One of the primary and most important objectives in the study of Armenian sacred chant is the comprehensive study of the Ut‘jayn system (the Armenian Eight-mode), including a detailed analysis of the modal structures of sharakans, their scales, functional degrees, characteristic melodic patterns, and the features of intonational development. A comprehensive study of this issue implies its examination within the framework of each chant tradition of Armenian sacred music, followed by comparative analysis. Such large-scale studies in the field of modal analysis may have considerable significance for the interpretation of khaz notation and are directed toward the development of methodological principles for the modal system of Ut‘jayn in Armenian sacred chant, based on the established theoretical tradition of Armenian musicology.

KeywordsArmenian Eight-mode system (Ut‘jayn) mode scale system functional degrees characteristic melodic patterns musical style sharakan comparative analysis research methodology