Justinian - Epic Symphony

This symphony tells the story of Eastern Roman emperor Justinian I, using the musical language of modern Greek music and its Byzantine medieval antecedents, both secular and liturgical.

The soundscape consists of a wide variety of instruments: the oud, kanun and lyras, which served as the central trinity of Eastern Roman court music in the 1000's to the end of the empire, ancient instruments going all the way back to Antiquity and still played today like the tsambouna and mandouras, and folk instruments like the tambouras family of lutes and the kaval flute of northern Greece.

The melodies are based on the compositional and performative practices of liturgical Byzantine and Old Roman Chant, regional folk music such as Cycladic, Cretan, Pontic, Thracian Greek music, etc, with the exception of passages dealing with other cultures than the Eastern Romans.

The chapter "A New Cathedral" is not my own composition and is a lyra rendition of the traditional Orthodox hymn Xristos Anesti. The chapter "Theodora's Malady" is not my own composition and is instead a 16th century Greek composition by a Greek Orthodox monk called Vatepodinos the Younger, played expertly here by Ilias Vlamakis of the Cretan Lyra Lab channel.

The lyrics are written in and pronounced using Classical Latin for convenience: it is not representative of how Latin was spoken at the time. Note that I also ignored vowel length and stress accent frequently for this symphony.

00:00 Overture : I am Justinian
08:20 My Empress
13:42 The Reforms
19:20 The Shadows Over Me
25:32 Nika
35:26 The General
40:00 A New Cathedral
44:00 Renovatio Imperii: Part I
58:54 Renovatio Imperii: Part II
1:06:12 Belisarius' Crown
1:12:24 The Weight of Dreams
1:16:00 The Two Eyes of the Earth
1:29:26 The Plague
1:34:12 The Empress Reigns
1:39:12 Theodora's Malady
1:42:00 Farewell, My Queen
1:47:30 Time
1:52:12 A General's Farewell
1:57:14 Legacy
2:00:50 Death

[faryafaraji]

This symphony tells the story of Eastern Roman emperor Justinian I, using the musical language of modern Greek music and its Byzantine medieval antecedents, both secular and liturgical.

The soundscape consists of a wide variety of instruments: the oud, kanun and lyras, which served as the central trinity of Eastern Roman court music in the 1000's to the end of the empire, ancient instruments going all the way back to Antiquity and still played today like the tsambouna and mandouras, and folk instruments like the tambouras family of lutes and the kaval flute of northern Greece.

The melodies are based on the compositional and performative practices of liturgical Byzantine and Old Roman Chant, regional folk music such as Cycladic, Cretan, Pontic, Thracian Greek music, etc, with the exception of passages dealing with other cultures than the Eastern Romans.

The chapter "A New Cathedral" is not my own composition and is a lyra rendition of the traditional Orthodox hymn Xristos Anesti. The chapter "Theodora's Malady" is not my own composition and is instead a 16th century Greek composition by a Greek Orthodox monk called Vatepodinos the Younger, played expertly here by Ilias Vlamakis of the Cretan Lyra Lab channel.

The lyrics are written in and pronounced using Classical Latin for convenience: it is not representative of how Latin was spoken at the time. Note that I also ignored vowel length and stress accent frequently for this symphony.

00:00 Overture : I am Justinian
08:20 My Empress
13:42 The Reforms
19:20 The Shadows Over Me
25:32 Nika
35:26 The General
40:00 A New Cathedral
44:00 Renovatio Imperii: Part I
58:54 Renovatio Imperii: Part II
1:06:12 Belisarius' Crown
1:12:24 The Weight of Dreams
1:16:00 The Two Eyes of the Earth
1:29:26 The Plague
1:34:12 The Empress Reigns
1:39:12 Theodora's Malady
1:42:00 Farewell, My Queen
1:47:30 Time
1:52:12 A General's Farewell
1:57:14 Legacy
2:00:50 Death

[kjk]

Justinian would have never imagined that a millenia and a half later an Iranian would compose a two-hour long symphony in his memory.

