HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The music of
Armenia Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia.The UNbr>classification of world regions places Armenia in Western Asia; the CIA World Factbook , , and ''O ...
( hy, հայկական երաժշտություն ''haykakan yerazhshtut’yun'') has its origins in the Armenian highlands, dating back to the
3rd millennium In contemporary history, the third millennium of the anno Domini or Common Era in the Gregorian calendar is the current millennium spanning the years 2001 to 3000 ( 21st to 30th centuries). Ongoing futures studies seek to understand what is l ...
BCE, and is a long-standing musical tradition that encompasses diverse secular and religious, or sacred, music (such as the ''sharakan''
Armenian chant Armenian chant ( hy, շարական, ''sharakan'') is the melismatic monophonic chant used in the liturgy of the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Armenian Catholic Church. Armenian chant, like Byzantine chant, consists mainly of hymns. The chan ...
and '' taghs'', along with the indigenous '' khaz'' musical notation).
Folk music Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has ...
was notably collected and transcribed by Komitas Vardapet, a prominent composer and
musicologist Musicology (from Greek μουσική ''mousikē'' 'music' and -λογια ''-logia'', 'domain of study') is the scholarly analysis and research-based study of music. Musicology departments traditionally belong to the humanities, although some m ...
, in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, who is also considered the founder of the modern Armenian national school of music. Armenian music has been presented internationally by numerous artists, such as composers
Aram Khachaturian Aram Ilyich Khachaturian (; rus, Арам Ильич Хачатурян, , ɐˈram ɨˈlʲjitɕ xətɕɪtʊˈrʲan, Ru-Aram Ilyich Khachaturian.ogg; hy, Արամ Խաչատրյան, ''Aram Xačʿatryan''; 1 May 1978) was a Soviet and Armenia ...
, Alexander Arutiunian,
Arno Babajanian Arno Harutyunovich Babajanian ( hy, Առնո Բաբաջանյան; russian: Арно Арутюнович Бабаджанян; January 22, 1921 – November 11, 1983) was a Soviet and Armenian composer and pianist. He was made a People's Artist ...
, Haig Gudenian, and Karen Kavaleryan as well as by
traditional A tradition is a belief or behavior (folk custom) passed down within a group or society with symbolic meaning or special significance with origins in the past. A component of cultural expressions and folklore, common examples include holidays or ...
performers such as
duduk The duduk ( ; hy, դուդուկ ) or tsiranapogh ( hy, ծիրանափող, meaning “apricot-made wind instrument”), is an ancient Armenian double reed woodwind instrument made of apricot wood. It is indigenous to Armenia. Variations of th ...
player
Djivan Gasparyan Djivan Gasparyan (var. Jivan Gasparyan; hy, Ջիվան Գասպարյան, ; October 12, 1928 – July 6, 2021) was an Armenian musician and composer. He played the duduk, a double reed woodwind instrument related to the orchestral oboe. Gaspary ...
.


Melodic basis

Traditional Armenian folk music as well as Armenian church music is not based on the European tonal system but on a system of
tetrachord In music theory, a tetrachord ( el, τετράχορδoν; lat, tetrachordum) is a series of four notes separated by three intervals. In traditional music theory, a tetrachord always spanned the interval of a perfect fourth, a 4:3 frequency pr ...
s. The last note of one tetrachord also serves as the first note of the next tetrachord – which makes a lot of Armenian folk music more or less based on a theoretically endless scale.


