Armenian classical music

Toni Bernet · July 15, 2023, 07:04:54 AM

Let's start with the Violin Concerto in A minor (1949) by Aron Babajanian (1921-1983):

It is well known that musical culture in Armenia has played and continues to play an important role in the identity of this small state in the Caucasus. A population that suffered a traumatic genocide now lives squeezed between the great powers of Russia and Turkey and is threatened by war from Azerbaijan. Unfortunately, apart from the music of Katchaturian, for example, little is known about what Armenia's diverse compositional output produced even during the Soviet era. At the same time, many Armenian composers had the best relations with the Soviet musical greats Oistrakh, Rostopovitch or Shostakovitch. Arno Babajanian (his name is also translated from Armenian as Babadschanian or Babajanyan) should definitely be mentioned in this context. The virtuoso pianist and composer of everything from pop songs and jazz pieces to classical works and musicals remains a national hero in his home country. His Violin Concerto in A minor is obviously in the tradition of Aram Khachaturian's Violin Concerto in D minor, which was composed in 1940. However, it has not yet achieved the same fame, although the melodies and the colourful orchestral accompaniment also exude great fascination. Personally, the main melody of the first movement has lingered in my ears for a long time, and every time I look forward to the vastness of this melody, which personally makes me think of the magnificent area around Lake Sevan.

You can find a detailed listening guide to this concerto by Babajanian here:
https://unbekannte-violinkonzerte.jimdofree.com/e-4/babajanian/

Maestro267 · July 15, 2023, 07:15:55 AM

Putting the most famous Armenian composer, Aram Khachaturian aside for a moment, I have a disc on ASV featuring works for piano and orchestra by Loris Tjeknavorian (who also conducts) and (I think?) the composer you mention above.

Another composer I'm interested in but don't have recordings of yet is Avet Terterian. His 3rd Symphony is earthshattering!