Tone I

In the Egyptian world and the Hebrew life that took heavily from it, this is the alpha tone, tone I. It represents God the Father, the creator of all things, that which is unknowable in human terms. St. Nektarios and others identify this tone with the Nativity, in that we are speaking of a new creation, rather than the beginning of material life (which, of course, can have no “tone” as such). As a result, the basic tone is happy as well as steady. Its symbol is the bull, represented by the Roman letter A. The A is inverted, since the horns are supposed to be upward, but scholars such as Volodymyr Owarchuk hold that these horns are also “ears,” that is, ears that hear the word of God and keep it.

Tone I is primarily concerned with the Truth of God, and is alpha, and hence, a very masculine tone. Its foundation itself of sacrifice, as connected with St. Nektarios' connecting it with the Nativity, as the Godhead has emptied himself to become a frail baby, soon to be offered for sacrifice for sin. Therefore, it seems, that the basic singing procedure is to be steady, without exceptional alternations in notes (depicting the firmness of God the Father and his Word), happy and yet with a hint of worry.

Tone II

The distinction between 1 and 2 is almost universal: one is male and creative, the second, female and receptive. This is the law of nature. It is connected in Greek with the Lydian tone, one that is languid, yet hopeful, similar to the icon of the Theotokos of Tenderness or of the Perpetual Help. Tone II represents the temple, the sanctuary, the Orthodox home and the tabernacle on the altar: it is the home, where one can feel happy and secure, but also worried about the state of the world and the fate of the church. While Tone I is the world of creation and its renewal, Tone II is that of creation itself, its forms, and the Logos to be found within it. St. Nektarios and others held that this tone should be closely connected to the Theophany. The basic idea is that this tone “contains” the Truths of Christ and Orthodoxy,and should be sung with this specific idea in mind. It is slow, but hopeful and strongly devotional.

Tone III

This is the Phrygian tone, represented by the Greek Gamma and the Hebrew Gimel. This refers to the camel, the most important mode of desert transportation. Some have claimed that this tone might be arrogant, self assured and martial in its expression: it is the church triumphant, the Trinity proclaimed. This Trinity acts as a camel, bringing the starving seekers of truth through the desert. It is Christ as redeemer, it is the fulness of revelation and the correction of the fallen universe. St. Nektarios holds that this should be associated with the presentation of the Lord at the Temple. Importantly, it is also associated with the virtue of charity in that we are to make it through the desert of this world only by the sobor--the unified life of the faith.

Tone IV

The Greek delta represents the door. But it also represents a box, a prison, a box without an opening. The ancient occult tradition, knowing nothing of God, saw this as “satisfaction” with the four corners of the world and the four elements of earth, fire, air and water. It is the number of worldliness. But it is a world that needs to be overcome, the box must be broken through. This overcoming is done by Christ the Logos, and hence, it is a festive tone, almost danceable. Paganism and its ignorance has been overcome by Christ, who has overcome the world (the number four) through the camel, the Trinity that brings the church to its final destination. It is associated with Palm Sunday as well as the Transfiguration. In Hebrew, this can also be considered like a valve, a release of pressure, bring cool water to thirsty people in that the world has been overcome. But without Logos, this tone is the evil, since it represents all that is imprisoned, alienated and forgotten. Only with Christ can this number be seen in its true light, and the singing of this tone should reflect this.

Tone V

The Greek Epsilon is represented by the church as the “breath of life.” The “Christ is Risen” prayer is sung in this tone. As Tone IV is a closed box, representing the world and its lies, Tone V is the open window that brings refreshment. It is light, it is #4 transcended. It is the opening in the world where the saints can actual see the rule of the Logos. But though joyful, for this reason, it is a deeply ascetic tone.

In Hebrew, this is the letter Alef, having to do with water, and hence, baptism. The world was overcome when St. John was washed from the Jordan, showing the positive properties of water. This is the connection of God and man through the Spirit, the Holy Ghost that comes through the window that Christ punches in the prison of #4. It is highly based on the quarter note rhythm.

Tone VI

In archaic Greek, this represented by the word “stigma.” It is associated with the worship of Isis and is connected to the passions and the sexual lust that Isis worship implies. This is the natural, fallen state of man; hence, St. Nektarios holds that this is the proper tone of all Lenten services. The actual “look” of the stigma is a nail, a hook. The stigma were the nails that pierced Christ, the hooks that keep people in sin. It is the “spine” of the world, or that perversion of Logos that permits nature to become the playing of the rich and powerful, something to be manipulated. It represents technology gone wild without regard to the natural world and its true purposes; it is the dominion of magic. The singing of Tone VI is slow and painful, since, for the moment, it is our world.

But there is good hidden in these nails, these pains. God is present within it. It is a pathway, it is the wisdom of the ancients that can see purpose in pain and suffering. Lent does not exist for its own sake, but for its own nullification in the resurrection. It, for lack of a better articulation, is the wisdom of God, the Logos, still hidden in the life of the world.

Tone VII

The Greek Zeta is the grave tone. It is also sorrowful, but is closely associated with feasts of the archangel Michael and his mission. Coming out of the world of #6, this tone is the weapon, Zain in Hebrew, looking very much like a T, a sword, or the cross. It is the way of the church fighting after VI has been overcome, led by the angels. Zeta can also mean nourishment. Jesus wins the fight from “our invincible weapon” the cross, represented by the number VII. The battle is begun here, and warfare is part of the world and the Orthodox place in it.

Tet in Hebrew might be associated with the union of bride and groom, the unity of both God and man and logos and matter. Seven is light, goodness, truth. It is the slow realization of the form, the Logos, that is hidden in the material universe, the universe of power and cause and effect. It is not the elimination of matter, but reveals its true nature as the manifestation of the energies of Logos. Hence, it relies on deep, strong tones and feelings. But in Hebrew, it is also associated with woman, the Theotokos, who can point us to the meaning in the world through her son.

Tone VIII

The Greek Eta means balance and peace. It is our final resting place. It is the world of repose, the fixed universe of meaning. It is the end of time and represents the best of the church, her remnant, that will be faithful until the end of time. It represents the iconostas in orthodox churches, with what appears as matter revealing infinite meaning. It is energy in matter. In singing, it is slow, joyful, but still cognizant of the real struggles ahead for the remnant. The singing should remain steady and reach a level of spiritual joy in the sorrows of the life we lead. The sorrows of the Mother of God are seen in this Tone. One, in this case, following the Hebrew Chett, means that one can overcome the material and reach the energy, it is hence, the Eucharistic and iconic tone. It is also closely related to feasts of the cross.