List of Byzantine composers

John of Damascus (c. 675 – c. 749), who was a major proponent of 8th century kanōns and the supposed creator of the Octoechos

The Byzantine Empire lasted from AD 395 to 1453, during which various musical styles arose; even after the Fall of Constantinople in 1453 the Byzantine musical tradition continued in the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople through figures such as Panagiotes the New Chrysaphes, Petros Bereketis, Petros Peloponnesios, and Chrysanthos of Madytos^[1][2] as well as Serbians such as Kir Stefan, Isaiah, Nikola and Kir Joakim.^[3] Both sacred and secular music were commonplace, with sacred music frequently used in church services and secular in various events including, ceronmonies, dramas, ballets, banquets, festivals and sports games.^[1][2] However, despite its popularity, secular music was continuously criticized by Church Fathers, particularly Jerome.^{[2][n 1]}

Composers of sacred music, especially hymns and chants, are well documented throughout the history of Byzantine music. The first major form was Kontakion, of which Romanos the Melodist was the foremost composer. In the late 7th century the kanōn overtook the Kontakion in popularity; Andrew of Crete became its first significant composer. The Kañon reached its peak with the music of John of Damascus and Cosmas of Maiuma and later Theodore of Stoudios and Theophanes the Branded in the 8th and 9th centuries respectively.^[1] Throughout the 9th-century, Kassia was a prolific composer of sticheron hymns.^[4] John of Damascus may have also been responsible for the development of the Octoechos.^[5]

Composers of secular music are noticeably less documented. Not until late in the empire's history are composers known by name, with Joannes Koukouzeles, and as the leading figures.^[2]

Byzantine composers[]

Byzantine composers

Name	Lifetime	Birthplace	Works	Image	Ref(s)
Fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476
Romanos the Melodist	late 5th century – after 550	Jewish-Syrian-born Byzantine	Hymnographer		[6]
Kyriakos	6th century	?	Composer	–	[7]
Anastasius[n 2]	6th century	?	Composer and emperor	–	[7]
Andrew of Crete	c. 660 – c. 740	Syrian-Born	Hymnographer		[8]
John of Damascus	c. 675 – c. 749	Syrian-Born	Hymnographer Various Kanōns		[9]
Cosmas of Maiuma	fl. early 8th century	Syrian	Hymnographer Various Stichēra idiomelas, triōdias and kanōns		[10]
Stephen the Sabaite	c. 725 – 796/807	Julis, nephew of St. John of Damascus	Hymnographer Idiomelas in the Triodion, Kanōns		[11]
Theodore the Studite	759 – 826	Constantinople	Hymnographer various hymns		[12]
Theophanes the Branded	775 – 845	Jund Filastin	Hymnographer Contributions in the Parakletike Kanōns for saints and his brother, Theodorus		[13]
Kassia	805/810 – 865/867	Constantinople	Hymnographer and composer More than 50 liturgical works; 26 have disputed authenticity		[14]
Joseph the Hymnographer	c. 816 – 886	Sicilian-Greek	Contributions to the Parakletike,[15] various Kanōns of which 525 survive.		[16]
Joseph the Confessor	fl. 9th century	?	Hymnographer Triodia, stikhera and kanōns	–	[17]
Leo VI the Wise	866 – 912	Constantinople	Hymnographer Hymns for the Great Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross		[18]
Constantine VII	905 – 959	Constantinople	Emperor and Poet-composer		[19]
	fl. c. 1300	?	Composer of liturgical chant	–	[20]
	fl. c. 1300	?	Composer of Byzantine chant stichēron	–	[21]
John Koukouzelis	fl. 1300–50	Durrës	Composer and singer		[22]
	fl. 1325–50	?	Monk and composer of liturgical chant	–	[23]
	fl. Late 13th century	?	Composer of Byzantine chant	–	[24]
John Kladas	fl. 1400	?	Hymnographer	–	[25]
[de]	fl. first half of the 15 century	?	Composer May be author of a Discourse on the Signs of Chant	–	[26]
Manuel Chrysaphes	fl. 1440–1463	?	Composer and theorist Hymns and chants	–	[27]
Janus Plousiadenos	c. 1429–1500	Crete			–
Fall of Constantinople results in the conquest of the Byzantine Empire by the Ottoman Empire in 1453

Notes[]

References[]

Notes[]

Sources[]

• Levy, Kenneth (2001). "Byzantine Chant". Grove Music Online. Revised by=Christian Troelsgård. Oxford: Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.04494.
• Mellas, Andrew (2020). Liturgy and the Emotions in Byzantium: Compunction and Hymnody. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. doi:10.1017/9781108767361. ISBN 978-1-108-76736-1.
• Patrich, Joseph, ed. (2001). The Sabaite Heritage in the Orthodox Church from the Fifth Century to the Present. Leuven: Peeters. ISBN 978-90-429-0976-2.
• Touliatos-Banker, Diane (Spring 1984). "Women Composers of Medieval Byzantine Chant". College Music Symposium. 24 (1): 62–80. JSTOR 40374217.
• Touliatos, Diane (2001a). "Byzantine secular music". Grove Music Online. Oxford: Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.48192. (subscription or UK public library membership required)

External links[]

• Digitalized Byzantine Manuscripts at the Princeton Music Library: Literagy
• Digitalized Byzantine Manuscripts at the Princeton Music Library: Hymns