Manuel Doukas Chrysaphes ( el, , ) was the most prominent
Byzantine
The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...
musician of the 15th century.
Life and works
A singer, composer, and musical theoretician, Manuel Chrysaphes was called "the New
Koukouzeles" by his admirer, the Cretan composer John Plousiadinos. He is the author of at least 300 compositions, including nearly full modal cycles of liturgical ordinaries (alleluiaria, cheroubika, and koinonika), kalophonic stichera for various movable and fixed feasts throughout the year, kratemata (wordless compositions), and both simple and kalophonic psalmody for Vespers and Matins.
Little is known of his life, except that he held the office of ''
lampadarios
A lampadarius, plural ''Lampadarii'', from the Latin ''lampada'', from Ancient Greek "lampas" λαμπάς (candle), was a slave who carried torches before consuls, emperors and other officials of high dignity both during the later Roman Republic ...
'' at the Constantinopolitan Court,
[Not at the Hagia Sophia cathedral, as ]Chrysanthos of Madytos Chrysanthos of Madytos ( el, Χρύσανθος ὁ ἐκ Μαδύτων; c. 1770 – 1846) was a Greek poet, chanter, Archimandrite, and Archbishop, born in Madytos. In preparation of the first printed books of Orthodox chant, he was responsible fo ...
and others who quoted him, wrote. The "Lampadarios" was a prestigious office of a soloist who replaced or directed the left choir. and received commissions from the last two
Byzantine emperor
This is a list of the Byzantine emperors from the foundation of Constantinople in 330 AD, which marks the conventional start of the Eastern Roman Empire, to its fall to the Ottoman Empire in 1453 AD. Only the emperors who were recognized as le ...
s,
John VIII Palaiologos
John VIII Palaiologos or Palaeologus ( gr, Ἰωάννης Παλαιολόγος, Iōánnēs Palaiológos; 18 December 1392 – 31 October 1448) was the penultimate Byzantine emperor, ruling from 1425 to 1448.
Biography
John VIII was ...
and
Constantine XI Palaiologos
Constantine XI Dragases Palaiologos or Dragaš Palaeologus ( el, Κωνσταντῖνος Δραγάσης Παλαιολόγος, ''Kōnstantînos Dragásēs Palaiológos''; 8 February 1405 – 29 May 1453) was the last List of Byzantine em ...
. Two of his own autographs survive, one from July 1458 in the
Iviron Monastery
The Monastery of Iviron ( ka, ქართველთა მონასტერი, tr; el, Μονή Ιβήρων, Monḗ Ivirōn) is an Eastern Orthodox monastery in the monastic community of Mount Athos in northern Greece.
History
The monas ...
in
Mount Athos
Mount Athos (; el, Ἄθως, ) is a mountain in the distal part of the eponymous Athos peninsula and site of an important centre of Eastern Orthodox monasticism in northeastern Greece. The mountain along with the respective part of the penins ...
, and one from July 1463 in the
Topkapi Palace collection. He is also one of the few Byzantine musicians to write on theoretical issues. His surviving treatise, ''On the Theory of the Art of Chanting and On Certain Erroneous Views That Some Hold about It'', is an invaluable guide to
Byzantine music
Byzantine music (Greek: Βυζαντινή μουσική) is the music of the Byzantine Empire. Originally it consisted of songs and hymns composed to Greek texts used for courtly ceremonials, during festivals, or as paraliturgical and liturgical ...
and the evolution of Byzantine singing in the late
Palaiologan period
The Byzantine Empire was ruled by the Palaiologos dynasty in the period between 1261 and 1453, from the restoration of Byzantine rule to Constantinople by the usurper Michael VIII Palaiologos following its recapture from the Latin Empire, founded ...
.
Notes
References
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See also
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Chrysaphes the Younger Panagiotes the Protopsaltes or Panagiotes the New Chrysaphes ( el, Παναγιώτης Χρυσάφης ὁ Νέος; c. 1622 – 1682) was a Greek composer, ''protopsaltes'' (first cantor) and poet in Constantinople, the capital of the Ottoman Emp ...
*
John Kukuzelis
John Koukouzelis ( gr, Ιωάννης Κουκουζέλης, ''Ioannis Koukouzelis''; ) was a Byzantine composer, singer and reformer of Byzantine chant. He was recognized as a saint by the Eastern Orthodox Church after his death. Among the mo ...
15th-century Byzantine people
15th-century Greek people
15th-century composers
Byzantine composers
Male classical composers
Music theorists
15th-century Greek musicians
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