Among numerous ecclesiastical genresliturgical hymnography there are also such hymns as troparia. What is this, and how do they differ, say, from the psalms? Where did this form of pious hymn come from? Is it always rhymed, or are troparia written by rhythmic prose? To whom or to what are they dedicated? Are they an independent musical-poetic work or is it just an accompaniment to the reading of the Holy Texts? You will find out the answers to these questions if you read this article.
Like many other things in Orthodox liturgy,troparia came to us from Byzantium. The name of this church hymn goes back to the Greek word "tropeon", which means "monument". It is not difficult to guess the meaning of the term "troparia". That this is a liturgical recollection of the ascetic labors of one or another saint, says the etymology. But it was only in the beginning. Now troparia can be dedicated to the holiday (they reveal its essence), and even to this worship. In the era of early Christianity, the troparia were composed solely to honor the memory of the holy martyrs and companions. Prose in them was narrated about their life, vocation, perfect miracles. From the IV-V centuries, the troparia of the saints began to be rhymed. Even later, a melody submitting to the voices began to be attached to the text.
Unlike the Psalms, which in Orthodoxy alsothey are performed by choristers, the troparia do not have a fixed text once and for all. That's why this genre is more flexible, it's good for music. Taken from the Psalter, the text could not be changed, while the troparion had its own authors and even composers (they were called "raspischikami"). The most famous of them was Theodore the Peasant, who created a whole cycle of service for the cathedrals of the Moscow Kremlin. Throughout Russia, troparia were very popular. That this is the result of the artistic creativity of the people is evidenced by its expressive, rich in comparisons language, a lot of allegorical expressions, metaphors, rhythmic repetitions. Unlike the psalm, the troparion must have a clear narrative beginning. Also, the melody of this song has undergone a certain evolution. It departed from the ancient prosody and began to be built on the stanzas that were uniform in number of syllables.
There are researchers who lean toward anotherversion of the etymology of the word "troparia". That this word comes from the Greek "trepov" - "to address." That is, the vocation of this liturgical chanting is to remind believers of the true meaning of the priest's preaching and service in general. Thus, this poetic form summarizes the main "theme of the day". But if several events are celebrated at once, for example, Sunday and the saint's day, during the same liturgical service, several troparia are read. Then they alternate with the stanzas of the psalm, which makes up the third antiphon. Depending on what or to whom the troparia "address", they can be called (Bogorodichny, Krestovozdvizhen). If they are composed in the likeness of the irmos (by its melodic and rhythmic model), they can be short chants that make up the canon.
With the development of liturgy and hymnography aroseseveral varieties of this chant. First, there is a division on the subject. There are fasting and festive troparia. Most often, "dismissive" chants are read, pointing to a saint, a feast or phenomenon to the people, to glorifying the icon. We can say that this is a musical illustration of the sermon and the whole service. The Sunday Troparion could be composed of several hymns, interleaved by reading the Bible and performing psalms. There is also a division of functions. So, there is a troparion of stichera, echoing the text of the psalm. Kafism is an inset between the main songs. Ipakoi "responds" to the sticher after the small entrance. Kontakion is the troparion of the third and sixth songs of the canon. And, finally, became a nominal cathausis. This is the yermos that sounds at the end of the chant and is performed together by converging choirs.
There are works of liturgicalhymnography, which became famous so widely that they were translated into other languages. To this number belongs the troparion "Light quiet", created for Vespers. Its appearance dates back to the third century, since already Basil the Great mentions it as an ancient tradition of the Church. Troparion is so beautiful that it was adopted by the Latin liturgy (lux tu gloriae). There is also a chant for the resurrection of Christ. At Easter, this Troparion is read first, followed by kontakion "If you also descended into the grave ..." As we see, this work can sound like a complete phrase, or it may be an addition to other blocks of church hymns. For example, the troparion to the Theotokos is the ninth song of the canon, but also the glorification of the Blessed Virgin in general.