Folk music

Armenia has had a long tradition of folk music since
antiquity Antiquity or Antiquities may refer to: Historical objects or periods Artifacts *Antiquities, objects or artifacts surviving from ancient cultures Eras Any period before the European Middle Ages (5th to 15th centuries) but still within the histo ...
. During the Soviet era, Armenian folk music was taught in state-sponsored conservatoires – in 1978, influential kanon player and composer Khachatur Avetisyan founded the folk music department of the Komitas State Conservatory of Yerevan. Traditional instruments include the qamancha, kanon ( box zither), dhol (double-headed hand drum, see davul), oud (
lute A lute ( or ) is any plucked string instrument with a neck and a deep round back enclosing a hollow cavity, usually with a sound hole or opening in the body. It may be either fretted or unfretted. More specifically, the term "lute" can ref ...
),
duduk The duduk ( ; hy, դուդուկ ) or tsiranapogh ( hy, ծիրանափող, meaning “apricot-made wind instrument”), is an ancient Armenian double reed woodwind instrument made of apricot wood. It is indigenous to Armenia. Variations of th ...
, zurna, blul, sring, shvi, pku, parkapzuk,
tar Tar is a dark brown or black viscous liquid of hydrocarbons and free carbon, obtained from a wide variety of organic materials through destructive distillation. Tar can be produced from coal, wood, petroleum, or peat. "a dark brown or black bi ...
, dmblak, bambir, and to a lesser degree the saz. Other instruments often used include the violin and clarinet. The
duduk The duduk ( ; hy, դուդուկ ) or tsiranapogh ( hy, ծիրանափող, meaning “apricot-made wind instrument”), is an ancient Armenian double reed woodwind instrument made of apricot wood. It is indigenous to Armenia. Variations of th ...
is considered to be Armenia's national instrument, and among its well-known performers are Margar Margaryan, Levon Madoyan,
Vache Hovsepyan Vache Artashesi Hovsepyan ( hy, Վաչե Արտաշեսի Հովսեփյան, sometimes credited as Vatche Hovsepian; 17 September 1925 – 1 December 1978) was an Armenian duduk player and renowned popular artist. He graduated from the Yerevan Con ...
,
Gevorg Dabaghyan Gevorg Gourgeni Dabaghyan ( hy, Գևորգ Դաբաղյան; b.1965) is an Armenian duduk player of liturgical and folk music, born in Yerevan. In 1991 he founded the Shoghaken Folk Ensemble, a group of Armenian folk musicians and singers who specia ...
, and Yeghish Manukyan, as well as Armenia's most famous contemporary duduk player,
Djivan Gasparyan Djivan Gasparyan (var. Jivan Gasparyan; hy, Ջիվան Գասպարյան, ; October 12, 1928 – July 6, 2021) was an Armenian musician and composer. He played the duduk, a double reed woodwind instrument related to the orchestral oboe. Gaspary ...
. Notable performers of folk music include vocalists such as Armenak Shahmuradyan, Ofelya Hambardzumyan, Vagharshak Sahakyan, Araksia Gyulzadyan, Varduhi Khachatryan, Norayr Mnatsakanyan, Hovhannes Badalyan, Hayrik Muradyan, Valya Samvelyan, Rima Saribekyan, Raffi Hovhannisyan, Avak Petrosyan, Papin Poghosyan, and Flora Martirosian. There are also several Armenian folk ensembles, the
Shoghaken Folk Ensemble The Shoghaken Folk Ensemble ( hy, «Շողակն» ժողովրդական համույթ) is an Armenian musical group that performs and records Armenian folk and ''ashugh'' (troubadour) music. The ensemble was founded in 1991 in Yerevan. It has s ...
, founded in 1995 in Yerevan, and others such as the Arev Armenian Folk Ensemble.


Gusan and ashugh art

In ancient and medieval Armenia, the ''
gusans Gusans ( hy, գուսան; Parthian for poet-musician or minstrel) were creative and performing artists - singers, instrumentalists, dancers, storytellers, and professional folk actors in public theaters of Parthia and ancient and medieval Arme ...
'' ( hy, գուսան) were the creative and performing artists – singers, instrumentalists, dancers, storytellers, and professional folk actors in public theaters. The word ''gusan'' is first mentioned in early Armenian texts of V c., e.g.
Faustus of Byzantium Faustus of Byzantium (also Faustus the Byzantine, hy, Փաւստոս Բուզանդ, translit=P'awstos Buzand) was an Armenian historian of the 5th century. Faustus' ''History of the Armenians'' (also known as '' Buzandaran Patmut'iwnk) exists ...
, Moses of Chorene, and others. In the early
Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...
the word ''gusan'' was used as an equivalent to the classical Greek word ''mimos'' (mime). There were 2 groups of gusans: 1. The first were from aristocratic dynasties (feudal lords) and performed as professional musicians; 2. The second group comprised popular, but illiterate gusans. The gusans were both criticized and praised, particularly in medieval
Armenia Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia.The UNbr>classification of world regions places Armenia in Western Asia; the CIA World Factbook , , and ''O ...
. The adoption of Christianity had its influence upon Armenian minstrelsy, gradually altering its ethical and ideological orientation. The center of the gusans was the Goghtn ''gavar'' (canton), a region in the
Vaspurakan Vaspurakan (, Western Armenian pronunciation: ''Vasbouragan'') was the eighth province of the ancient kingdom of Armenia, which later became an independent kingdom during the Middle Ages, centered on Lake Van. Located in what is now southeast ...
province of
Greater Armenia Greater Armenia ( hy, Մեծ Հայք, translit=Mets Hayk) is the name given to the Armenian state that emerged on the Armenian Highlands during the reign of King Artaxias I at the turn of the 2nd century BC. The term was used to refer prin ...
that bordered the province of Syunik. During the late
Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...
, gusans were succeeded by popular, semi-professional musicians called ashughs ( hy, աշուղ), who played instruments like the
kamancha The kamancheh (also kamānche or kamāncha) ( fa, کمانچه, az, kamança, hy, Քամանչա, ku, کەمانچە ,kemançe) is an Iranian bowed string instrument used in Persian, Azerbaijani, Armenian, Kurdish, Georgian, Turkmen, an ...
and saz. Sayat-Nova, an 18th-century
ashugh An ashik ( az, aşıq, ; tr, âşık; fa, عاشیق) or ashugh ( hy, աշուղ; ka, აშუღი) is traditionally a singer-poet and bard who accompanies his song—be it a dastan (traditional epic story, also known as '' hikay ...
and poet, is revered in Armenia. Other Armenian ashughs include
Jivani Jivani ( hy, Ջիվանի, 1846–1909), born Serob Stepani Levonian ( hy, Սերոբ Ստեփանի Լևոնյան; also known as Serovbe Stepani Benkoyan, hy, Սերովբե Ստեփանի Բենկոյան), was an Armenian ''ashugh'' (ba ...
, Sheram, , , , and


