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coptic hymns in english

ELBOGDADIELBOGDADI
edited December 1969 in Hymns Discussion
Dear All,
I am trying to put together a conglomeration of coptic hymns in english.  Please feel free to visit the site coptichymnsinenglish.net

Would appreciate any hymn contributions.  This effort will hopefully enable us to coordinate our English hymns better.

Please email any contributions at at [email protected]

Comments

  • minatasgeelminatasgeel
    [quote author=ELBOGDADI link=topic=5084.msg68393#msg68393 date=1173493848]
    Dear All,
    I am trying to put together a conglomeration of coptic hymns in english.  Please feel free to visit the site coptichymnsinenglish.net

    Would appreciate any hymn contributions.  This effort will hopefully enable us to coordinate our English hymns better.

    Please email any contributions at at [email protected]


    how would they be coptic hymns if they are in english.

    i think you're just trying to do what was done with the arabic.
  • ELBOGDADIELBOGDADI
    what do you think of the deacon responses in the altar?  Are they originally composed in Coptic? No, rather most of them are Greek.  The hymn Hagape is written in Greek.  Khristos Anesti (another hymn written in Greek) is chanted nothing like the Greek Orthodox Church yet we still call it a "Coptic" hymn. It is the chant which determines the core nature of a hymn not necessarily the language.

    Thanks for your input.
  • minatasgeelminatasgeel
    [quote author=ELBOGDADI link=topic=5084.msg68396#msg68396 date=1173499727]
    what do you think of the deacon responses in the altar?  Are they originally composed in Coptic? No, rather most of them are Greek.  The hymn Hagape is written in Greek.  Khristos Anesti (another hymn written in Greek) is chanted nothing like the Greek Orthodox Church yet we still call it a "Coptic" hymn. It is the chant which determines the core nature of a hymn not necessarily the language.

    Thanks for your input.


    first the everything that was said in greek was to make sure the people stood what is going on. but you wouldn't need that now because you have english liturgies. same reason for ekhrestos anisiti. don't forget you say Pikhretos aftonf after.

    also still, coptic and greek are more of a musical language. can't take the hazzat and out them on english or arabic.
  • Amoussa01
    this process has already been done. Go to orthodoxbookstore.org and it has hymns in the english language for the liturgy of the word. This is now the new standard for english hymns. It was the southern diocese that put it out.
  • minatasgeelminatasgeel
    [quote author=Amoussa01 link=topic=5084.msg68526#msg68526 date=1173848986]
    this process has already been done. Go to orthodoxbookstore.org and it has hymns in the english language for the liturgy of the word. This is now the new standard for english hymns. It was the southern diocese that put it out.


    yeah i have the cd. but there is some hymns that u can't just say in [i]english[i/] come on. lahn so-tis, apinav shopi, the coptic readings.
  • jydeaconjydeacon
    i agree with minagir, we should not be trying to put more hymns in english and arabic because first of all it will sound ridiculous. secondly we should not be trying to lose the language(coptic that is) any farther than what it has. now we only use it for hymns if that gets taken away we will lose part of our heritage. i personally love coptic so as you guys can see i have a bias against putting any language instead of coptic to anything. besides it shouldn't matter. would you really understand and meditate on it in english or arabic anyway or would you be focusing to keep the hymn going? i think i have made my point. 
  • mmatt95mmatt95
    I don't see the need to say long hymns in another language than the original either. Exactly because these hymns have melisma in it, there's not much text and you have all the time to read the translation, which means that a foreign language isn't much of a barrier. Take as an example the hymns [coptic]Cw[/coptic] or the Offertory Allelouya.

    This is different with the regular liturgy responses and parts from midnight praises etc. I dont think anybody is against chanting these in the native language of the country.

    -matt-
  • minatasgeelminatasgeel
    [quote author=Hos Erof link=topic=5084.msg68552#msg68552 date=1173890510]
    I don't see the need to say long hymns in another language than the original either. Exactly because these hymns have melisma in it, there's not much text and you have all the time to read the translation, which means that a foreign language isn't much of a barrier. Take as an example the hymns [coptic]Cw[/coptic] or the Offertory Allelouya.