[SirFrancisVI]

>start listening
>first words are literally "the west has fallen"
>instant banger 10/10

[bill]

The Greeks have the responsibility to make series and movies about the Greek Medieval history of the Eastern Roman Empire. Hollywood isn't interested and cannot understand this culture.

[MalharBedarkar-bvtf]

The mosaic of Justinian and his retinue came in my dream just a day before my trip to italy. But, Belisarius was more clearly visible. When i visited Ravenna and went to the mosaic, my mom exclaimed and said that i look like the bearded guy with big hair. She was referring to Belisarius. I feel honoured.

[bobalexandrovich]

Homeless canadian man has cooked up 2 hours of pure gold

[gagnorhawkk]

Procopius been real quiet since this dropped

[dariogutierrez]

I would lose my mind in a Farya Faraji concert for real

[sklavinian]

And nearly two millennia later, an heir to the Sassanids composes a two-hour symphony to one of the last great Roman emperors. Axios Farya!

[glishev]

Farya, you've created the OST of a future film about Belisarius!

[shugafoo]

YOU DONT REALIZE HOW UNDERATTED YOU ARE YOUR MUSIC IS PULLING ME THROUGH COLLEGE

[rorrikiller]

Realizing Justinian born 5-6 years after Roman west fall, and he died 5 years before the birth of Muhammad :o the pure definition of late antiquity

[justinianthegreat]

A suggestion for Farya's next symphony:

The fall of Granada. That way, Farya can shed more light to Spanish and Moroccan music or the music of Al Andalus

[tomko_lep]

"Ille mihi amicvs erat, ivstvs et fidelis" nearly made me cry

[vkvkvknfs]

Lyrics:

# I am Justinian
Occidentalis cecidit
Italia flet
Patria cecidit
Urbs aeterna fracta est

Occidens resurget
Italia resurget
Patria resurget
Urbs aeterna resurget

Unus est Deus
Unus est Imperium
Filius Romuli sum
Spes Aeneae sum
Augusti successor sum
Imperator Romae sum
Justinianus sum

# The Reforms

Novae ignes accendi debent
Renovatio venire debet
Dominus decem praecepta mosi dedit
Patres nostri nobis duodecim tabulas dederunt

Dominus decem praecepta mosi dedit
Patres nostri nobis duodecim tabulas dederunt
Leges novas Imperio meo dabo
Duodecim tabulae rescribentur
Novae leges in ignibus sapienriae conflabuntur
Et leges Romae terram regent

Dominus decem praecepta mosi dedit
Patres nostri nobis duodecim tabulas dederunt
Leges novas Imperio meo dabo
Duodecim tabulae rescribentur
Novae leges in ignibus sapienriae conflabuntur
Et leges Romae terram regent

Πάτερ ημών ό εν τοίς ουρανοίς
Κύριε ελέησον
*Αμήν*
ελθέτω η βασιλεία σου
Κύριε ελέησον
Αμήν

# The Shadows over me

*Aut Caesar aut nihil,
Hic abundant leones,
Hic sunt leones,
Iacta alea est!
Aut Caesar aut nihil,
Hic abundant leones,
Hic sunt leones,
Alea iacta est!*

Κοιτάζω τον ουρανό. Μακριά, μακριά, λάμπουν.
Τ' αστέρια του ουρανού, Νύχτα, βασιλεύεισ.
Ξημέρωσε, σε καλώ. Κύριε, δείξε έλεος.
Δώσε μας φως, βασιλιά. Δώσε μου τη μοίρα μου.
Είμαι ο Ιουστινιανός. Βασιλιάς των Ρωμαίων.
Είμαστε οι γιοι του Καπιτωλίου λύκου!
Είμαι ο Ιουστινιανός. Βασιλιάς των Ρωμαίων.
Είμαστε οι γιοι του Καπιτωλίου λύκου!

Κοιτάζω τον ουρανό. Μακριά, μακριά, λάμπουν.
Τ' αστέρια του ουρανού, Νύχτα, βασιλεύεισ.
Ξημέρωσε, σε καλώ. Κύριε, δείξε έλεος.
Δώσε μας φως, βασιλιά. Δώσε μου τη μοίρα μου.
Είμαι ο Ιουστινιανός. Βασιλιάς των Ρωμαίων.
Είμαστε οι γιοι του Καπιτωλίου λύκου!
Είμαι ο Ιουστινιανός. Βασιλιάς των Ρωμαίων.
Είμαστε οι γιοι του Καπιτωλίου λύκου!

