The Cherubic Song of «Damolchitova soglasiya» in Russian singing manuscripts of the 17th–18th centuries and its modern variants

- · 26.03.2026

Review article
DOI: 10.56620/2227-9997-2026-1-28-43

Nora A. Potemkina

Gnesin Russian Academy of Music, Moscow, Russia,
n.potemkina@gnesin-academy.ru, https://orcid.org/0009-0008-8874-6865
Abstract: The article is devoted to the chant of the Cherubic Hymn «Damolchitova soglasia» (The «Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence» Chant), found in Russian singing manuscripts of the 17th–18th centuries — both in Znamenny (hook) notation and staff notation. The origin of «Damolchitova soglasia» from the chant of the Great Saturday hymn «Da molchit vsiakaia plot’ chelovecha» («Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence») is examined, and manuscripts containing the chant from the collections of the State Historical Museum, the Russian State Library, and the Russian National Library are presented. The chant of «Damolchitova soglasia» from the 17th–18th centuries is compared with its related modern chant, designated as «from manuscript notes» or «of Znamenny chant,» and its harmonizations for homogeneous and mixed choirs by modern authors: an anonymous author, Vasily Borisenko, and Timur Shagiakhmetov. The similarities and differences between the ancient and modern chants are traced. The continuity of the modern church-singing tradition is noted. 

Keywords: Cherubic Hymn, the melody of «Damolchitova Soglasie», the hymn of the Great saturday: «Let All Flesh Be Silent», hook and linear singing manuscripts, harmonizations for homogeneous and mixed choirs, contemporary composers Vasily Borisenko and Timur Shagiakhmetov, continuity of tradition

For citation: Potemkina N. A. The Cherubic Song «Damolchitova soglasiya» in Russian Choral Manuscripts of the 17th — 18th Centuries and its Modern Variants. Scholarly papers of Gnesin Russian Academy of Music. 2026;(1):28-43. (In Russ.). DOI: 10.56620/2227-9997-2026-1-28-43
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