Yared | |
|---|---|
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| Composer | |
| Born | (505-04-25)25 April 505 Axum,Kingdom of Aksum |
| Died | 20 May 571(571-05-20) (aged 66) Semien Mountains |
| Venerated in | Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church Ethiopian Catholic Church Eritrean Catholic Church[1] |
| Feast | 19 May |
| Attributes | Old man wearing traditional attire and holdingwalking stick (mequamia),tsenatsel in front ofDeggua book and three chants: Ge'ez, Ezel and Araray depicted as doves |
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Saint Yared (Ge'ez: ቅዱስ ያሬድ; 25 April 505 – 20 May 571)[2][3][4] was an EthiopianAksumite[5] composer, hymnwriter and scholar. He was credited with inventing thetraditional music of Ethiopia, he developed themusic of theEthiopian Orthodox Church andEritrean Orthodox Church. In a broader context, he helped establishliturgical music in theCoptic Orthodox Church andSyriac Orthodox Church, as well as create the Ethiopianmusical notation system. Additionally, he composedZema, or the chant tradition of Ethiopia, particularly the chants of the Ethiopian-Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Churches, which are still performed today.
According to the medieval chronicleThe Gadla Yared (Acts of Yared), Yared was born inAxum. After the death of his father, his activity in education gradually declined which led him to be sent to parish priest Abba Gedeon. Yared then went to his uncle birthplace in Murade Qal. He saw a worm trying to climb tree with numerous attempts until the last moment. The worm struggle had inspire him and pursue to read and study Holy Scriptures. He became a priest atChurch of Our Lady, Mary of Zion, then attracted to the Aksum kingGebre Meskel. He developed musical notation, including Zema orEthiopian chant as well as authoring the famousBook of Deggua.
At the age of 66, Yared died inSemien Mountains during journey of tutoring.
He is regarded as a saint of the Ethiopian-Eritrean Orthodox Church, with his feast day celebrated on 19 May. His name is from the Biblical person known in English as "Jared" (Book of Genesis 5:15).
Much of Yared's life is broadly accounted in the medieval hagiographyThe Gadla Yared (Acts of Yared), whose composition was recovered in the 16th century.[6] Saint Yared was born on 25 April 505 in Axum from his father Abyud (Isaac) and his mother Christina (Tawklia). At the age of six, his parent sent him to a teacher named Yishaq. Under his instruction, St. Yared completed the alphabet andPsalms. Upon his father death, Tauklia troubled to raise him and left him to his uncle Abba Gedeon, who was a parish priest. Gedeon was a teacher ofOld andNew Testament atChurch of Our Lady Mary of Zion. Yared began translatingHoly Scriptures into Ge'ez from Hebrew and Greek. At that time, Yared was in poor education and unable to memorize and read Holy Scriptures, which led him severe punishments and mockery at school. He dropped out and fled to his uncle birthplace in Murade Qal. Accompanied by heavy rain, he rest to large tree.
Yared saw a worm trying to climb the tree several times. He repented and returned to his teacher, replying "Forgive me, O father, and dispose of me as you wish". The teacher received him; he was able to understand Books of the Old and the New Testaments in one day. Yared then ordained as deacon. When Yared was 14, Abba Gedeon died, so Yared took his mastering position.
At the age of nine, Yared ordained as the chief priest at the Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion, where he developed the first hymn titled "Ariam". He taught of musical notations and alphabets.
_His_Disciples_Singing_A_Song_In_Front_Of_King_Gebreme_Skel_._._.%2522_(3171512810).jpg)
Yared was enticed by Aksumite kingGebre Meskel, which led musical prominence, composingZema, or chant. Following musical success, he asked the king to live inascetics, saying:
Promise to grant me...allow me to retire from my work in the court and to live among the people so that I may devote the rest of my life teaching, to meditation and to prayer.
The king allowed his request and Yared travelled toSemien Mountains.[7] He developed theBook of Deggua, (De'guaa) inGeʽez, which means "lamentations". Deggua divides into three chanting modes: Geʽez, Ezel, Araray. Geʽez relies a plain chant for ordinary days, Ezel is increased measured beat for funerals and Araray is a free mode, light beats for festivals. The highest part of Deggua is Mahlet St. Yared (hymn of St. Yared). Those three chants represent theTrinity.
