Coptic Music

The Copts are the largest Middle Eastern Christian community, with a recorded history in Egypt dating from circa AD 200. The ancient Coptic liturgy was orally transmitted until ethnomusicologist Ragheb Moftah notated 13 volumes of songs in the 1920s and recorded the entire Hymnal. His collection is now at the Library of Congress. This 1960 recording, made in the Cathedral of St. Mark in Cairo, Egypt, is primarily performed by soloist (the priest) plus male chorus (the congregation); the vocal style is diatonic with some quarter tones. Liner notes detail the history of Copts in Egypt and Coptic music, with the hymn texts in Coptic and English.