The following is a lesson and demonstration of the ekphonic style of reading -this is primarily used for Epistle and Gospel, but is also used by the priest when chanting the Χαριτισμοι during the five Fridays of Great Lent, as well as by the psaltis during Great and Small Compline during the Weekdays of Lent for the 5 so-called "Ασπιλε" prayers before the ending of Compline.

Ekphonic reading is traditionally done in the chromatic χροα called "Kliton", the main characteristic of this tuning is the dramatically sharped Γα and Βου from its base of Δι.  I used the  theme from the 60's Batman show as a lead in because the 3 note guitar riff follows closely this tuning formula.

Ekphonic Reading In Chroa Kliton (Reader's Mode for Epistles/Gospels/priest's ekphones)

A brief track illustrating the plain chanted Kliton anaphora responses that were sine qua non of the Patriarchal chanting tradition.  We have chanted them for a number of years here at the Portland Cathedral.  They are simple, elegant responses to the Eucharistic dialogue, similar in concept to the "Dominus vobiscum" dialogue of the pre-Vatican II high mass ritual, in contrast to the more contemporary practice of using the responses as "musical wallpaper" for the priest's eucharistic prayers.

It is interesting to note that this WAS the standard of the Patriarchal chapel for many centuries, and the practice of using more extended was imported into the Patriarchate after attempts, particularly by Athenagoras 2 to replace the chant tradition with more contemporary Sakalleridis melodies and westernized compositions into the Patriarchal Church.

Aficianados of the Greek Byzantine Choir of the late Archon Protopsaltis Lycourgos Angelopoulos will recognize these responses from their Divine Liturgy CD, now out of print.

Leitoyrgika - Kliton - BZacharis

Prosomia and Glory for Feast of St John Chrysostom.  The extended melody for the Prosomia "As valiant among the martyrs" for 4th Mode.

John P. Presson's Album

StJohnChrysProsomia

Divine Liturgy for the Feast of Palm Sunday as chanted by the Cathedral Schola Cantorum of Holy Nativity of the Theotokos.  There is a rubrical mistake, in that we chanted "O Ye that in Christ have been baptized" -operating from an old set of instructions which had the mistake.

The Great Doxology is that of Simon Karas in Mode One.  The Dynamis is that of the blind monk Fr. Dositheos Katounakis.  The Prokeimenon is my own Agia 4th Mode melody and the Alleluiarion is that of Dr. Gregory Stathis.

Palm Sunday Liturgy 2018 Pt 1

This lovely little Kratima in the First Mode was discovered through the chanting of Choir Byzantion.  It is composed by Anton Pann, Ottoman-born  Wallachian composer, musicologist, and Romanian-language poet, also noted for his activities as a printer, translator, and schoolteacher. Pann was an influential folklorist and collector of proverbs, as well as a lexicographer and textbook author.  Pann is especially loved in Romanian Byzantine chant circles.

Anton Pann Mode 1 Kratima (Romanian)

This, rough in spots as it is, was one of the highlights of my work with the Schola Cantorum at His Grace Sergios' Installation as Bishop (now emeritus)of Portland. The communion hymn is the Sunday Plagal 1 Communion Verse from an arrangement in English I did to the original of the "Byzantine Bach", St. John Koukouzelis --considered by many of us in the Psaltic rank to be our patron.  A paean to happier days.

Venerable Father John, intercede in our behalf.

Koukouzelis Sunday Communion Hymn (English)

Mode 4 of the Orthros series.  This is one my favourite modes to chant.

"You, the festive, the dance, oh Fourth,
You, the pride of musical criticism,
You mould the dancers skillfully 
And reward the voices and beating on the cymbals,
The crowds of dancers praise, oh Fourth,
Because you are fully musical" 
--Chrysanthos of Madytos -The Great Theory of Music

4. Sunday Matins Mode 4

Mode 1 Plagal from my Sunday Matins series.