Yared also composed ten tones with notations, unlike the European modes consisting of six notes. Yared then developed their arrangements called "Seraye", which signifies hymnary guidelines. Theglyphs of notations consist of dashes, dots and curves. Tsome Deggua is written for Lent, Me'eraf is sung for Sabbath vigils, Zimare is forHoly Communion, Mewasit is for funerals, requiems and Eastern Eve and Quidase is for Communion. These books took nine years to complete.
Yared also played pivotal role in church building. For instance, he consecrated churches inDebre Damo that were founded byAbuna Aregawi. Yared also taught students atTana Qirqos inLake Tana.[8]
Yared also established churches in Gojjam,Begemder (today: Gondar), and Tigray. He went toGayint and built a church called Saint Mariam atZur Amba. The foundation is said to be as a result of "God's guide" and this location was namedZur Amba after "appearance of God to Aragawi". The account was written about God's appearance and guidance to Aragawi in Geʽez: "Zur Abba Mengale Misraq...." which means "...Abba, turn to the east; you will find the way to the hill."[9]
On the coronation of Gebre Meskel, Yared placed a wreath of flowers to crown on him. The event is found in Deggua.
St. Yared died at the age of 66 on 20 May 571 in a cave ofSemien Mountains. He had been travelling to teach.[8]
19 May is conceived as his feast day and theOrthodox Tewahedo Church venerate in commemoration of his death.[10]
Little known of the life of St. Yared outside the traditional account. St. Yared thought to gather his pupils to teach his musical system after asceticism in monastic life. He has been said to bequeath musical heir where the practice also revolutionised "a genealogy of masters from St. Yared in the 6th-century toAleqaMersha in the 20th-century". St. Yared's chant and voice are revered as powerful; his performance on liturgical music outstrips into secular domain, where "the remark [is] often made of a good singer; his voice makes one cry."[11] His work has been contested to controversy by religious and secular discourse. Secular teaching argued that St. Yared is the base and father of secular music. The outlook of "secular music" is strongly objected to by the Orthodox Church. Other challenges are spiritual songs in audio and audiovisual form are possible without an original hymn. Without proper knowledge, some musicians prepare religious music and some singers take to secular form. The most contentious is the use of church treasures such as drum, sistrum, clothes and sticks currently used by Protestant followers. Some of St. Yared's songs like "Yekome Were", "Yetegulet Digua", "Yeankober Wereb", Yewashera Qine", Yeachabr Wereb", "Yeselelkula Kidase", "Ye Aba Giorgis" and "Ze Gasicha Seatat" are becoming obsolete or few scholars have no students.[12]
St. Yared is regarded byEthiopian Studies scholars as the founder ofqene. His musical work swayed Yohannes of Gebla inWollo and Tewanei of Deg Istifa inGojjam, who improvised into complex forms. The work also contributed to service from time of day to day of the year, depending on valuable occasional feasts and religious seasons. Deggua's summary opening by:[13]
Oh! Music!...
Ah! Music that I heard the angels' sing in Heaven
Uttering Holy! Holy! Lord!
The Heavens and the Earth are filled with
Your holy praise
Tradition holds that St. Yared ascended to Heaven supported by angelsSeraph andCherub, singing "Holy! Holy! Holy!", a paraphrase ofAncient of Days inBook of Daniel. In addition, it augmented supernatural entities bolstered him: three white angels, and three white birds singing with animals and beasts. His compositions also reflect agriculture and seasons. For example, for the rainy season (mid-June to mid-September) and for the harvest season (mid-September to mid-December):[13]
Listen to the sound of the footsteps of the rain!
When the rains pour down, the poor rejoice.
Listen to the sound of the footsteps of the rain!
When the rains pour down, the hungry are satiated...
The clouds hear and obey His word;
And the streams brim with water.
And the furrows quench their thirst...
In its own time, the rainy season has passed.
Now is established the season of plenty.
Behold! The plants have blossomed and brought forth fruit...
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