Armenian music

The Armenian music has its origins in the Armenian highlands , where traditionally folk songs sang. The far-reaching musical tradition of Armenia was first collected and further developed in the late 19th century to the early 20th century by Komitas Vardapet , an important priest and musicologist. Armenian music was represented internationally mainly by the composers Aram Chatschaturjan , Alexander Arutjunjan , Arno Babadschanjan and Karen Kavaleryan , as well as by pop singers and artists such as Jiwan Gasparjan , Ara Gevorgyan , Sirusho , Eva Rivas and many others.

The tetrachords are connected by common tones and the additional whole tones are added above or below.

melody

The traditional Armenian folk music as well as the Armenian church music are not based on the European tonal system , but on a system of tetrachords . The last note of a tetrachord also serves as the first note of the next tetrachord, so many Armenian folk songs are more or less based on a theoretically endless scale.

Folk music

Armenian folk musicians

Sound of an Armenian duduk

Traditional Armenian folk music goes back to ancient times . Under Soviet leadership, Armenian folk music was taught at state-funded music schools. Instruments that were played were the kemençe , the kanun , the short cylinder drum dhol (the same name as the North Indian barrel drum dhol , but similar to the Georgian doli ), the oud , the duduk , the zurna , the blul , the shvi (recorder) and rarely saz . Other instruments such as the violin or the clarinet were also frequently used. The duduk is the Armenian national instrument with numerous well-known duduk players, such as Margar Margarian , Levon Madoyan , Saro Danielian , Vatche Hovsepian , Gevorg Dabaghyan and Yeghish Manoukian , as well as Armenia's most famous duduk player Djivan Gasparyan .

In early Armenian history, instruments such as the kamantsche were often played by famous traveling musicians, the aşık . Sayat Nova , an aşık of the 18th century, was venerated in Armenia. Artists such as Armenak Shahmuradian, Vagharshak Sahakian, Norayr Mnatsakanyan, Hovhannes Badalyan, Hayrik Muradyan, Raffi Hovhannisyan, Avak Petrosyan, Papin Poghosian and Hamlet Gevorgyan were also famous in Armenia and are still celebrated to this day. The most notable singers of traditional Armenian folk music were Araksia Gyulzadyan, Ophelia Hambardzumyan , Varduhi Khachatrian , Valya Samvelyan, Rima Saribekyan, Susanna Safarian, Manik Grigoryan and Flora Martirosian .

Armenian emigrants from parts of the Middle East settled in several countries, particularly in California's long valley in the USA. The second and third generations kept traditional folk music alive, including the famous oud player Richard Hagopian . Another oud player, John Berberian , is known for blending traditional folk music with 1960s jazz and rock. Syrian singers such as George Tutunjian and Karnig Sarkissian , as well as Lebanese singers, performed Armenian revolutionary songs together, which quickly gained notoriety in the Armenian diaspora , especially among ARF supporters . A representative of the Armenian diaspora in Tehran was Nikol Galanderian and the Goghtan Choir. Around 1900, most of Iran's musical instrument manufacturers (especially Shiraz and Isfahan) came from Armenia. The famous Armenian bard Sayat Nova also worked at the Persian court of Karim Khan in Shiraz , where he sang in the Armenian, Turkish, Persian and Georgian languages.

Other Armenian musicians are Ara Topouzian , who plays on the kanun , and VANArmenya, who sings folk and children's songs as well as patriotic songs. He plays keyboards and supports the music of Grikor Mirzaian.

There are several ensembles from Armenia, for example the Shoghaken Folk Ensemble , which was founded in Yerevan in 1995 and has achieved worldwide fame, or the Arev Armenian Folk Ensemble .

Ruben Hakobyan (Ruben Sasuntsi) is a well-known Armenian ethnographic and patriotic folk singer who is nationally recognized for his devotion to Armenian folk music and exceptional talent.

