{"id":1662,"date":"2026-07-02T21:19:18","date_gmt":"2026-07-03T01:19:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mci.archpitt.org\/blog\/?p=1662"},"modified":"2026-07-02T21:24:25","modified_gmt":"2026-07-03T01:24:25","slug":"chant-works-tone-4-kontakion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mci.archpitt.org\/blog\/chant-works-tone-4-kontakion\/","title":{"rendered":"Chant Works: Tone 4 Kontakion"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In the prostopinije tradition, just as Tone 3 has its own kontakion melody (based on the melody of the Christmas kontakion), Tone 4 has one based on the kontakion of Theophany.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Our study here will be based on the concepts and terminology developed in the article on the Tone 4 troparion<\/a> melody. Please read that article first if you haven’t already!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

The Tone 4 kontakion melody in the 1906 Prostopinije<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Last week<\/a> I explained how the hymns at Matins and the Divine Liturgy called kontakion <\/em>(and which are just remnants of the older liturgical poem also called kontakion) are usually sung, at least in the Carpathian chant or prostopinije <\/em>tradition, to troparion melodies \u2013 escept <\/em>in four of the eight tones. In those four cases (Tones 3, 4, 6, and 8) they use troparion-like melodies which were probably based on special melodies for feast-day kontakia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first sectom of the Tserkovnoje Prostopinije <\/em><\/a> of Bok\u0161ai and Malini\u010d provides basic examples for all our eight-tones melodies, including the troparion and kontakion of the Resurrection, used on Sundays and in the Paschal season. Here is the kontakion of the Resurrection in Tone 4:<\/p>\n\n\n

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Like the Tone 4 troparion melody, we have two repeating phrases, which we will call A and B. But unlike <\/em>the Tone 4 troparion melody, here there is no separate melody for the last phrase; instead, we have the A and B phrases sort of welded together, as there is not enough text to make them complete.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, tt’s also worth pointing out that a few of the ornamental notes are not usually used when singing Tone 4 kontakia, and tend to drop out unless they are needed due to special circumstances. I’ve marked them here, in orange.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Second, there are three notes in the B phrase that always seem to go together. This means they will tend to form a group, with an accent at the beginning:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Understanding the Tone 4 kontakion melody<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Here is the first repeating phrase, or A phrase:<\/p>\n\n\n

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Where the Tone 4 troparion melody ascended to the reciting tone, this one descends, with an accent on the start of the reciting tone in almost every circumstance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A higher note signals the transition from the reciting tone to the cadence, which just as in the troparion melody consists of three half notes; the last internal accent in the phrase text (the lia<\/em>) goes on the first half note, and the second half note may be split into two quarter notes if necessary. Easy!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here is the B phrase:<\/p>\n\n\n

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There is no intontation, and the single preparatory note leads into a cadence with two accents. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And that’s it! We repeat the A and B phrases, back and forth, ending with the B phrase, and holding the very last note a little longer to signal the end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Tone 4 kontakion melody in English<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Here is the melody as it appeared in the first official English setting of the eight tones, in the 1970 collection, Byzantine Liturgical Chant<\/em>. It is preceded by the Glory\u2026 now and ever, which as we mentioned earlier is sung before the kontakion at the Divine Liturgy, using a short form of the same melody.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The A phrase is fairly <\/em>close (although the rhythm in the Glory… is rather jerky), but the B phrase is significantly simplified, with the distinctive three-note pattern at the start of the cadence completely missing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, here is the Sunday kontakion in the 2006 Divine Liturgies book. This is a good example of how the form of the older Slavonic melody was restored in a way that stays singable, and can be learned and internalized.<\/p>\n\n\n

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