    This is different with the regular liturgy responses and parts from midnight praises etc. I dont think anybody is against chanting these in the native language of the country.


    you're right. also others who say that we say this long hymn in english so people can understand, that's meaningless because you still cutting words that can be wrong grammar wise because than you might change the meaning. In midnight tasbeha most of the praise a fast tune that includes words other than holding letters. Therefore its acceptable there (even thoo I would still say coptic in tasbeha..hehee.)
  • Amoussa01
    I have to disagree with both of you. In that CD that i was talking about, they transalted sotis, as well as all the coptic readings and it sounds phenomenal!! Maybe you should go and listen to it. Everything in that CD is fantastic!! If anyone cares to hear what im talking about here is a link: http://www.suscopts.org/stmaryatlanta/evangelism/liturgyoftheword.html

    P.S. the acts in english sounds unbelievable!
  • Amoussa01
    I also wanted to add that we cannot shun all the ONLY ENGLISH speaking people. They have a right to know what is going on and what is being chanted without forcing them to learn coptic. When i listen to some translated in english, i felt more out of the prayer....i mean if your just chanting without truly understanding what you're saying than its pointless! Im not saying everything should be in english......I definitely would NOT prefer that, however some people out there want things to be translated so they can understand and be involved in the prayer and be able to meditate on the words and truly see the beauty in the hymn. plus you'd be suprised what you can translate to the english language. Just my opinion.

    Pray for me
    Tony
  • minatasgeelminatasgeel
    [quote author=Amoussa01 link=topic=5084.msg68671#msg68671 date=1174003947]
    I have to disagree with both of you. In that CD that i was talking about, they transalted sotis, as well as all the coptic readings and it sounds phenomenal!! Maybe you should go and listen to it. Everything in that CD is fantastic!! If anyone cares to hear what im talking about here is a link: http://www.suscopts.org/stmaryatlanta/evangelism/liturgyoftheword.html

    P.S. the acts in english sounds unbelievable!


    i do have the CD i have mentioned before.

    [quote author=Amoussa01 link=topic=5084.msg68672#msg68672 date=1174004292]
    I also wanted to add that we cannot shun all the ONLY ENGLISH speaking people. They have a right to know what is going on and what is being chanted without forcing them to learn coptic. When i listen to some translated in english, i felt more out of the prayer....i mean if your just chanting without truly understanding what you're saying than its pointless! Im not saying everything should be in english......I definitely would NOT prefer that, however some people out there want things to be translated so they can understand and be involved in the prayer and be able to meditate on the words and truly see the beauty in the hymn. plus you'd be suprised what you can translate to the english language. Just my opinion.


    i idea is not understanding the words. everything is translated allready for everyone to understand. but when you try to put all the hazzat on english, to me it doesn't make much diffrence because you would still mean you're holding an "ee" in coptic and guess what, u'll hold a vowel in english to. holding that letter would give you No Clue what so ever about understanding the hymn. like  jydeacon said before saying Soo-thees  is same as saved since you're holding the soo, or the sa. so the idea of understaning that really doesn't apply here except long parts like the priest parts. now tasbeha and/or other praises that's diffrent becuase there, it's all words with some long hymns. there you can praise in the language you want. even thoo, i would still say coptic..hehe.
  • Amoussa01
    maybe some people have a longer attention span than you ;)
  • karas7karas7
    hi evey one

    my GOd! it is wonderful.this is the first time i heard that.and it is phenomenal. what a blessing to those who are outside of the coptic community and part of our church even more so to the english speaking generation.truly it is going to be a encouraging and wise this to encourage this. those of us seek to keep the coptic  should do so but why discourage another good from happening at the same time. people know the importance of not loosing coptic. if anything we should loose the arabic from the mass but i cant see that happening.....
  • minatasgeelminatasgeel
    [quote author=karas7 link=topic=5084.msg68675#msg68675 date=1174027928]
    if anything we should loose the arabic from the mass but i cant see that happening.....


    may be that's what happend in you church. in mine we have 2 saprate liturgies, one in english and one in arabic.
  • abrame
    You can found the spiritual Hymns book also some of the glorification books for the saints in the web site of our church St. Mary, and we are going to add more soon.
    These books could be reached directly at

    http://www.stmaryottawa.org,
    go to services then publication

    Pray for me
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