Problems of the theory and practice of the orthodox church music culture

The article is devoted to problems associated with the separation of theory and practice of native Orthodox Church music culture. Noting the careful work of modern researchers on the study of ancient music and creative work of church composers, the author sees a shift of emphasis towards secular analysis of the church hymns. Appreciating church music as Icon value phenomenon and comparing it with the iconographic canon, the author believes it is unacceptable to consider both meaning and music from the point of view of secular approach. This approach, in the author’s opinion is very superficial, does not affect the theory and history of Church chant and compare with the analysis of paintings on a religious subject. The prosperity of the church singing the author connects with the whole of canonical chants, showing a “horizontal-spatial” cultural model of musical thinking, which are: ancient monophonic and polyphonic chants, Byzantine and the Athonite traditions of singing, chants of other Orthodox Churches, arranges of chants by composers of the Silver age, the music of contemporary composers-regents, in particular, deacon Sergy Trubachev.