Johann von Gardner

Johann von Gardner, was an Eminent Slavic musicologist, best known in the English language for his published work on Russian church singing.

After 1917, he spent four years living in Subcarpathian Rus and was particularly amazed at the religious knowledge of the simple peasants, acquired simply by singing in church. He described the singing which he heard in the churches of the Carpathian regions: "In Subcarpathian Rus’ in all the villages both among the Uniates and also among the Orthodox, there was always practiced only congregational singing of the complete services.... The numerous chants ... were known by everyone, even the children of school age. The leader of song -- the most experienced singer from the parish -- standing at the kliros and sang the chant. As soon as the worshippers heard the beginning, they would join in the chant and the entire church sang; they sang all the stikhery, all the troparia, all the irmosy -- in a word, everyone sang properly."

Works

"Russian Church Singing: Orthodox Worship and Hymnography", Vol. 1. Tr. Vladimir Morosan (St. Vladimir's Seminary Press, 1997), ISBN 978-0913836590.