Heirmologion

DIMITRI CONOMOS

A music book for church singers containing only the heirmoi (Gk. “links”) or model verses for the odes in a Canon. It is not a liturgical book; the singers are meant to learn the melodies of the original heirmoi by heart in order to apply them to the texts of the heirmoi based on their meter and melody. The heirmologion is, in other words, an auxiliary book, of no value to the singers unless they have access at the same time to a collection of Canon texts. Early heirmologia, dating from the 10th century, transmit a simple, syllabic, musical style.

SEE ALSO: Canon (Liturgical); Liturgical Books