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Strictly speaking, '''Byzantine Chant''' is the sacred [[Church Music|chant]] of [[Christian]] Churches following the [[Orthodox]] rite. This tradition, encompassing the Greek-speaking world, developed in [[Eastern Roman Empire|Byzantium]] from the establishment of its capital, [[Constantinople]], in 330 until [[fall Fall of Constantinople|its fall]] in 1453. It is undeniably of composite origin, drawing on the artistic and technical productions of the classical age, on [[Judaism|Jewish]] music, and inspired by the [[monophony|monophonic]] vocal music that evolved in the early Christian cities of Alexandria, Antioch and Ephesus. In the [[Orthodox Church]] today, many churches use Byzantine Chant as their primary musical tradition, including the Churches of [[Church of Constantinople|Constantinople]], [[Church of Alexandria|Alexandria]], [[Church of Antioch|Antioch]], [[Church of Jerusalem|Jerusalem]], [[Church of Romania|Romania]], [[Church of Serbia|Serbia]], [[Church of Greece|Greece]], and [[Church of Cyprus|Cyprus]].

Two concepts must be understood if we are to appreciate fully the function of music in Byzantine worship. The first, which retained currency in Greek theological and mystical speculation until the dissolution of the empire, was the belief in the [[angel]]ic transmission of sacred chant: the assumption that the early Church united men in the prayer of the angelic choirs. This notion is certainly older than the [[Apocalypse]] account ([[Revelation]] 4:8-11), for the musical function of angels as conceived in the [[Old Testament]] is brought out dearly by [[Isaiah]] (6:1-4) and [[Ezekiel]] (3:12). Most significant in the fact, outlined in [[Exodus]] 25, that the pattern for the earthly worship of [[Israel]] was derived from Heaven. The allusion is perpetuated in the writings of the early Fathers, such as [[Clement of Rome]], [[Justin Martyr|Justin]], [[Ignatius of Antioch]], [[Athenagoras of Athens]], and [[Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite]]. It receives acknowledgement later in the liturgical treatises of [[Nicolas KavasilasCabasilas]] and [[Symeon the New Theologian|Symeon of Thessaloniki]] (''Patrologia Graeca'', CL, 368-492 and CLV, 536-699, respectively).

The effect that this concept had on church music was threefold: first, it bred a highly conservative attitude to musical composition; secondly, it stabilized the melodic tradition of certain hymns; and thirdly, it continued, for a time, the anonymity of the composer. For if a chant is of heavenly origin, then the acknowledgement received by man in transmitting it to posterity ought to be minimal. This is especially true when he deals with hymns which were known to have been first sung by angelic choirs - —such as the [[Amen]], [[Alleluia]], [[Trisagion]], [[Sanctus]] and [[Doxology]]. Consequently, until [[Palaeologan]] times, was inconceivable for a composer to place his name beside a notated text in the manuscripts.

* (3)-(7) The prayers of [[Hannah]], [[Habbakuk]], [[Isaiah]], [[Jonah]] and the [[Three Holy Children|Three Children]] ([[I_KingdomsI Kingdoms|1 Samuel]] 2:1-10; [[Book of Habbakuk|Habbakuk]] 3:1-19; [[Book of Isaiah|Isaiah]] 26:9-20; [[Book of Jonah|Jonah]] 2:3-10; Apoc. [[Book of Daniel|Daniel]] 3:26-56);