Serbia;
Post: Doctoral Student, Faculty of Orthodox Theology;
Email: a.rashkovich@gmail.com.

*According to the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) 2011, the degree of Candidate of Sciences (Cand.Sc.) belongs to ISCED level 8 — "doctoral or equivalent", together with PhD, DPhil, D.Lit, D.Sc, LL.D, Doctorate or similar.