Resumen de Hagia Sophia and multisensory aesthetics
Focusing on the sixth-century interior of the church of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople, this article explores the way marble and gold appear and their psychological effect on the spectator as recorded in Byzantine ekphrasis and liturgical texts. In turn, this optical shimmer, in Greek, marmarygma, ij linked to the acoustic properties of marble, especially its capacity to reflect sound waves. The meaning of the optical and acoustic reflection is related to the Eucharistie rite and, more specifically, to the concept of animation, empsychosis. The exploration of acoustics is further deepened by the use of the sound of exploding balloons and modern digital technology to measure the reverberation time of the interior and to generate with its aid computer auralizations of Byzantine chant, recorded anechoically (with minimal room acoustics). Combining literary analysis, philological inquiry, and scientific research, this study uncovers the multisensory aesthetics of Hagia Sophia and recuperates the notion of aural architecture.
