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A passionate plea to preserve a melody.

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AP 167 - A passionate plea to preserve a melody.
Call Number

AP 167

Part Number Part I - Syro Malabar Church
Title A passionate plea to preserve a melody.
Duration 4:03
Place of Recording Dharmaram Vidya Kshetram, Bangalore
Date of Recording 19 July, 2014
Youtube URL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OM2XfNF3wOA
Video Segment (s)

 

Notes

A passionate plea to preserve a melody

The melody of the Syriac chant, "Qambel Maran" from the Office for the Dead is unique in many respects. The Syllabic setting of the text with melismatic endings on the ultimate or penultimate vowel brings out the emotive effect of the chant. Here the music takes over the text that is not usual in the performance of other chants in the category of didactic songs (Madrasa), or other chants in the liturgy of the Hours. We do not know who composed this melody or when and where it was composed. It is possible that the melody originated among the Syriac Christians in Kerala. Let us hope the Syro Malabar clergy in Kerala will strive to preserve this melody. Several audio recordings of this melody are available on our channel. The most important among them is a rendering by Fr. Abel Periyappuram, CMI. See Aramaic Project-4M


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