A Beautiful Tradition: The Te Ri Rem

[Kollyvas]

http://www.uni-heidelberg.de/subject/hd ... /0105.html

Te-ri-rem; Byzantine Kalanda (Christmas Carols)
Minos Orphanides (minos@LOGOS.CY.NET)
Sat, 11 Jan 1997 12:26:14 +0200

Someone asked on Te-ri-rem, a Byzantine repetitive theme in chanting. I
have heard both sides of the story, one stating it is the sound of angels
praising the Lord (where words stop being able to describe His
magnificence), the other stating it was just what the byzantine psalters
would chant until the Emperor would come to church (I presume "Kyrie
Eleison" might not be very applicable if the liturgy had not yet started).
In any case, I have heard numerous Te-ri-rems from various sources, and they
are a very pleasant sound to hear. One of its uses that I came accross
though, is in the Byzantine Kalanda, the Christmas carols sung by children
around the neighborhoods. Nowadays in the Greek areas we have the "Kalin
Esperan Archontes", which one might sometimes hear with the Cypriot melody,
but less is known about the Byzantine originals. If anyone couold provide
me some sources I would be very grateful. Meanwhile, those intrested might
browse the short version of the Byzantine Kalanda below, which I got from a
recording with a mellow psalter and a children's choir (letter w=omega; the
complete version runs about 12 minutes):

Anarchos Theos kataveviken, kai en ti Parthenw katwkisen
te-rou-rem, te-rou-rem, erou erou erou, chaire Despoina

Vasilefs yparchon tis ktisews, irthes ina swsis ton anthropon
te-rou-rem, te-rou-rem, erou erou erou, chaire Despoina

Gigeneis skirtate kai chairete, o Christos gennatai en Vithleem
Cheroubim, Cheroubim, chaire chaire Panagia Despoina

In Christ,

Minos Orphanides
Nicosia, CYprus

minos@logos.cy.net

Code: Select all

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                    / I\
                   /  I \
                  I    I   I                        Thymiatiri
                 /    I   \
                I      I     I
                I      I     I
              oIo    I  oIo
               o    oIo  Io
                I    oI     I                        `    `    `
                I        I    I              ``  ~   `  ~
                I       /\   I          ~~~ `  `  `
                I    _/+\_I       ~` ~ `
                 \/______\   ~~  `
                      I------I  ~  `
                     \____/
                          +

====================================================
You may find Byzantine hymns at the Church of Cyprus homepage,
http://www.logos.cy.net/cyprus/chmain.html , Slavonic at
http://www.comet.net/seraphim/music.htm and news of Greece and the
Ecumenical Patriarchate at http://www.yale.edu/eox/Diaspora and

http://www.goarch.org/patriarchate

[Kollyvas]

According to Athonite monks, I have been told that the Te Ri Rem is chanted as the chandelier is swinging during the Polyeleos during Matins to signify our unity with the Church Triumphant where we too sing melodious praise of God the Holy Trinity in angelic speech. According to Tradition these were the words the Panaghia Theotokos and the Holy Angels sang to the Holy Infant in the manger; hence, the connection with Christmas. It is a magnificent and beautiful thing to experince...
r

[Kollyvas]

This does not do it justice and it is unlike the Athonite version, but it is reverent:

http://www.folkways.si.edu/search/MP3Pl ... TAID=36959

r