THE ACOUSTICS OF ORTHODOX CHURCHES BETWEEN BYZANTINE TRADITION, LITURGICAL EXPERIENCE AND MUSICAL CHALLENGE

Simple item page
dc.coverageSTUDIA UBB MUSICA, Volume 70(LXX), No. 2, December 2025, pp. 315-334en-US
dc.creatorMOCANU, Daniel
dc.date2025-12-24
dc.date.accessioned2026-02-21T20:21:12Z
dc.descriptionThe study examines the acoustics of Orthodox churches as a constitutive dimension of the liturgical experience, at the intersection between Byzantine tradition, musical practice and contemporary architectural choices in Romania. Starting from the coexistence of two sonic traditions – psaltic (monodic) and choral (polyphonic) – the research shows how the parameters of space (dome, vaults, iconostasis, materials) shape the intelligibility of the text and the ethos of chant. The results suggest that psaltic chant ‘flourishes’ in ample reverberations with slow tempi and sustained ison, while choral chant requires a balance between resonance and clarity for the text and the verticality of harmony. It is proposed that acoustics be integrated from the earliest stages of design and restoration in order to optimize the relationship between timbral beauty and the intelligibility of the word. Conclusion: sacred space must also be thought of as sound space; acoustics, treated as a “sonic icon”, enhances the catechetical, mystagogical, and communal function of liturgical chant.en-US
dc.formatapplication/pdf
dc.identifierhttps://studia.reviste.ubbcluj.ro/index.php/subbmusica/article/view/9896
dc.identifier10.24193/subbmusica.2025.2.16
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14637/2464
dc.languageeng
dc.publisherBabeș-Bolyai University / Cluj University Pressen-US
dc.relationhttps://studia.reviste.ubbcluj.ro/index.php/subbmusica/article/view/9896/9544
dc.rightsCopyright (c) 2025 Studia Universitatis Babes-Bolyai Musicaen-US
dc.rightshttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0en-US
dc.sourceStudia Universitatis Babes-Bolyai Musica; Volume 70, No. 2, December 2025; 315-334en-US
dc.source2065-9628
dc.source1844-4369
dc.source10.24193/subbmusica.2025.2
dc.subjectOrthodox church acousticsen-US
dc.subjectbyzantine chanten-US
dc.subjectliturgical spaceen-US
dc.subjectspeech intelligibilityen-US
dc.subjectsacred architectureen-US
dc.titleTHE ACOUSTICS OF ORTHODOX CHURCHES BETWEEN BYZANTINE TRADITION, LITURGICAL EXPERIENCE AND MUSICAL CHALLENGEen-US
dc.typeinfo:eu-repo/semantics/article
dc.typeinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
dc.typePeer-reviewed Articleen-US
dc.typetexten-US

Files

Original bundle

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
9544.pdf
Size:
220.55 KB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
PDF imported from OJS (https://studia.reviste.ubbcluj.ro/index.php/subbmusica/article/download/9896/9544)
Download

Collections

Studia Universitatis Babeș-Bolyai Musica