Braille Byzantine Music Notation
Exercise Book
Braille Byzantine Music Notation
Exercise Book
Chapter 7
Accidentals (i.e., sharps and flats) change the pitch of a single note. In Byzantine music notation, sharps and flats affect only one note rather than all subsequent instances of that note, which is what sharps and flats do in Western music. To indicate all the different microtonal sharps and flats used in Byzantine music, there are several different kinds of sharps and flats. Since, however, the microtonal sharps and flats are rarely used, they will not be presented or encountered in this exercise book. For reference, though, we have listed them all in the "Accidentals" section of our Reference Manual. In Byzantine Music notation for the sighted, a sharp is written as a tiny circle with a small line pointing out of it up to the right, and it is usually placed beneath a note. In Braille Byzantine notation, a sharp written as dots 146: % which is the same symbol used for a sharp in braille staff notation. It is placed before the note it modifies. Exercise 103 places sharps on some of the Ga's in it, and exercise 104 places sharps on some of the Pa's in it. Exercise 103 _N4 [ : : : V %\ O _D8 ,: \ %\ : \ \ R _P5 : : V %\ ,: \ R _B6 @V %\ V ? ,] \ R _N4 click here for solfege recording Exercise 104 _N4 [ [ @V %\ : : O _D8 \ \ %\ : O6 R _B6 ] [ ^U \ \ R _D8 ,: \ \ \ %R O _B6 %*\> %*\> P _N4 O [ #:5' H 9 S / E5 \ S _N4 click here for solfege recording
In Byzantine Music notation for the sighted, a flat is written as a tiny circle with a small line pointing out of it down to the left, and it is usually placed above a note. In Braille Byzantine notation, a flat written with as dots 126: < which is the same symbol used for a flat in braille staff notation. It is placed before the note it modifies. Exercise 105 places sharps on some of the Zo's in it, and exercise 106 places sharps on some of the Ke's in it.
Exercise 105 _N4 [ ] : : : <,: \ R _D8 <,] \ \ \ ,: \ R _B6 [ : : [ : <> \ R _D8 @$ : [ $ :# P _N4 click here for solfege recording Exercise 106 _N4 W [ <V \ <V \ S _D8 \ \ \ \ :# P _N4 W [ <V \ ^U @P _D8 <: \ \ \ R R _N4 click here for solfege recording
Until this point, all exercises in this book have begun and ended on Nee. This corresponds to melodies in plagal fourth mode. Exercises 107 to 121 introduce you to the concept of beginning a melody on a note other than Nee. Doing so corresponds to melodies in other modes. Exercises 107 to 113 begin and end on Pa, which corresponds to first mode and plagal first mode. Exercise 107 _P5 S : : : : : : O "P5 S \ <\ \ \ \ \ R _P5 click here for solfege recording
In Byzantine Music notation for the sighted, the korona (which is pronounced "koh-ROH!-nah" and is written as a dot in the center of a semicircle which is above it) is equivalent to fermata in staff notation. In other words, it indicates that the note associated with it may be held for several beats--the precise duration is left up to the discretion of the chanter. In Braille Byzantine notation, the korona is written with the two braille characters: <L and they are placed immediately after the note that may be held for several beats. Exercise 108 _P5 R > S<L [ [ : : : : <,: \ \ \ V \ 8[ \ : # S _D8 V \ 8[ \ ,[ \ R _P5 ,@] \ \ # : # \ \ ,[ \ \ : V $ V $ O _P5 click here for solfege recording Exercise 109 _P5 [ [ ,] \ \ [ O : > \ O _D8 V \ : [ <,: \ R _D8 @$ [ ^V \ : # P \ : ,: \ \ \ : # P _P5 click here for solfege recording Exercise 110 _P5 S \ / : : ,@] \ R _P5 W $ : > \ R _G7 \ : ,: \ \ \ : > \ R _P5 click here for solfege recording Exercise 111 _P5 R > [ : U M [ ^V \ : : <*[> 9[ H S _K9 98\5' H : # $5' H O _G7 \5' H : # P M : Z 9' _P5 9 @] HC: > 9 $ H : *[> \ M E5 \ ! 