V. Demina

The tradition of singing at the feasts in Ust-Medveditsk convent of Transfiguration on the data of contemporary field studies

The article summarizes the results of the expedition of the Folk Music Lab (Rostov State S. Rachmaninov Conservatoire) to one of the oldest monasteries in the Don Region – Ust-Medveditsk Convent of Transfiguration. The expedition organized in 2014 was a part of the research project connected with the monasteries of the Don Cossack Forces. One of the research purposes was to study the song culture of the feasts. The purpose and objectives of the article are to comparative historical description of the materials gathered by the similar expeditions on the named theme at the beginnings of the XXth and XXIth centuries. During the expedition the samples of liturgical and non-liturgical chants were recorded. The deciphering and analysis of the fixed chants show that the repertoire of liturgical singing is based on hymns of the book «Common Chants» in the editions of the late XIXth – early XXth centuries. The samples of out liturgical singing are taken from the contemporary editions of the Chant Books. Comparative analysis as applied to the results of the early XXth century expeditions and the same expeditions at the beginning of the XXIth century furthers the exposure of similarities to a certain part of the performing repertoire of chants, singing style and manner, caused by the intention to the prototype – angelic singing. The traditional forms of church and out church singing are conducted by the regent of a choir at the turn of the XIX–XXth centuries and in the XXIth century as well.

Key words

Ust-Medveditsk convent, feasts, song culture of the feasts, monastic singing, liturgical and non-liturgical song traditions.

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