Interviews and Performances - Video List
AP 240 to 231

Ak etra d′basme | അക് എത്രാ ദ് ബെസ്മെ
Chant for Incensing in Syriac | ധൂപാർപ്പണ ഗീതം
Sung by Fr. Emmanuel Thelly, CMI.

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AP 237 - Chant for Incensing in Syriac by Fr. Emmanuel Thelly, CMI. ധൂപാർപ്പണ ഗീതം
Call Number

AP 237

Part Number Part I - Syro Malabar Church
Title Ak etra d′basme | അക് എത്രാ ദ് ബെസ്മെ Chant for Incensing in Syriac | ധൂപാർപ്പണ ഗീതം Sung by Fr. Emmanuel Thelly, CMI.
Duration 4:38
Place of Recording Little Flower Monastery, Poonjar
Date of Recording 2006
Youtube URL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2hVipNXCFI
Video Segment (s)

 

Notes

Chant for Incensing in Syriac by Fr. Emmanuel Thelly, CMI. ധൂപാർപ്പണ ഗീതം

This is a single strophe chant that is part of evening prayer (Ramsa) and the Solemn celebration of Qurbana. The text can be found in the Hudra of Bedjan ([1938] 2002: 3-4).On Sundays and major feast days, the chant is sung three times with three incipits: 1) Ma hambiwin…etc... 2). Sakyas nwas…etc., and 3) Suwha lawa…etc.. On ordinary days it is sung only once with the following incipit: Ewarek l’marya…etc.. The chant is generally referred to by the opening words of the strophe (“Ak etra”), or by the initial words of the incipit for ordinary days (“Ewarek l’Marya”).
During solemn Qurbana, the chant is sung only once, that too, without incipit.

The Hudra does not specify a Rēš Qālā for this chant. In this video, Fr. Emmanuel Thelly uses the Kyanaya mode of singing in a free-flowing rhythm. In contrast, the melody in solemn Qurbana uses 4/4 meter. We have in our library three versions of the melody in the four celebrations of Qurbana by four different priests from different parts of Kerala:

Aramaic Project-157. Fr. George Nellikkatt. https://youtu.be/n4hov04vDHM (42:10) Armaic Project-172. Fr. Kodamullil. https://youtu.be/wwwhJUsZi6I (32:15)

Aramaic Project-175. Fr. Sankoorikkal. https://youtu.be/oC8S0Bak3V0 (21:51) Aramaic Project-119. Fr. Probus Perumalil, CMI. https://youtu.be/8QiIz383dss(43:30)

Fr. Nellikkatt’s melody is different from those of the other three. Fr. Kodamullil’s version is similar to those of Fr. Sankoorikkal and Fr. Probus, but in a faster tempo. In 1975, Fr. Abel Periyappuram ,CMI (1920-2001) translated this chant into Malayalam. Instead of prescribing the Kyanaya melody, Fr. Abel set the text to the Res Qala of Yada Husawe: Misiha Karthawe … See Abel ([1974] 1996: 22). Fr. Abel might have thought that a melody with a regular rhythmic structure might be more convenient for community singing. Thus, this ancient chant from the Middle East is living in Kerala with Malayalam text.

Joseph J. Palackal, CMI
New York
12 June 2021

Keywords - Chant for Incensing, Mishiha Karthaave, SyroMalabar, Syro Malabar Church SyroMalabarQurbana, Qurbana, HolyMass, Christian Music, Christian Musicology Syriac Chants, Syriac Music, Joseph Palackal, JosephPalackal, Paul Kodamullil Carmelites of Mary Immacualte, CMI, Sebastian Sankoorickal, George Nellikkat Probus Perumalil, LittleFloweMonasteryPoonjar, Poonjar, FrThelly, Thaksa, Hudra, Bedjan, Hudra 1938

Related Videos

  • AP 1 - Interview with Fr. Emmanuel Thelly C.M.I., Syriac scholar and lexicographer.
  • AP 1a - Fr. Emmanuel Thelly C.M.I. recites the Lord's Prayer in Aramaic
  • AP 1b - Fr. Emmanuel Thelly C.M.I. sings the acrostic hymn of St. Ephrem the Syrian.
  • AP 1c - Syro Malabar mission to Iraq Fr. Emmanuel Thelly
  • AP 16a – Koonammakkal Thoma Kathanar becomes emotional while speaking about the contributions of Fr. Emmanuel Thelly, CMI (1925-2015) and the failure from the part of the Syro Malabar Church to "recognize the face of a scholar."
  • AP 28 -The pronunciation of Syriac in Kerala and Iraq.
  • AP 218 - Fr. Emmanuel Thelly, CMI, A Servant of the Syro Malabar Church.
  • AP 317- FAILED MISSION TO IRAQ by Fr. EMMANUEL THELLY and CMI fathers

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