Yared

Much of Yared's life is broadly accounted in the medieval hagiography The Gadla Yared (Acts of Yared), whose composition was recovered in the 16th century.^[6] Saint Yared was born on 25 April 505 in Axum from his father Abyud (Isaac) and his mother Christina (Tawklia). At the age of six, his parent sent him to a teacher named Yishaq. Under his instruction, St. Yared completed the alphabet and Psalms. Upon his father death, Tauklia troubled to raise him and left him to his uncle Abba Gedeon, who was a parish priest. Gedeon was a teacher of Old and New Testament at Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion. Yared began translating Holy Scriptures into Ge'ez from Hebrew and Greek. At that time, Yared was in poor education and unable to memorize and read Holy Scriptures, which led him severe punishments and mockery at school. He dropped out and fled to his uncle birthplace in Murade Qal. Accompanied by heavy rain, he rest to large tree.

Yared saw a worm trying to climb the tree several times. He repented and returned to his teacher, replying "Forgive me, O father, and dispose of me as you wish". The teacher received him; he was able to understand Books of the Old and the New Testaments in one day. Yared then ordained as deacon. When Yared was 14, Abba Gedeon died, so Yared took his mastering position.

At the age of nine, Yared ordained as the chief priest at the Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion, where he developed the first hymn titled "Ariam". He taught of musical notations and alphabets.

Yared was enticed by Aksumite king Gebre Meskel, which led musical prominence, composing Zema, or chant. Following musical success, he asked the king to live in ascetics, saying:

Promise to grant me...allow me to retire from my work in the court and to live among the people so that I may devote the rest of my life teaching, to meditation and to prayer.

The king allowed his request and Yared travelled to Semien Mountains.^[7] He developed the Book of Deggua, (De'guaa) in Geʽez, which means "lamentations". Deggua divides into three chanting modes: Geʽez, Ezel, Araray. Geʽez relies a plain chant for ordinary days, Ezel is increased measured beat for funerals and Araray is a free mode, light beats for festivals. The highest part of Deggua is Mahlet St. Yared (hymn of St. Yared). Those three chants represent the Trinity.

Yared also composed ten tones with notations, unlike the European modes consisting of six notes. Yared then developed their arrangements called "Seraye", which signifies hymnary guidelines. The glyphs of notations consist of dashes, dots and curves. Tsome Deggua is written for Lent, Me'eraf is sung for Sabbath vigils, Zimare is for Holy Communion, Mewasit is for funerals, requiems and Eastern Eve and Quidase is for Communion. These books took nine years to complete.

Yared also played pivotal role in church building. For instance, he consecrated churches in Debre Damo that were founded by Abuna Aregawi. Yared also taught students at Tana Qirqos in Lake Tana.^[8]

Yared also established churches in Gojjam, Begemder (today: Gondar), and Tigray. He went to Gayint and built a church called Saint Mariam at Zur Amba. The foundation is said to be as a result of "God's guide" and this location was named Zur Amba after "appearance of God to Aragawi". The account was written about God's appearance and guidance to Aragawi in Geʽez: "Zur Abba Mengale Misraq...." which means "...Abba, turn to the east; you will find the way to the hill."^[9]

On the coronation of Gebre Meskel, Yared placed a wreath of flowers to crown on him. The event is found in Deggua.

St. Yared died at the age of 66 on 20 May 571 in a cave of Semien Mountains. He had been travelling to teach.^[8]

19 May is conceived as his feast day and the Orthodox Tewahedo Church venerate in commemoration of his death.^[10]

Little known of the life of St. Yared outside the traditional account. St. Yared thought to gather his pupils to teach his musical system after asceticism in monastic life. He has been said to bequeath musical heir where the practice also revolutionised "a genealogy of masters from St. Yared in the 6th-century to Aleqa Mersha in the 20th-century". St. Yared's chant and voice are revered as powerful; his performance on liturgical music outstrips into secular domain, where "the remark [is] often made of a good singer; his voice makes one cry."^[11] His work has been contested to controversy by religious and secular discourse. Secular teaching argued that St. Yared is the base and father of secular music. The outlook of "secular music" is strongly objected to by the Orthodox Church. Other challenges are spiritual songs in audio and audiovisual form are possible without an original hymn. Without proper knowledge, some musicians prepare religious music and some singers take to secular form. The most contentious is the use of church treasures such as drum, sistrum, clothes and sticks currently used by Protestant followers. Some of St. Yared's songs like "Yekome Were", "Yetegulet Digua", "Yeankober Wereb", Yewashera Qine", Yeachabr Wereb", "Yeselelkula Kidase", "Ye Aba Giorgis" and "Ze Gasicha Seatat" are becoming obsolete or few scholars have no students.^[12]

• Ethiopian chant