Hampartzoum Berberian ( hy, Համբարձում Պէրպէրեան; Adana, May 25, 1905 – Watertown, Massachusetts, March 13, 1999) was an Armenian composer, conductor and political activist.

Background

Born in the Adana province of the Ottoman Empire, Hampartzoum was the youngest of 13 children. During the 1915 Armenian genocide, he ended up in

Aleppo )), is an adjective which means "white-colored mixed with black". , motto = , image_map = , mapsize = , map_caption = , image_map1 = ...

Syria Syria ( ar, سُورِيَا or سُورِيَة, translit=Sūriyā), officially the Syrian Arab Republic ( ar, الجمهورية العربية السورية, al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah), is a Western Asian country loc ...

, where he found refuge in the local American orphanage. There his musical gifts became evident.

Career

Through Smyrna, in time, he ended up in Greece, where he decided to become a musician. Berberian enrolled in the

Athens Conservatory The Athens Conservatoire () is the oldest educational institution for the performing arts in modern Greece. It was founded in 1871 by the non-profit organization Music and Drama Association. History Initially, the musical instruments that were ta ...

, studying conducting with Dimitri Mitropoulos. He graduated in 1929. In addition to the indisputable gifts as a composer, Berberian was talented as a violinist, conductor and teacher. In 1931, he was appointed Associate Dean to the

Hellenic Conservatory The Hellenic Conservatory ( el, Ελληνικό Ωδείο) is an educational institution for the performing arts in modern Greece. It was founded in Athens in 1919 by the composer Manolis Kalomiris. Kalomoiris was the conservatoire's director unti ...

in Cyprus, where he built a reputation as a successful composer and conductor. In 1945, Catholicos Karekin I of

Cilicia Cilicia (); el, Κιλικία, ''Kilikía''; Middle Persian: ''klkyʾy'' (''Klikiyā''); Parthian: ''kylkyʾ'' (''Kilikiyā''); tr, Kilikya). is a geographical region in southern Anatolia in Turkey, extending inland from the northeastern coas ...

invited him to Lebanon to serve as music teacher at the Antelias Theological Seminary, as well as in the schools of the Armenian General Benevolent Union. During this time, Berberian composed many works and conducted numerous concerts. He traveled to various cities in the Middle East, Europe, North and South America, disseminating Armenian music generally and his own work particularly. From then on, he also became the musical operative of the Armenian Democratic Liberal Party. He moved to the United States in 1962 and became a naturalized citizen in 1968.Choral Concert of Armenian Music, Program Notes. Hunter College Auditorium, New York, Oct 27, 1963. He lived in Watertown, MA, and was the director of music ministry at the Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church in Cambridge, MA. He was honored by many religious leaders and secular organizations for his contributions in music, culture and education. Hampartzoum Berberian passed away in Watertown, MA on March 13, 1999.

Selected compositions

Stage works

* ''Թիթեռ'' ("Butterfly" - children's opera, 1934) * ''Շողիկ'' ("Shoghig" - opera, 1939) * ''Արեգնազան'' ("Areknazan" - opera, 1940) * ''Թամար'' ("Tamar" - opera, 1995)

Orchestral works

* "Armenian Maidens," Dance Fantasy No. 2 * Violin Concerto * Cello Concerto

Choral works with instrumental accompaniment

* ''Ուրախ լեր մայր լուսոյ'' ("Rejoice Mother of Light" - Magnificat Hymn) * ''Սարտարապատ'' ("Sardarapat" - Choral Oration / Paruyr Sevak) * ''Խորհուրդ Վարդանանց'' ("Sacrament of Vartanantz" - Cantata / text by Vahan Tekeyan) * ''Ղարաբաղ'' ("Gharabagh" - Choral Ode / text by Hovhannes Shiraz) * "Requiem Aeternam" (Text by Yeghishe Charents) * ''Սայաթ Նովա'' ("Sayat Nova" - Choral Ode / text by Yeghishe Charents) * '' Եկեղեցին հայկական'' ("The Armenian Church" - Oratorio / text by Vahan Tekeyan) * "Lincoln at Gettysburg" - Choral Oration * ''Աղօթք վաղուան սեմին առջեւ'' ("Prayer on the Threshold of Tomorrow - Cantata / text by Vahan Tekeyan) * "Resurrection" - Cantata Sacra * 4 ''Նայիրեան խմբերգներ'' - ''Հայաստանի գովքը'', ''Գութաներգ'', ''Խօսք իմ որդուն'', ''Հայոց համբարձումը'' ("Four Ballades from Nayiri": "Ode to Armenia" / text Yeghishe Charents, "Harvest Song" / text by Chituni, "A Word to My Son" / text by

Silva Kaputikyan Silva Kaputikyan ( hy, ) (20 January 1919 – 25 August 2006) was an Armenian poet and political activist. One of the best-known Armenian writers of the twentieth century, she is recognized as "the leading poetess of Armenia" and "the grand lad ...

