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years of existence, the Armenian people have maintained their cultural, religious, and linguistic autonomy despite the lack of a stable political milieu. Their homeland, situated in the northeastern region of Asia Minor, was subjected to constant invasions by Persians, Byzantines, Arabs, Russians and Turks. As a result, over the years, many Armenians migrated, establishing communities in practically every corner of the globe. Today, outside of the Soviet Socialist Republic of Armenia, there are large settlements of Armenians in the Middle East, North America, Argentina, France, and Iran. (There are approximately five million Armenians throughout the world.) This second volume of the three-record set devoted to the piano music of Armenian composers focuses on musicians who have established their home in the diaspora. Perhaps the best known among them is the American-born composer, Alan Hovhaness (b. 1911), a mystic who employs music as a medium to create spiritual elevation and who delves into the transcendental in order to find its "cosmic meaning” .In his scores, Hovhaness avoids climactic build-ups, thus rejecting compositional devices; instead, he prefers simulating a hypnotic state. His
rhythms are not structured on Western
metric divisions, but are built on cycles, similar to the rhythmic patterns of Arabic usul and Indian tala. Rather than being constructed with major and minor scales,
Hovhaness' melodies are based on makamat and ragas. His philosophy, which influences his musical thinking significantly, does not encompass the inculcative tenets of the Judeo-Christian tradition but embraces the spiritual elements of Far Eastern religions.
The works recorded on this album were composed in the forties, the period when Hovhaness worked primarily in the Armenian idiom. Mystic Flute is structured on a cyclic pattern of 3 plus 2 plus 2 beats, with a haunting melody interwoven, as in an arabesque. Vanadour, the name of an ancient Armenian god of hospitality, is remarkable for its texture-- it is entirely monophonic. Yet it projects varied moods through manipulation of the rhythm, which is free and very sophisticated. In contrast, Farewell to the Mountains, also monophonically conceived, displays a subtly structured rhythmic design with an unorthodox combination of beats. Achtamar (an island in Lake Van where a magnificent Armenian monastery was built in the eleventh century during the reign of King
segment featuring a beautiful, moving melody accompanied by drum-like beats, followed by a virtuosic section reminiscent of the sounds of oud and kanoun. (Hovhaness professes the lack of connection between the exotic titles of his compositions and their musical content.)
Armenian Dance No. 2 by Loris Tjeknavorian (b. 1937), is characteristic of a folk-like melody accompanied by an ostinato bass. The composer, whose birthplace is Iran, is also known as a conductor. Tjeknavorian has received wide public acclaim for organizing the Musica Armenia 78 Festival in London.
Koharik Gazarossian's (1908-1966) forte is in those compositions that involve authentic folk themes. Born in Istanbul and educated at the Paris Conservatory, she has written for different instrumental and vocal combinations in most musical forms. Prelude, based on a folk melody notated by Komitas, is solemn without sounding severe, songful without seeming sentimental, and sophisticated without being stuffy.
Berceuse is in 6/8 time, with regu
s for the left hand that are characterized by the alternation of strong and weak beats.
The melodic line floats over this monotonous bass, producing a calm, peaceful effect.
A native of Iran, Grant Beglarian (b. 1927) is Dean of the School of Performing Arts at the University of California, Los Angeles. For Children, six vignettes for young pianists, manifests within a traditional harmonic vocabulary charm, lyricism, and humor. His compositions, both instrumental and vocal, which are performed by major American orchestras, have been awarded prizes.
Another composer from Istanbul is Ara Bartevian (b. 1903), who presently resides in France. In the selection recorded here, he employs a conservative Western idiom.
Preludes, by American-born composer Richard Yardumian (b. 1917), represents his first experimentation with “quadrads, " chordal formations which are superimpositions of three intervals of a third. Such a harmonic vocabulary results in an impressionistic aural quality with a pianistic texture which lends the composition an ethereal effect. Yardumian's works are performed widely in the major capitals of the world, and among the champions of his orchestral selections Eugene Ormandy and Leopold Stokowski figure prominently.
Invocation, by Şahan Arzruni (b. 1943), was composed as a memorial tribute to pianist
Ajemian. The melodic material is based on the "Lord's Prayer” in Ekmalian's Divine liturgy of the Armenian Apostolic Church. It is reminiscent of a piano transcription of a composition for the organ in which various textures--chordal and contrapuntal -alternate, creating different degrees of tension. Mentations I is structured on Armenian melodic formulae, using rhythmic patterns found in Middle Eastern music. The two selections from Heterophonic Suite employ still another compositional device from the same geographic area, heterophony, which is the simultaneous slightly modified versions of the same melody by two, or more, performers. In this composition, the right and the left hand of the pianist serve the function of both performers.
Berge Kalajian (b. 1924), a native New Yorker, is a musician with diversified gifts: composer, teacher, trumpet player, and piano technician. Song is a dodecaphonic work featuring a tone-row with thematic appeal, whose various transmutations allow for sonic clusters that are relatively consonant. Kalajian's work is distinguished by its clarity of texture and directness of thought. Admiration by Sirvart Karamanuk (b. 1916),
another woman
developed in a very idiomatic and virtuosic manner for the piano. A dramatic, soaring melody is interposed between two sections featuring cascading octaves à la Liszt. Karamanuk's main output is in the vocal medium, in which she achieves a rare unity of text and melodic line.
Boghos Gelalian (b. 1927), of Egypt, now residing in Lebanon, teaches music and literature at the Beirut Conservatory. "Andantino, " the second movement of his
Piano Sonata, is conceived as a melodic line with chordal accompaniment. Its harmonic language is essentially diatonic with chromatic twist interspersed occasionally.
Argentine-Armenian composer Alicia Terzian (b. 1938) enjoys an international reputation and is well-known in her country as a leading proponent of contemporary music. In Juegos para Diana, an unsophisticated, folk-like melody is repeated several times with different treatments to create various moods, such as happiness, contemplation, agitation, and serenity. Danza Criolla, the composer's first work, is distinctly SpanishAmerican in flavor; it sways rhythmically, undulates melodically, and throbs harmonically. Toccata, also an early
harmonically. Toccata, also an early composition, is a brilliant vehicle for the virtuoso performer. Although it features an uninterrupted bombardment of sixteenth notes, variations in metric divisions add vigor and interest to the piece.
Sahan Arzruni
In addition to his recognition as a concert pianist, Şahan Arzruni (Sha-han Ardz-rounee) is known as a composer, lecturer, and ethnomusicologist. An American citizen of Armenian descent, Mr. Arzruni was born in Istanbul to a family of musicians. After graduating from the local Conservatory, he continued his education at the Juilliard School of Music where he studied piano with Eduard Steuermann and Sascha Gorodnitzki.
In 1968, Şahan Arzruni began his association with Victor Borge, which has since taken him to innumerable cities in North America and Europe, always as a “straight man” for Mr. Borge. He has performed in recitals, lectures and workshops throughout the United States, South America, the Middle East, and as soloist with major orchestras, such as the Boston Pops with Arthur Fiedler and the Buffalo Philharmonic with Michael Tilson Thomas.
Mr. Arzruni's special interests are in presenting the wealth of excellent music composed for young pianists by the masters, and in exploring the rich heritage of Armenian music from earliest times to the present day. He records extensively, has to his credit many writings, and is the originator of the popular radio series, “The Young Musician. "
