Melodies for Kontakia
In the prostopinije tradition, certain feast day kontakion became so well know that their melodies were used for singing all kontakia in the corresponding tones:
| Start of the melody | Phrases | Feast-day kontakion | More examples, with recordings | |
| Tone 3 |  |
(A) A' | “Today the Virgin gives birth to the Transcendent One” (Nativity of the Lord / Christmas) |
examples |
| Tone 4 |  |
(A B) | “You have revealed yourself to the world today” (Theophany of the Lord) |
examples |
| Tone 6 |  |
(A) A' | “When you had fulfilled the plan of salvation for us” (Ascension of the Lord) |
examples |
| Tone 8 |  |
(A B) | “Although you descended into the grave, O Immortal One” |
examples |
In the other tones (1, 2, 5, and 7), the normal troparion melodies are used for singing both troparia and kontakia.
Music for "Glory... now and ever" in each of the eight tones, using the kontakion melodies, can be found in the Divine Liturgies book, in the Eight Tones section.
Recommended Reading
- Light
for Life: Part Two, The Mystery Celebrated.
(Pittsburgh: God With Us Publications, 1996).
An excellent introduction to Byzantine liturgy. This is the second volume of a widely-used Byzantine Catholic catechism.