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TheGalician chant (Ukrainian: галицький розспів), is a form ofliturgical chant originating in WesternUkraine, particularly in the region ofGalacia. It is used predominantly in theUkrainian Greek Catholic Church and in some Ukraine Orthodox communities in the diaspora (notably the Western Eparchy of theUkrainian Orthodox Church of Canada), and to a lesser degree theOrthodox Church of Ukraine. Like theKievan andZnamenny chants, the Galician chant is organized according to the system of eight tones (modes orglasy).[1]
The tradition of Galician chant arose as part of the broaderEast Slavic chant heritage and was influenced by both theByzantine and local Ukrainian musical idioms. Printed collections and regional anthologies of Galician chant began to appear in the late 19th century; the first Ukrainian regional compilations of church chant were published in 1894.[2] The repertoire preserves older Kyivan-style melodies as well as Western-influenced harmonizations that developed under theAustro-Hungarian cultural sphere.
Within the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, the Galician chant remains the principal traditional chant used for theDivine Liturgy and other services in Western Ukrainianeparchies. Modern compilations and teaching resources continue to transmit this tradition, often in harmonized or simplified notation forparish use. Collections such as the "Samoilka [uk]" (Самолівка) and local diocesan hymnals contain standard Galician chant settings of the eight tones.[3]
Although the chant developed primarily within the Greek Catholic social environment, it is also used in certain Orthodox jurisdictions of Ukrainian heritage, particularly in theWestern Eparchy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada and occasionally within the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. Some Orthodox parishes maintain Galician chant melodies alongside Kievan chant andObikhod traditions.[4]
Like other Slavic chant traditions, Galician chant is organized according to theOktoechos system of eight tones (glasy), each with its characteristicmelodic formulas andcadences. Its melodic language is generally more syllabic and less ornate than that of Byzantine chant, and harmonized variants often reflect Western European tonal influence.[1][4]
Galician chant manuscripts and printed collections use modern staff notation rather than the olderZnamenny notation. Major sources include 19th- and early 20th-century publications preserved in the libraries ofLviv,Przemyśl, andKyiv, as well as catalogued items in theNational Library of Ukraine.[5]
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