Book Review
Hagia Sophia
Sound, Space, and Spirit in Byzantium by Bissera V. Pentcheva 2017.
A project took place in recent years by a Cappella group of singers to recapture the sound of the Great Church in Hagia Sophia and to imagine as much as possible what the Christian attending the divine liturgy in Justinian’s Church experienced and heard. Bissera V. Pentcheva (who is Russian Orthodox) has written about the project in this fine book entitled “Hagia Sophia, Sound Space and Spirit in Byzantium”. On Amazon there is also a wonderful CD and DVD available called “Lost Voices of Hagia Sophia” which is the outcome of the group’s experiments within Hagia Sophia.
The book is absolutely fascinating. It is wonderful that this group had access to Hagia Sophia. Considering that Hagia Sophia is no longer a Church, the activities undertaken Ms. Pentcheva and her associates are a wonderful way of giving glory to God. Indeed, these activities may have served as an alternative means for using the Great Church in service to Greek Orthodoxy.
The book describes the edifice of Hagia Sophia and the manner in which modern technology was utilized to capture the sound and acoustics in Hagia Sophia. Using modern recording devices and a wonderful choir the group produced an excellent recording on the aforementioned CD that allows the listener to hear as closely as possible what worshippers in Hagia Sophia heard before 1453.
In addition, the book is wonderful for educating the reader on the Divine Liturgy and worship of the Greek Orthodox Church. The reader will learn the detailed significance of the services of worship, and specifically how the Patriarch conducted services in Hagia Sophia. This book could and should be used for liturgics classes in Orthodox seminaries.
This book is a wonderful contribution to the study of Hagia Sophia and a terrific recollection on the historically and spiritually important activities that took place during this time. At a time when Turkey is threatening to convert Hagia Sophia into a Mosque, it is refreshing to see that it it still serves (albeit indirectly) as a house of Christian worship.
Both the book and CD-DVD “Lost Voices of Hagia Sophia” are available for purchase on Amazon.