# Nika

*Nίκη, νίκη, νίκη...*

Vade traditores, rebelles, insurgentes!
ο βασιλιάς με κάλεσε
Imperator supremus est!
Virides et Caeruleu sanguine rubri factae sunt
Gladius Romae imperii sum
Belisarius!

Vade traditores, rebelles, insurgentes!
ο βασιλιάς με κάλεσε
Imperator supremus est!
Virides et Caeruleu sanguine rubri factae sunt
Gladius Romae imperii sum
Belisarius! *Belisarius!*

# The General
Declaro, fidus, bonus fortis est
θα είσαι ο στρατηγός μου
το σπαθί των Ρωμαίων
Declaro, fidus, bonus fortis est
θα είσαι ο στρατηγός μου
το σπαθί των Ρωμαίων

Imperator Romae sum, Justinianus sum
Gladius Romae imperii es Belisarius
Imperator Romae sum, Justinianus sum
Gladius Romae imperii es Belisarius

Declaro, fidus, bonus fortis est
θα είσαι ο στρατηγός μου
το σπαθί των Ρωμαίων
Imperator Romae sum, Justinianus sum
Gladius Romae imperii es Belisarius

# Renovatio Imperii: Part I
*Occidens resurget
Italia resurget
Patria resurget
Urbs aeterna resurget*

Tenebrae occidunt occidentem.
Lux Romae ibi rursus splendeat.
Tenebrae occidunt occidentem.
Lux Romae ibi rursus splendeat.
Dico vade vince, Belisarie!
*Gladius Romae Imperi sum. Ubi'st nostrum imperium?
Ne plora, mater Roma, denuo florebis,
Civis Romanus sum, sed sine imperio sum
Sanguine barbarorum, renata erit Roma!*

Quod amisimus rursus nostrum erit.
Hibernum hoc cito finietur.
Tempus veris advenit.
Dico vade vince, Belisarie!

και οι βάνδαλοι τραγουδούν:
𐍃𐌴𐌹! 𐌹𐌵𐍃𐍄𐌹𐌽𐌹𐌰𐌽𐌵𐍃! 𐍃𐌰 𐌹𐍃𐍄 𐍄𐌴𐌵𐌳𐌰𐌽, 𐍄𐌴𐌵𐌳𐌰𐌽𐌹!
𐍃𐌴𐌹! 𐌹𐌵𐍃𐍄𐌹𐌽𐌹𐌰𐌽𐌵𐍃! 𐍃𐌰 𐌹𐍃𐍄 𐍄𐌴𐌵𐌳𐌰𐌽, 𐍄𐌴𐌵𐌳𐌰𐌽𐌹!

*Gladius Romae Imperi sum. Ubi'st nostrum imperium?
Ne plora, mater Roma, denuo florebis,
Civis Romanus sum, sed sine imperio sum
Sanguine barbarorum, renata erit Roma!*

