Yared -- Ethiopia

Saint Yared was born in Axum, Ethiopia on 25 April 505, he was a composer, scholar, and pioneer of musical notation.  He is responsible for creating the Zema or the chant tradition of Ethiopia, particularly the chants of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, which are still performed today.  He is regarded as a saint of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church with a feast day of 11 Genbot (May 19).

Yared was born to his father Abyud (Isaac) and his mother Christina (Tawklia), his father died when he was seven, and his mother sent him to be raised by his uncle Gidewon, a priest who taught religious studies.  His experience observing nature inspired him to maintain focus with his studies of the Holy Scriptures.

Yared gained musical insight and talent through interaction with three birds, which inspired him to link the spiritual with the musical through the blending of musical terms, which he defined as Ge’ez, Izil, and Ararary.  Yared arranged and composed hymns connected to religious celebrations and holidays.  

Introducing the concept of sacred music to the Ethiopian Orthodox services. He organised these compositions into three modes (displaced major scales) reflecting the Holy Trinity. 

In his composition “Deggua Yared” he created ten musical tones with notation.  He created five volumes of chants for church services and celebrations.  These volumes include The Book of Digua and Tsome Digua (for church holidays and Sundays services), The Book of Meraf (for major holidays, daily prayers and the month of fasting), The Book of Zimare (to be performed after Mass), The Book of Mewasit (chants to the dead).

Tradition states that Yared was a favorite of the Emperor Gabra Masqal, Yared's musical notation was developed centuries before the European seven-letter based system, although there is some evidence of notation in ancient Mesopotamia.  With Yared’s three mode compositions, he formed the following ten notes: Yizet, Deret, Rikrik, Difat, Cheret, Qenat, Hidet, Qurt, Dirs, and Anbir.  His composition consisted of dashes, curves, and dots each having a particular meaning.

According to legend, the emperor once became so enchanted with Yared's singing that he accidentally dropped his spear on Yared's foot during a performance.  As an apology, the emperor offered to grant Yared a promised request.  Yared supposedly requested to live the remainder of his life in solitude, where he could focus on prayer, meditation, and music composition, he spent his final years as a recluse in the Semien Mountains. All of Yared’s innovations were developed through a combination of formal study and experiences he had with nature. His work expressed a form of musical syncretism. Although not well known outside of Ethiopia, Yared was a major innovator in the development of medieval music, he died aged of 66.