9' _P5 click here for solfege recording Exercise 112 _P5 [ [ ,W \ \ \ \5' / : O _P5 [ [ U $ @] *[> \ M E5 \ S _P5 W : : : \ <\ \5' H [ H : Z _K9 9' <V \ H S *\> \ M : : : > \ *\> 9 R / E5 \ S _P5 click here for solfege recording Exercise 113 _P5 [ @] # [ [ ,] <\ \ \ 8[ \ : > \ Z _K9 [ <U \5' H <@V \ H S V \ H *[# *\> \ M E5 \ ! _P5 click here for solfege recording
Exercises 114 and 115 begin and end on Ke, which corresponds to heirmologic plagal first mode. Exercise 114 _K9 [ : : [ V $ O "N7 \ \ \ : :# R R _K9 ] [ \ \ V \ [ \ %\ : : # V \ H S _K9 click here for solfege recording Exercise 115 _K9 [ ,: \ R : : V $ [ # [ [ ,: \ R _K9 ] [ V $ : : ,: \ \ \ O "N7 \ \ \ @] [ $ : # P _K9 click here for solfege recording
Exercises 116 and 117 begin and end on Vou, which corresponds to "legetos" fourth mode. Exercise 116 _B6 [ [ ] [ \ : [ $ : > \ R _B6 [ : U \ \ R _P5 [ [ : : : : <,: \ R _D8 \ : ,: \ \ \ ,] \ R _B6 click here for solfege recording Exercise 117 _B6 S ,] \ R *[# \ %\ \ : O _B6 [ [ > ,: \ \ \ _V $ O _D8 [ [ ^U \ \ : # \ \ R _D8 : <> \ R \ : [ M : > \ R _B6 [ : : > \ \ \ R _P5 [ [ @] [ %\ : : > \ R _D8 \ : ,: \ \ \ ,] \ R _B6 click here for solfege recording
Exercises 118 to 121 begin and end on Ga, which corresponds to third and grave mode. Exercise 118 _G7 S : # \ \ \ : : # S _K9 S $ : [ [ \ \ R @Q $ : : : [ <: ,: <\ R _K9 \ : <,: \ \ \ : # P _G7 click here for solfege recording Exercise 119 _G7 [ : ,[ \ \ : : : [ \ : <: U <\ \ <V $ O _K9 ,] <\ R \ : <V \ [ M : [ ,: \ \ \ O _G7 click here for solfege recording Exercise 120 _G7 [ [ ,[ \ : # [ [ ,: \ \ \ ,: \ \ \ : > : S _G7 [ [ <^U \ \ [ : [ $ O _D8 \ [ : > \ \ : ,: \ [ / O _G7 click here for solfege recording Exercise 121 _G7 [ <^U \ <: U <\ M : [ R _D8 [ [ ,: \ \ \ U M [ V $ : > : S _G7 \ : : # \ [ ,: \ \ M : : O _D8 \ \ ,: \ \ \ : > : S _G7 click here for solfege recording
Congratulations! You have finished Part I and now know all the most important symbols of Braille Byzantine notation. There are only three kinds of symbols you haven't learned yet: 1) "Fthoras" (also called "modulants") which change the scale, 2) Tempo Symbols which indicate and change the tempo of a hymn, and 3) Initial Martyrias which are placed at the beginning of a hymn to specify the mode. Although this online book does not have specific exercises for those symbols, the most common fthoras and intial martyrias will be encountered and explained in chapter nine. The less common fthoras and initial martyrias may be learned from the Reference Manual. You are now ready to move on to Part II: Ecclesiastical Hymns, which most students find quite enjoyable. You will also feel a sense of satisfaction as you progress through them because you will be reaping the fruits of all your labors in Part I. |