Classical music

Classical Armenian composers are e.g. B. Tatyos Efendi , one of the most famous composers of Turkish art music , Aleksandr Spendiarjan (1871–1928), Armen Tigranjan (1879–1950) and Haro Stepanjan . The last three composers are known for their Armenian operas. Sargis Barchudarjan (1887–1973) and Garo Zakarian (1895–1967) were representative composers before and after the establishment of the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic until its early years. The most famous composer at the time, however, was Aram Chatschaturjan (1903-1978), who was internationally known for his ballets, especially for the saber dance , a movement from his ballet Gayaneh . Other well-known composers at the time were Gevorg Armenyan (1920–2005), Anahit Zizikjan (1926–1999), Arno Babadschanjan (1921–1983), Barseg Kanatchian (1885–1967), Eduard Mirsojan (1921–2012), Boris Parsadanjan ( 1925–1997), Aschot Sohrabjan (1945–) and Aram Satian (Satyan) (1947–). Iosif Andriasov's music and ethics made him one of the most important figures in contemporary culture.

Alexander Arutjunjan (1920–2012) is known for his trumpet concerto in A flat major . Alexander Dolukhanian (1910–1968) composed numerous Armenian songs, including the song Swallow . Aleksandr Ajemjan (1925–1987), Ashot Satian (1906–1958) and Vagarshak Kotoyan (1921–1992) are known for their contributions to Armenian chant and vocal music. Eduard Abramian (1923–1986) wrote songs about the poems of Armenian poets such as Howhannes Tumanjan and Avetik Issahakjan , which are now part of the standard repertoire. Artemi Ajwasjan (1902–1975) wrote the first Soviet musical comedies , including the famous comedy Dentist from the Orient . In the past few years, Avet Terterjan (1929–1994), Tigran Mansurjan (1939–), Wache Sharafjan (1966–) and Aram Petrosyan (1972–) have achieved international fame. Another notable classical composer is Khachatur Avetisyan (1926–1996), where many of his compositions are based on traditional folklore themes. The Armenian-Uruguayan composer Coriún Aharonián (1940-2017) has done extensive musicological and political work in addition to his numerous avant-garde compositions . The Armenian nationalist composer Alexander Kaloian (1962–) is known for his nationalist compositions for the military band and orchestra, including marches, symphonic poems, and symphonies.

Many other Armenian singers have gained international recognition in Armenian music, including: B. the sopranos Gohar Gasparyan , Sona Ghazarian , Arpine Pehlivanian, Lucine Amara, Cathy Berberian , Isabel Bayrakdarian and Anna Kasyan; the tenorists Tigran Levonyan, Gegham Grigoryan and Vahan Mirakyan; the bassists Ara Berberian and Henrik Alaverdian and the bass-baritoneist Barsegh Toumanian. In the Armenian diaspora, Armenian musicians such as the pianist Şahan Arzruni, the violinist Levon Chilingirian and the composer Alan Hovhaness enjoyed international fame.

The American-Armenian composer John Hodian created the song Songs of Exile , which is based on poems by the medieval Armenian painter, poet and priest Mkrtich Naghash. The music ensemble The Naghash Ensemble , consisting of three singers and the instruments duduk , oud , dhol and piano, has been on international tour since 2014. The Bayerischer Rundfunk BR-Klassik described the music as a hybrid of “classical music, jazz, folk and post-minimalism ”.

Scott Giles (1965–) is an American Armenian who is known for his many symphonies and concerts. The Armenian-Canadian composer Vahram Sargsyan represents the younger generation of contemporary Armenian music, best known for his choral works.

Religious music

Armenian church music is largely vocal. The Armenian chant, composed in one of the eight ancient church modes, is one of the most popular types of religious music in Armenia. The chorale is written in khaz , a type of Armenian musical notation . Many of these chorales are of ancient origin, going back well into the pre-Christian era. Other chorales are of relatively modern origin, including the various compositions by Saint Mesrop Mashtots , who reintroduced the Armenian alphabet . Some of the best singers of Armenian chants (or sharakans ) reside in the Echmiadzin Cathedral , including former soprano Lussine Sakaryan .