, "Ascension of Armenians" / text by Fr. Sarhadian)

Choral works

* ''Սարերի աղջիկ'' ("The Mountain Girl" / text by Fr. Sarhadian) * ''Գիւղացի գեղեցկուհին'' ("Beauty of Villages" / text by Fr. Sarhadian) * ''Խաչը'' ("The Cross" - Motet / text by

Yeghishe Tourian Yeghishe Tourian ( hy, Եղիշե Դուրյան; 23 February 1860 – 27 April 1930) was Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem serving Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem from 1921 to 1929. He took over the position after the patriarchate position r ...

)

Songs with piano

* ''Սէր մը գաղտնի'' ("The Secret Love" / text by Vahan Tekeyan) * ''Կ՚անձրևէ տղաս'' ("It's Raining My Son" / text by Vahan Tekeyan) * ''Ոսկի երազ'' ("The Golden Dream" - duet / text by Mihran Damadian) * ''Սիրտս'' ("My Heart" / text by Hmayeak Arekents) * ''Աչքերդ'' ("Your Eyes" / text by Sibil) * ''Սէր'' ("Love" / text by Zareh Melkonian) * ''Սիրերգ'' ("Love Song") * ''Հասուն արտ'' ("Ripe Harvest" / text by

Daniel Varoujan Daniel Varoujan ( hy, Դանիէլ Վարուժան, 20 April 188426 August 1915) was an Armenian poet of the early 20th century. At the age of 31, when he was reaching international stature, he was deported and murdered by the Young Turk gov ...

) * ''Շէկլիկ աղջիկ'' ("The Blonde Maiden" / text traditional) * ''Անոր'' ("To Her" / text by

Tlgadintsi Tlgadintsi or Tlkatintsi ( hy, Թլկատինցի), Hovhannes Harutiunian ( hy, Յովհաննես Յարութիւնեան, 1860, Tlkatin vil ...

) * ''Երգ Հայաստանի'' ("Ode to Armenia" / text by Azad Vshduni) * 8 ''Աշուղական խաղեր, Սայաթ Նովայի խօսքերով'' ("8 Art Songs in Troubadour Style" / text by

Sayat Nova Sayat-Nova (Armenian: Սայեաթ-Նովայ ( сlassical), Սայաթ-Նովա ( reformed); ka, საიათნოვა; ; ; born Harutyun Sayatyan; 14 June 1712 – 22 September 1795) was an Armenian poet, musician and '' ashugh'', w ...

) * 5 ''Նայիրեան երգեր'' - 1. ''Գիւղ հայրենի'', 2. ''Զմրուխտ սարից հովեր կու գան'', 3. ''Վարուժնակիս'', 4. ''Գողթան երգը'', 5. ''Լուսաւորչի կանթեղը'' ("5 Art Songs from Nayiri": 1. "Native Village" / text by Yeghivart; 2. "Winds from Emerald Hills" / text by Hovhannes Shiraz; 3. "To My Little Varoujan" / text by

; 4. "Bardic Song from Goght" / text by K. Ipekian; 5. "The Lamp of the Illuminator" / text by

Hovhannes Toumanian Hovhannes Tumanyan ( hy, Հովհաննես Թումանյան, classical spelling: Յովհաննէս Թումանեան, – March 23, 1923) was an Armenian poet, writer, translator, and literary and public activist. He is the nationa ...

)

Organ

* ''Ուրախ լեր'' ("Rejoice O Holy Church" based on Medieval chant by Catholicos

Sahak III :''Sahak III may also refer to Sahak III Bagratuni.'' Sahak III, was the Catholicos of Armenia from 677 through 703. According to the historian Hovhannes Draskhanakerttsi Sahak III was alive in Damascus )), is an adjective which means "spacious" ...

of Dzorapor) * ''Խորհուրդ խորին'' ("O Mystery Deep" based on Medieval chant by

Khachatur of Taron Khachatur of Taron or Khatchatur Taronatsi ( hy, Խաչատուր Տարոնացի; 12th century, in Taron (historic Armenia), Taron, Turuberan, Greater Armenia – 1184, at Haghartsin Monastery) was an Armenians, Armenian poet, musician and religi ...

)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Berberian, Hampartzoum 1905 births 1999 deaths Armenian activists Armenian composers Armenian conductors (music) Armenian musicians 20th-century conductors (music) 20th-century composers People from Adana People from Watertown, Massachusetts Armenians from the Ottoman Empire American people of Armenian descent Syrian emigrants to the United States Emigrants from the Ottoman Empire