𐌰𐍄𐍄𐌰 𐌷𐌽𐍃𐌰𐍂, 𐌸𐌷 𐌹𐌽 𐌷𐌹𐌼𐌹𐌽𐌰𐌼,
𐍅𐌴𐌹𐌷𐌽𐌰𐌹 𐌽𐌰𐌼𐍉 𐌸𐌴𐌹𐌽,
𐌵𐌹𐌼𐌰𐌹 𐌸𐌹𐌷𐌰𐍃𐍃𐌷𐍃 𐌸𐌴𐌹𐌽𐍃,
𐍅𐌰𐌹𐍂𐌸𐌰𐌹 𐍅𐌹𐌻𐌾𐌰 𐌸𐌴𐌹𐌽,
𐍃𐍅𐌴 𐌹𐌽 𐌷𐌹𐌼𐌹𐌽𐌰 𐌾𐌰𐌷 𐌰𐌽𐌰 𐌰𐌹𐍂𐌸𐌰𐌹
𐌰𐍄𐍄𐌰 𐌷𐌽𐍃𐌰𐍂, 𐌸𐌷 𐌹𐌽 𐌷𐌹𐌼𐌹𐌽𐌰𐌼,
𐍅𐌴𐌹𐌷𐌽𐌰𐌹 𐌽𐌰𐌼𐍉 𐌸𐌴𐌹𐌽,
𐌵𐌹𐌼𐌰𐌹 𐌸𐌹𐌷𐌰𐍃𐍃𐌷𐍃 𐌸𐌴𐌹𐌽𐍃,
𐍅𐌰𐌹𐍂𐌸𐌰𐌹 𐍅𐌹𐌻𐌾𐌰 𐌸𐌴𐌹𐌽,
𐍃𐍅𐌴 𐌹𐌽 𐌷𐌹𐌼𐌹𐌽𐌰 𐌾𐌰𐌷 𐌰𐌽𐌰 𐌰𐌹𐍂𐌸𐌰𐌹

Gladius Romae es, Belisarie, ibis, videbis, vinces.
*Dico vade vince, Belisarie!*

O Caesar, o Traiane, o Hadriane, cantate nobis, maiores.
*Dico vade vince, Belisarie!*

# Renovatio Imperii: Part II

*Changed greek version of sons of Mars. I can't write it down. Maybe someone can help?*

*Ողջոյն քեզ Մարիամ, լի շնորհօք,
Տէր ընդ քեզ
Տէր ընդ քեզ
Տէր ընդ քեզ
Օրհնեալ ես դու ի կանայս,
եւ օրհնեալ է պտուղ որոկայնի քոյ, Յիսուս:
Սըրբուհի Մարիամ, մայր Աստուծոյ,
բարեխօսեա վասն մեր մեղաւորացս,
այժըմ եւ ի ժամու մահուան մերոյ.
ամէն.*

*Belisarius, Narses and Justinian theme together*

# Belisarius' Crown
*𐌰𐍄𐍄𐌰 𐌷𐌽𐍃𐌰𐍂, 𐌸𐌷 𐌹𐌽 𐌷𐌹𐌼𐌹𐌽𐌰𐌼,
𐌰𐍄𐍄𐌰 𐌷𐌽𐍃𐌰𐍂, 𐌸𐌷 𐌹𐌽 𐌷𐌹𐌼𐌹𐌽𐌰𐌼,
𐍅𐌴𐌹𐌷𐌽𐌰𐌹 𐌽𐌰𐌼𐍉 𐌸𐌴𐌹𐌽,
𐍅𐌴𐌹𐌷𐌽𐌰𐌹 𐌽𐌰𐌼𐍉 𐌸𐌴𐌹𐌽,
𐌵𐌹𐌼𐌰𐌹 𐌸𐌹𐌷𐌰𐍃𐍃𐌷𐍃 𐌸𐌴𐌹𐌽𐍃,
𐍅𐌰𐌹𐍂𐌸𐌰𐌹 𐍅𐌹𐌻𐌾𐌰 𐌸𐌴𐌹𐌽,
𐍃𐍅𐌴 𐌹𐌽 𐌷𐌹𐌼𐌹𐌽𐌰 𐌾𐌰𐌷 𐌰𐌽𐌰 𐌰𐌹𐍂𐌸𐌰𐌹.*
𐍅𐌰𐌹𐌻𐌰 𐌰𐌽𐌳𐌰𐌽𐌴𐌼𐍃 𐌷𐌰𐌹𐌻𐍃
𐍅𐌰𐌹𐌻𐌰 𐌰𐌽𐌳𐌰𐌽𐌴𐌼𐍃 𐌷𐌰𐌹𐌻𐍃
𐍅𐌰𐌹𐌻𐌰 𐌰𐌽𐌳𐌰𐌽𐌴𐌼𐍃 𐌷𐌰𐌹𐌻𐍃
*𐌷𐌰𐌹𐌻𐍃*
Belisarius reiks! - Accepto
*𐌷𐌰𐌹𐌻𐍃*
Belisarius reiks! - Ego sum Belisarius. Imperator Italiae!
*𐌷𐌰𐌹𐌻𐍃*

Vade barbarii, rebelles, insurgentes!
παλεύω για τον βασιλιά
Imperator supremus est!
Vade barbarii, rebelles, insurgentes!
παλεύω για τον βασιλιά
Imperator supremus est!

