Analysis of Contribution of Acoustic Resonators Found in Serbian Orthodox Churches

Abstract

A study of a number of Serbian Orthodox medieval churches, during their reconstruction or archeological investigation, revealed the presence of acoustical resonators. This paper offers a review of the resonators discovered to date. In addition, laboratory experiments were conducted on several resonators removed from churches in order to clarify their function. Based on the relevant literature, laboratory experiments, and analyses of acoustical characteristics of the worship spaces where resonators were found, it is concluded that the resonators found in medieval Serbian churches have not contributed to their acoustic quality. There are three reasons why the resonators were not effective. They were installed in very small churches where the additional absorption is not significant, their resonant frequencies were too low in relation to the frequency content of Serbian Orthodox worship service, and lastly, in some cases there were too few resonators to achieve audible changes in acoustic response of the church.

Acoustic vessels as an expression of medieval music tradition in Serbian sacred architecture

“…The first acoustic research into the medieval ceramic vessels of Serbia, based on the calculations of acoustic parameters on available drawings of the vessels, were published in 1984 for two acoustic vessels found in the church of the village of Komarane from the 14 th century (Kalić 1984). Laboratory measurements on the same vessels (Mijić & Šumarac Pavlović 2004) showed significantly lower resonant frequencies (124 Hz and 131 Hz) compared to Kalić's calculations (166 Hz). The divergence is on account of the thickness of the final layer of mortar, which was not part of Kalić calculations but was added to the opening of the resonator in the laboratory measurements in order to simulate the original state of the inbuilt resonator.…”

“…Therefore, today is only possible to conduct acoustic measurements on those vessels in the laboratory or build corresponding three-dimensional models of the vessels and the entire space and thus examine acoustics through virtual acoustic simulation. The only acoustic study on acoustic vessels from medieval Serbia, based on the laboratory measurements of a single artifact, showed that the vessel was tuned to low frequencies (Mijić & Šumarac-Pavlović 2004), on which the absorption of usually wooden furniture (iconostasis, icon stands, pulpit, etc.) is less effective (Valière et al 2013: 78).…”

“…Because of the complexity of archaeoacoustic questions, it is necessary to develop a holistic approach and team research, which brings together archaeologists, acousticians, architects, musicologists, linguists, etc. Those different disciplines arrived at valuable conclusions concerning the history of the acoustics of sacred spaces in Europe (Baumann 1990;Arns & Crawford 1995;Carvalho et al 2002;Desarnaulds 2002;Cirillo & Martellotta 2007;Zamarreño et al 2008;Martellotta et al 2008;Howard & Moretti 2009;Navarro et al 2009;Crunelle 2009;Suarez et al 2013Suarez et al , 2015Elicio & Martellotta 2015;Alvarez-Morales & Martellotta 2015), and also in Serbia (Mijić 2000;Mijić & Šumarac Pavlović 2004;Пено 2008;Đorđević 2016;Đorđević et al 2016).…”

“…Over the last several decades, research into acoustic vessels has drawn the attention of acousticians. There are two acoustic approaches amongst published multidisciplinary archaeoacoustic studies: (1) laboratory analysis of acoustic vessels (Carvalho et al 2002;Mijić & Šumarac-Pavlović 2004), and (2) in situ acoustic measurements on the localities where acoustic vessels are still in the original positions (Arns & Crawford 1995;Desarnaulds et. al.…”

“…In this census, the author concluded that vessels were found in the architectural monuments erected throughout the Middle Ages 8 (Ненадовић 1960). Researchers have dealt sporadically with the subject up to the present day, remaining within the frame of their own research disciplines (Бајаловић Хаџи-Пешић 1981; Чанак-Медић 2006; Mijić & Šumarac Pavlović 2004). The exception was the multidisciplinary approach taken in research into acoustic vessels found in the monastery Davidovica (Булић & Црнчевић 2010).…”