Armenian music remained liturgical until Komitas Vardapet introduced polyphony at the end of the 19th century . In addition to his contributions to religious music, Komitas is occasionally considered the founder of modern Armenian classical music. From 1899 to 1910 he traveled through the Armenian highlands and collected more than 3,000 folk songs, many of which melodies were harmonized and converted into art songs . At the beginning of the 20th century, the organ was introduced at some church services based on the Western model , otherwise the hand cymbals tsntsgha , struck in pairs, have been used as the only accompanying instruments since ancient times .

The American composer Daniel Decker has received critical acclaim for his collaboration with the Armenian composer Ara Gevorgyan. The song Noah's Prayer (originally Mush ) told the journey of Noah to Ararat . Noah's Prayer made his debut in Armavir , Armenia in 2002 to celebrate Armenian Independence Day in the presence of former Armenian President Robert Kocharyan and Patriarch Karekin II Nersissian . The second collab album called Adana told the story of the Armenian genocide . Cross Rhythms , Europe's leading religious magazine and web portal reports on Adana that “rarely has a catastrophe of untold suffering produced such a magnificent work of art”.

jazz

The first jazz band in Yerevan was founded in 1936 by the composer and trumpeter Tsolak Vardazaryan. In 1938 the composer Artemi Ajwasjan founded the Armenian State Jazz Orchestra , the first in the Soviet Union. The first drummer of this orchestra, Robert Yolchyan, became an important exponent of Soviet and Armenian jazz music. Over time, he developed his own style and held masterclasses until his death in the early 2000s.

Other jazz bands have been formed in the Nairi Cinema (movie theater), Yerevan Park of Communars (public park) and other places. In 1954 Konstantin Orbelyan organized an Estrada quintet for the radio station Public Radio of Armenia (Armenian Հայաստանի Հանրային Ռադիո). In 1966, the young composer Martin Vardazaryan founded the Estrada Orchestra, which was renamed the Estrada Symphony Orchestra in the 1979s under the direction of Melik Mavisakalyan and Yervand Yerznkyan. Subsequently, Stepan Shakaryan founded a radio station run by a jazz sextet and where jazz trios were founded by David Azaryan and Artashes Kartalyan. One of the radio station's products is the jazz trio consisting of jazz pianist Levon Malkhasian (Malkhas), Armen Toutounjyan (Chico) and Arthur Abrahamyan. In 1998 Levon Malkhasian became one of the initiators of the Yerevan International Jazz Festival .

Arto Tunçboyacıyan is a well-known Turkish musician of Armenian descent who currently owns his own jazz club in Yerevan. He is the founder of the Armenian Navy Band .

In 2009 Garik Saribekyan founded his band Nuance Jazz Band , which produces ethnic jazz . Leading modern jazz musicians include conductor and pianist Armen Martirosyan, pianist Vahagn Hayrapetyan (Petian), Vardan Ovsepian , Tigran Hamasyan and saxophonist Armen Hyusnunts.

Popular music

pop music

Famous producers of traditional Armenian songs include, for example, Rouben Matevosian, Ophelia Hambardzumyan, Varduhi Khachatrian and Papin Poghosian. In pop music, Suzan Yakar and Udi Hrant Kenkulian were famous cabaret singers in Turkey in the 1920s and 1930s . Other female singers who represented popular music were Bella Darbinyan, Raisa Mkrtchyan, and other contemporary singers such as Elvina Makaryan, Erna Yuzbashian, Nadezhda Sargsian, Zara Tonikyan, Suzan Margaryan and Tatevik Hovhannisyan. Among the male Armenian pop artists, for example, B. Ruben Hachwerdjan as well as those in the Armenian diaspora such as Adiss Harmandian , Paul Baghdadlian and Maxim Panossian.

