My first venture into ancient Greek, a little somber to a Western ear, “Agni Parthene” is an Eastern Orthodox hymn. While much of the grammar and vocabulary of English is inherited from German, over 60 percent of English words have Greek or Latin roots. In the sciences and technology, the figure rises to over 90 percent. Latin and Greek were favored in Catholic schools up until the 1960s when radicals decided that everything old was outmoded, including the linguistic pride of our civilization.
Majestic
Captions are in the Latin alphabet. The breathtaking painting of Father and Son in purple is by Diego Velázquez, 1641-1644, oil on canvas, 69 in by 49 in, held by Museo del Prado, Madrid. The icon of Our Lord holding onto His mother's hand is the choice subject of many artists.
The hymn is perfect for a tenor. I sing along in two registers, the higher one a bit of a strain. Registers include modal (soprano, mezzosoprano, alto, contralto, countertenor, tenor, baritone, and bass), vocal fry (male, very low), falsetto (male, very high), and the whistle (female, extremely high).
I have revised my ideal Catholic K-12 school. Study English, French, German, Latin, and Greek. Add them to history, reading, writing, mathematics, science, art, music, and the Catholic catechism. Tall order. Please.
The hymn is perfect for a tenor. I sing along in two registers, the higher one a bit of a strain. Registers include modal (soprano, mezzosoprano, alto, contralto, countertenor, tenor, baritone, and bass), vocal fry (male, very low), falsetto (male, very high), and the whistle (female, extremely high).
I have revised my ideal Catholic K-12 school. Study English, French, German, Latin, and Greek. Add them to history, reading, writing, mathematics, science, art, music, and the Catholic catechism. Tall order. Please.
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