Musical traditions flourished throughout the Byzantine Empire (AD 330 to 1453) in both sacred and secular contexts. Secular composers, subject to the criticism of Church Fathers and a dearth of extant sources, are unrecorded until the late 13th century during the Palaiologos period. Conversely, composers of religious music, known as hymnographers, are better known, and major figures are recorded throughout most of the empire's entire history. In both cases, like their medieval Western contemporaries, the biographical details of composers beyond their names and works are often scarce or nonexistent.

Before the reign of Justinian I (527–565), few specific personalities are recorded. The earliest, brothers Anthimos and Timokles, appear to have been important composers of troparia, but their work does not survive. The Byzantine tradition's first major form was the kontakion, of which Romanos the Melodist was the foremost composer. By the late 7th century the kanōn dominated in popularity; Andrew of Crete became its first significant composer, followed by John of Damascus and Cosmas of Maiuma, and later Theodore of Stoudios and Theophanes the Branded. The first secular composers are known only in the empire's final centuries, with Joannes Glykys, Joannes Koukouzeles, Xenos Korones emerging as leading figures. Partly due to the little information available, many modern studies of Byzantine music pay little attention to specific composers.

The recorded Byzantine composers were primarily men. The best known woman was Kassia, a prolific and important composer of sticheron hymns and the only woman whose works entered the Byzantine liturgy. A few other women are known to have been composers, Thekla, Theodosia, Martha and the daughter of John Kladas (her given name is unrecorded). Aside from Kassia, only the daughter of John Kladas has any surviving work, a single antiphon. Some Byzantine emperors are known to have been composers, such as Leo VI the Wise, Constantine VII and possibly John III Doukas Vatatzes.

Byzantine composers

+ Byzantine composers Name Lifetime Extant works Remarks Anthimos Supposedly composed troparia; attributions unknown and none survive Active during the reign of Leo I (457–474), the brothers Anthimos and Timokles are among the earliest known Byzantine composers by name. They are only recorded by Theodorus Lector () in an excerpt preserved by Nikephoros Kallistos, whose brief reference to them as composers of troparia may suggest the brothers were already well-known to his readers. Apparently Anthimos was a monophysite who supported the Council of Chalcedon, while the Orthodox Timokles did not. Timokles Auxentios The text to a single troparion survives (attribution uncertain); said to have composed others A biography on Auxentios attributes the composition of a troparion to him Anatolius of Constantinople Died 458 A few hymns – Severus of Antioch 465–538 Many hymns John bar Aphtonia A few hymns His hymns bare similarities to those of Severus of Antioch, whom he wrote a biography on Romanos the Melodist late 5th century – after 550 About 60 of the 85 kontakion attributed to him are considered authentic The preeminent kontakion composer of his time Kyriakos No works survive Contemporary of Romanos Anastasius No works survive A composer recorded as "Anastasius" is thought to be a 6th century Byzantine emperor, either Anastasius I Dicorus () or Anastasios II (Died 719). Contemporary of Romanos Germanus I Various kanōns are attributed to him If authentic, his kanōns would be earlier than those of Andrew of Crete and thus confirm Andrew is not the genre's originator Andrew of Crete Hymns, primarily kanōns Best known for his Great Kanōn, a 250 stanza hymn. Traditionally credited with inventing the kanōn, though modern scholars doubt this John of Damascus(John Damascene) Many kanōns and troparia. Traditionally credited with inventing the octoechos, though modern scholars doubt this A close colleague of Cosmas of Maiuma Cosmas of Maiuma(Kosmas of Jerusalem) Various kanōns, sticheron, idiomelas and triōdias A close colleague of John of Damascus Stephen the Sabaite Died 807 Idiomelas in the Triodion, Kanōns Theodore the Studite 759 – 826 Various kanōns Kept a letter correspondence with Kassia; brother of Joseph the Confessor Joseph the Confessor Troparia, sticheron and kanōns Brother of Theodore the Studite Theophanes the Branded 775 – 845 Kanōns for saints and his brother, Theodorus. Contributed to the Parakletike Kassia 805/810 – 865/867 More than 50 liturgical works, primarily stichera. 26 have disputed authenticity The only woman Byzantine composer whose work is included in the Byzantine liturgy. The most important and renowned woman in Byzantine music. She had a letter correspondence with Theodore the Studite Joseph the Hymnographer – 886 Various kanōns, of which 525 survive. Contributed to the Parakletike Thekla No works survive Known to have written now lost kanōns Theodosia No works survive Known to have written now lost kanōns. She was an abbess who lived near Constantinople Leo VI the Wise 866 – 912 Hymns for the Great Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross Was Byzantine emperor from 886 to 912 Martha No works survive Abbess and mother of Simeon Stylites Constantine VII 905 – 959 11 exaposteilaria anastasima and 3 sticheron Was Byzantine emperor from 908 until 959 (co-emperor until 945) Joannes Glykys Chant and psalms Purportedly the teacher of Korones and Koukouzeles Nikephoros Ethikos Liturgical chants; 40 survive His works are far more stylistically conservative than those of his contemporaries Gregorios Glykys Liturgical chants; only a few survive, including a sticheron Had the post of domestikos (in a musical context meaning "first singer of the left choir") John Koukouzeles Many chants One of the most illustrious musicians of his time; known as the "second source of Greek music" (John of Damascus being the first) Xenos Korones Chants John Kladas Virtually every sacred genre of his time He was particularly prolific and his daughter seems to have been a composer as well Daughter of John Kladas A single antiphon is attributed to her Her given name is unknown; recorded only as the daughter of John Kladas John Laskaris Not particularly prolific; Also a music theorist Manuel Chrysaphes A large amount of hymns, chants, kratēmata, mathēmata and anagrammatismoi among others An extremely prolific composer; John VIII Palaiologos and Constantine XI Palaiologos were patrons of his music. John Vatatzes Long assumed to be the emperor John III Doukas Vatatzes, though this is no firm evidence for this Janus Plousiadenos

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Sources

External links Digitalized Byzantine Manuscripts (Liturgy) at the Princeton Music Library Digitalized Byzantine Manuscripts (Hymns) at the Princeton Music Library