Rabiz

Rabiz (Armenian Ռաբիս or Ռաբիզ , Russian рабис ) is a musical style made up of Armenian pop music and elements of Armenian folk music. Rabiz singers are, with a few exceptions, male. Rabiz is characterized by catchy beats and dance-like music and covers topics such as love and partying (also known as kef ), but also topics such as family love or the Armenian motherland. In recent years, many Rabiz songs have undergone numerous instrumentations and arrangements with EDM elements.

Most sources indicate that the term Rabiz comes from the Russian phrase ра бочее ис скуство ( rab otniki is kusstva), which comes from the Soviet era and literally means "work art". rabotniki iskusstva was a Soviet organization founded in the 1930s that trained folk music players. The authors Estelle Amy de la Bretèque and Victor A. Stoichiță claim that the term Rabiz is of Arabic origin, whereby the Arabic phrase rab 'aziz should mean something like "beloved God".

Due to the numerous Rabiz singers and the large following of the Rabiz as a music genre, Rabiz has also developed as a fashion and lifestyle. The Armenian language was also influenced by the Rabiz culture, so that a kind of colloquial language developed as an independent Armenian language. Due to the great similarities to the arabesque of the Middle East, the rabiz has often been criticized. Well-known artists of this genre are Aram Asatryan , Tatoul Avoyan (Tatoul) and Hayko Ghevondyan (Hayko).

Due to the great popularity of the Rabiz with the Armenian youth, this has also influenced the Armenian diaspora, especially in California , where it is known as LosAngelnots (Armenian Լոսանջելնոց ).

Rock and metal

Among the “old generation” rock bands were the Arakjalner of Arthur Mestschjan (founded in 1967), Vostan Hayots , Ayas and Arevatsaq . Interest in young rock bands such as Sard or Bambir 2 increased after their music videos for their new songs were broadcast on local television.

One of the most famous alternative metal - bands in the US is System of a Down , composed of Daron Malakian , Serj Tankian , Shavo Odadjian and John Dolmayan , all of Armenian descent. Serj Tankian also released some solo albums with political and socially critical content. The world's most famous Armenian alternative rock band is The Beautified Project . Since its inception, the band had won numerous awards in Armenia, the USA and Moscow and appeared on international television channels such as MTV , BBC , PMC , KCAL-TV and others. The band has already performed in Armenia, USA, Austria, Germany, France, Russia and Georgia.

Hip hop

One of the notable bands was Hay Tghe q ( Հայ տղեք ), which was formed in 2001. The later band members Misho and HT Hayko started their own solo careers. A well-known rapper is R-Mean from Glendale , California. With the song Open Wounds , R-Mean gained fame within the Armenian community, whose song commemorates the Armenian genocide and started the Open Wounds movement in 2015 . R-Mean also released songs with rapper The Game and members of the slaughterhouse group Crooked I and Joe Budden .

Other hip-hop groups were formed in Germany, e.g. B. the Armenios consisting of A-Shot, ArmoX and 15Volt. The American-Armenian DJ Super Sako achieved worldwide attention with his song Mi Gna , especially in Armenia, the Armenian diaspora, Turkey and in the Arab world.

Armenian musicians in the diaspora

There are numerous musicians of Armenian descent living or born outside of Armenia. Among them was the Armenian-French chansonnier Charles Aznavour , who sold almost 200 million records worldwide. Serj Tankian sang their interpretation of Bari Arakel together with his father Khatchadour Tankian during an Armenian charity marathon.

The American-Armenian pop artists include: B. Cher , Danny Bedrosian and all members of the band System of a Down . Derek Sherinian is a global rock keyboard legend who has played with Alice Cooper , Kiss , Dream Theater and many others. The Armenian-Iranian artists include the singer-songwriter Andranik Madadian (Andy), Vigen Derderian, a jazz and pop artist and Armik , a flamenco guitarist and composer in the field of new flamenco .

Vahe Mardirossian, a well-known guitarist, composer and violin maker of Armenian descent plays flamenco music on his self-made flamenco guitars. George Mgrdichian, a late American-Armenian musician, was primarily active in the field of jazz and preferred the clarinet, but had also used the oud for playing.

The Syrian-Armenian singer Lena Chamamyan from Damascus now lives in exile in Paris and has made guest appearances in several European countries as well as in Turkey and Armenia.

literature

• Gerard Madilian: Traditional Armenian Instrumental Music. Paris, 2017

Individual evidence

1. ^ Articles of Komitas about church music. In: Virtual Museum of Komitas. Accessed July 7, 2019 . 
2. ↑ Andy Nercessian: The Duduk and National Identity in Armeniae . Scarecrow Press, 2001, ISBN 978-1-4616-7272-2 ( limited preview in Google Book Search).
3. ↑ Jean During, Zia Mirabdolbaghi, Dariush Safvat: The Art of Persian Music . Translation from French and Persian by Manuchehr Anvar, Mage Publishers, Washington DC 1991, ISBN 0-934211-22-1 , p. 35.
4. ↑ Tebi Moush-Sasoun. by VANArmenya. In: cdbaby. Archived from the original on December 15, 2018 ; accessed on July 12, 2020 (English). 
5. ^ The Suni Project: Music Preservation. Grikor Mirzaian Suni (1876-1939). In: suniproject.org. Accessed July 7, 2019 . 
6. ↑ Shoghaken Folk Ensemble. In: road-to-armenia.com. Retrieved July 8, 2019 . 
7. ↑ Sharakan and Shoghaken (Armenia) ( Memento from December 18, 2011 in the Internet Archive )
8. ↑ Alexander Kaloian. In: Cloud Media Group. firstedition.com, 2014, archived from the original on July 11, 2011 ; accessed on July 12, 2020 (English). 
9. ^ Vahram Sargsyan, Composer. Biography. In: classicalconnect.com. Retrieved July 8, 2019 . 
10. ↑ Aram Kerovpyan: Armenian liturgical chant. The system and reflections on the present situation (1996). In: Saint Nersess Theological Review, Volume 1, No. 1, January 1996, p. 10
11. ↑ Jonathan McCollum:  Tsntsgha. In: Grove Music Online (English; subscription required). May 25, 2016
12. ^ Karine Ter-Sahakian: Born in New Orleans: Jazz pioneers celebrated April 30 (video). In: PanARMENIAN.net. April 30, 2014, accessed July 8, 2019 . 
13. ^ How It All Started. Band bio. In: Armenian State Jazz Orchestra. 2020, accessed on July 12, 2020 . 
14. ↑ rabiz. In: Wiktionary. June 29, 2019, accessed July 8, 2019 . 
15. ^ ^{A b} Christian Garbis: The Rabiz Phenomenon Revisited. In: Notes From Hairenik. December 11, 2007, accessed July 8, 2019 . 
16. ^ David Leupold: The Echoes of the Disappeared: Rabiz Music as a Reverberation of Armenian-Azerbaijani Cohabitation. In: Journal of Conflict Transformation. Caucasus Edition, accessed July 8, 2019 . 
17. ↑ Артур Месчян. In: arthurmeschian.com. Retrieved July 8, 2019 (Armenian). 
18. ^ MTV Beautified again ... In: The Beautified Project's Official Blog. Retrieved July 8, 2019 . 
19. ^ The Beautified Project to give concert in Yerevan devoted to Armenian Genocide victims. In: Armenpress. April 22, 2013, accessed July 8, 2019 . 
20. ↑ George Mgrdichian. Biography by Jason Ankeny. In: allmusic.com. Retrieved July 8, 2019 . 
21. ↑ Lena Chamamyan | Music of Armenia. Retrieved July 10, 2020 . 
22. ↑ Michèle Rothenberg: This singer from Syria enchants the world with her voice! Retrieved July 10, 2020 .