"You are mournful and ver compassionate,
But often you dance in good rhythm,
Oh you, the musical that art has known.
Which is the deviating inclination of the plagal?
You are fifth in order, but first in your kind,
Because you are and, hence you are called
The first of the plagals,"
The Great Theory of Music -Chrysanthos of Madytos

5. Sunday Matins Mode 1 Plagal

Sunday Orthros propers in the 2nd Plagal Mode

Of the Second Plagal: 

Though you are the sixth chanter,
First of all you advance.
In double composition you bring all the pleasures
And your being second secondary comes.
You, the honey-flavoured, the sweet, the cicada,
Who loves you not, oh second of the plagals?

--Chrysanthos of Madytos -The Great Theory of Music

6. Sunday Matins Mode Two Plagal

Mode Grave for Sunday Orthros.

Of the Grave:

"Oh chant familiar to the low-rank soldiers
You bend under your weight,
Simple echos, your surname to the barys,
You are the chant of men, oh secondary third,
And your variety by all simple people is loved."
 --Chrysanthos of Madytos -The Great Theory of Music

7. Sunday Matins Mode Grave

Sunday Orthros propers for Mode 4 Plagal

Of the Fourth Plagal:

"You, fourth among the plagals and their seal,
You bring within you every beautiful chant
And broaden the sounds of singing.
The crown of the echoi you are,
Being both their command and end.
Because you are the extreme of the notes
And their end.
I call you twice the end of notes, and the end."
Chysanthos of Madytos --The Great Theory of Music

8 Sunday Matins Mode Four Plagal

The Xairitismoi from the Salutations service on the Fridays of Lent.  This is a compilation of the Petros, along with some recent variations composed by Dr. Ioannis Arvanitis.

Xairitismoi Petros/Arvanitis

Slow and quick Dismissal hymns for Lazarus Saturday and Palm Sunday

Dismissal Hymn for Lazarus Saturday and Palm Sunday

It is the Day of Resurrection

Plagal 1 Paschal Verses

Dormition Lord I have cried and Doxasticon

This rendition of Daniel Protopsaltis' (I think) Communion Verse for Pentecost was chanted by the Schola Cantorum while it was in existence under my direction in 2016.  I think we did this very much on first or 2nd read (it probably shows.

Pentecost Communion Verse Του Πνέυμα

Mode 1 Sunday of St Mary

I am Protopsaltis (First Cantor) of the Diocese of Portland and Etna, and director of the Schola Cantorum of Holy Nativity of the Theotokos Cathedral Parish in Portland, OR.  Be sure to "like" and "follow" the Schola Cantorum on Facebook, and if you are an Orthodox Christian interested in singing with a developing Byzantine choir or learning to chant, come join us at the Portland Cathedral

Most of the recordings posted on the site are either from my studio, or of the Schola chanting live in Church services.

May we who chant in Church always remembre the words of the Envoys of St. Vladimir when the arrived at Agia Sophia: “We knew not whether we were in heaven or on earth, for surely there is no such splendor or beauty anywhere on earth."

I truly believe that the calling of the Psalti, to chant the Lord's praises in the liturgy of the Church is the highest calling a man can answer.  As much varied music as I have performed in my life, Byzantine chant is probably one of the most  important things in my life.  I have been studying traditional Byzantine liturgical chant for the last 20 years.  In 1995 I assumed the role of senior chanter/Protopsaltis of Holy Nativity of the Theotokos  Parish -now Cathedral in Portland oR, and was recently appointed by our hierarch as the Protopsaltis of the Metropolis of Portland and the West, a province of the American Eparchy of the Genuine Orthodox Christians of Greece.  I am zealously interested in the teaching, dissemination and performance of traditional Byzantine chant, particularly in its liturgical context in the English language.   I am active in transcribing and adapting many of the classical Byzantine melodies into the English Language.  To practice Traditional Byzantine Chant, one must thoroughly understand it, and to understand it, one must have an vital encounter with the fullness of the tradition.  That is what I am alll about.

Currently I reside in the Portland, OR area and have a small smattering of students from Portland to Northern California to Concord, NH.

If I were to adopt a mission statement, perhaps it would be "to promote excellence in Byzantine liturgical music to the best of our abilities through liturgical performance, composition and teaching and to increase the love of the beauty of God's House through music."

Other than that, working my"day gig" of nearly 2 decades for  Portland's major health care networks, and spending time with my wife and two cats.   Not much to my life.

John P. Presson

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