Από την Ιταλία άκουσα αυτά τα λόγια:
Waila andanems, Belisarius reiks
Από την Ιταλία άκουσα αυτά τα λόγια:
Waila andanems, Belisarius reiks

Fallacia fuit Caesar
μέσα στην καρδιά μου. παλεύω για σένα
Caesar, gladius tuum sum
Fallacia fuit Caesar
μέσα στην καρδιά μου. παλεύω για σένα
Caesar, gladius tuum sum
Είναι μάντη η καρδιά σου, ambitiosus es?
Amicus aut traditor es Belisarie?
Είναι μάντη η καρδιά σου, ambitiosus es?
Amicus aut traditor es Belisarie?
Fallacia fuit Caesar
*μέσα στην καρδιά μου. παλεύω για σένα
Caesar, gladius tuum sum
Fallacia fuit Caesar*

# The Two Eyes of the Earth
It was written that, after the dead of Kavadh
Khosrow was Shah
Shas of Iranians ans non Iranians

Hail to you, Khosrow
Glorious and victorious
Eyes and head of Iran
Shadow of Ahura Mazda
Eyes and head of Iran
Immortal soul

# A General's Farewell
Gladius Romae, imperii fuit, hoccine ambitiosi erat?
Ille mihi amicus erat, justus et fidelis
*Gladius Romae, imperii fuit, hoccine ambitiosi erat?
Ille mihi amicus erat, justus et fidelis*

*Gladius Romae, imperii fuit, hoccine ambitiosi erat?
Ille mihi amicus erat, justus et fidelis*
*Gladius Romae, imperii fuit, hoccine ambitiosi erat?
Ille mihi amicus erat, justus et fidelis*

*Dico vade vince, Belisarie!*

# Legacy
*Imperator Romae sum
Justinianus sum*
*Part of changed greek version of sons of Mars. I can't write it down*
*Ողջոյն քեզ Մարիամ, լի շնորհօք,
Տէր ընդ քեզ
Տէր ընդ քեզ
Տէր ընդ քեզ
Օրհնեալ ես դու ի կանայս,
եւ օրհնեալ է պտուղ որոկայնի քոյ, Յիսուս:
Սըրբուհի Մարիամ, մայր Աստուծոյ,
բարեխօսեա վասն մեր մեղաւորացս,
այժըմ եւ ի ժամու մահուան մերոյ.
ամէն.
Gladius Romae Imperi sum. Ubi'st nostrum imperium?
Ne plora, mater Roma, denuo florebis,
Civis Romanus sum, sed sine imperio sum
Sanguine barbarorum, renata erit Roma!*

Κοιτάζω τον ουρανό. Μακριά, μακριά, λάμπουν.
Τ' αστέρια τον ουρανού
Trajanus, Augustus, Caesar, Romulus
Et nunc requiesco illic


This was hard to write, but I did it. If someone need - please take it

[gabrielantunesmusic]

Being remembered 1 millenium and a half after for his life and legacy must be a honor and a privilege. I'm pretty sure Justinian would feel deeply grateful and honored for this marvelous homage.

[jonathanakesson]

Hearing the Ceasar theme in ''The Shadows over Me'' gave me the same feeling as hearing Vaders theme over Luke.

[fuferito]

I still remember the great John Romer quoting Justinian in the BBC documentary, _Byzantium: The Lost Empire._
Upon entering the space of the newly built Hagia Sophia, the wonder _he_ commissioned, the Basileos said,
_"Solomon, I have surpassed you."_

[maksimovicdushan]

Belisarius part of Nika slaps harder than my dads belt, the part is so good that deserves a separate video. Love to Iranian God of music.

[PowerTraining]

Dopamine release
Chocolate: 50%
Sex: 100%
Amphetamine: 1000%
Notification of FaryaFaraji uploading a symphony: