Istoria unui cântec şcolar românesc compus de Macarie Ieromonahul: Cântarea dimineţii
The history of a Romanian school song composed by Macarie the Hieromonk: The Morning Song

Summary/Abstract: „Cântarea dimineţii” [‚The Morning song’] can be considered one of the most famous and beloved Romanian songs at school celebrations and other public events during the nineteenth century. Also, it stands among the most common scores found in the neo-byzantine manuscripts and musical publications. The poem was created in 1822 by Ion Heliade Rădulescu, but its first musical version was composed by Macarie the Hieromonk around 1825 on the eight mode (‚makam Nihavend’). Due to its ‚exotic’ musical background, “Cântarea diminetii” was banned in the following years by the new Russian governance and placed outside the Romanian public schools. As a result of Westernization policies, after the Organic Regulation (1831), Macarie’s version was replaced by a harmonic composition for two voices. Nevertheless, the original song was revaluated later by Anton Pann, who became first to publish the song in 1848. This paper aims to discuss the evolution of „Cântarea dimineţii” from its beginnings to the XX century, taking into consideration the esthetical variations, illustrated in some manuscripts hosted by Romanian Academy Library, as well as the historical and political context.

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