Notes
Fr. Mathew Mattam in conversation with Dr. Joseph J. Palackal

This interview with a seasoned singer of the Syriac chants is an extremely valuable addition to the Aramaic Project.Fr. Mattam is blessed with a steady and resonant voice and, even at the age of 84, have the stamina and the breath control of a well-trained opera singer. He is passionate about singing the Syriac melodies that he started learning from his childhood at his native parish. Later, during his seminary years in the 1950s, at St. Joseph’s Seminary at Mangalappuzha, Aluva, he was fortunate to learn more chants from Fr. Mathew Vadakel, an eminent scholar of the Syriac language and composer of Syriac chants. Fr. Mattam sang about 32 melodies during this interview, including several examples of chanting slōthā (oration) between the sung portions of the Mass. He was willing to keep singing, but myself and the recording crew were exhausted after four hours of recording. Some of his renderings will help scholars to study individual variations of the same melody. A case in point is the melody of the Malayalam version of the chant “Pūš bašlāmā” (see topic no. 33 at 1:33:36). He sings this melody in a slow tempo to evoke the mood of pathos that goes along with the context of this chant at the end of a funeral service at home when the dead body is carried in procession to the cemetery. See also extended discussion on “O Des tamman” (topic no.17 at 39:36). It is a pity that such a resourceful person as Fr. Mattam is not sought after by the seminarians and music students in the Syro Malabar Church. We hope to do a follow up interview to eke out all the melodies that are stored in his brain, especially those melodies that were used in the paraliturgical services. Overall, this interview was a rewarding experience.

Video Segments

• 62a - Fr. Mathew Mattam. Melody of  Puqdānkōn  
• 62b - Fr. Mathew Mattam. Melody of Tešbōhtā lalāha (Glory to God)  
• 62c - Fr. Mathew Mattam sings the solemn form of the Lord's prayer with Thrice Holy 
• 62d - Fr. Mathew Mattam. Chanting of slōthā (oration) after the Lord’s prayer 
• 62e - Fr. Mathew Mattam. Melody Of Psalm 
• 62f - Fr. Mathew Mattam. chanting of Slōthā (oration),after The Psalm 
• 62g - Fr. Mathew Mattam. Melody of Lāku Mārā Resurrection Hymn; 
• 62h - Fr. Mathew Mattam. Chanting of Slōthā (oration), after Lāku Mārā 
• 62i - Fr. Mathew Mattam sings the Trisagion, Qandišā Alāhā 
• 62j - Slōthā (oration) after Qandišā Alāhā 
• 62k - Melody Of “wehu Nehde” While Kissing The Cross, During Raza 
• 62l - Melody of “barek Mār” 
• 62m - Style Of Chanting The Sacred Scripture 
• 62n - Melody of “O des damman” 
• 62o - Melody Of “dawrek Sāwē” During Gospel Procession 
• 62p - Melody of “O Damhaimneen” 
• 62q - Melody of Announcing the Epistle 
• 62r - Melody of the Introductory Chant Before The Gospel 
• 62s - Style Of Chanting The Prayers Of The Faithful kārōthūthā 
• 62t - Melody of “wnesek Lāk” before Anaphora 
• 62u - Melody of Exchange of Peace 
• 62v - Melody of Greeting And Dialogue. Anaphora 
• 62w - Melody of “kad Qāyēn” Followed By Holy Holy Holy; 
• 62x - Melody of Ēn Māryā Alāhā before Communion 
• 62y - Melody of “Māwhawsā” 
• 62z - Melody of “āhay Qambel” deacon’s Invitation To Communion 
• 62aa - Melody of “raze Dnaswan” after Communion 
• 62bb - Melody of Concluding Prayers Before the Final Blessing 
• 62cc - Melody of  Final Blessing in Solemn Qurbana 
• 62dd - Melody of  Wita Wangunnen (funeral service for priests) 
• 62ee - Malayalam Version of “pus Bslama” in slower tempo 
• 62ff - Melody of “qambel Maran”