Folk music in the Armenian diaspora

Descendants of survivors of the
Armenian genocide The Armenian genocide was the systematic destruction of the Armenian people and identity in the Ottoman Empire during World War I. Spearheaded by the ruling Committee of Union and Progress (CUP), it was implemented primarily through t ...
, originally from
Western Armenia Western Armenia (Western Armenian: Արեւմտեան Հայաստան, ''Arevmdian Hayasdan'') is a term to refer to the eastern parts of Turkey (formerly the Ottoman Empire) that are part of the historical homeland of the Armenians. Weste ...
, and Armenian emigrants from other parts of the Middle East have settled in various countries, especially in the
California Central Valley The Central Valley is a broad, elongated, flat valley that dominates the interior of California. It is wide and runs approximately from north-northwest to south-southeast, inland from and parallel to the Pacific coast of the state. It cover ...
. The second- and third-generation artists, such as
Richard Hagopian Richard Avedis Hagopian (born April 3, 1937) is an Armenian-American oud player and a traditional Armenian musician. Hagopian achieved popularity in the 1960s and 70s as a member of the Kef Time Band, performing ''kef'' music, a dance-oriented ...
, an oud-player associated with the ''kef'' tradition of Armenian-American music have kept their folk traditions alive. This dance-oriented style of Armenian music, using Armenian and Middle Eastern folk instruments (often electrified/amplified) and some Western instruments, preserved the folk songs and dances of Western Armenia. Many artists also played the contemporary popular songs of cosmopolitan Turkey and other Middle Eastern countries from which the Armenians emigrated (termed ''surjaran'' or ''café aman'', meaning cafeteria), on the Eight Avenue of
Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...
, New York City. Bands such as the Vosbikian Band of Philadelphia were notable in the 1940s and 1950s for developing their own style of "kef music", heavily influenced by the popular American
big band A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Big bands originated during the early 1910s ...
jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...
of the time. Another oud player, John Berberian, is notable in particular for his fusions of traditional music with rock and jazz in the 1960s. In the Lebanese and
Syrian Syrians ( ar, سُورِيُّون, ''Sūriyyīn'') are an Eastern Mediterranean ethnic group indigenous to the Levant. They share common Levantine Semitic roots. The cultural and linguistic heritage of the Syrian people is a blend of both indi ...
diaspora, George Tutunjian, Karnig Sarkissian and others performed Armenian revolutionary songs, which quickly became popular among the
Armenian Diaspora The Armenian diaspora refers to the communities of Armenians outside Armenia and other locations where Armenians are considered an indigenous population. Since antiquity, Armenians have established communities in many regions throughout the world. ...
, notably ARF supporters. In
Tehran Tehran (; fa, تهران ) is the largest city in Tehran Province and the capital of Iran. With a population of around 9 million in the city and around 16 million in the larger metropolitan area of Greater Tehran, Tehran is the most popul ...
,
Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
, the folk music of the Armenian community is characterized by the work of Nikol Galanderian (1881–1946) and the Goghtan Choir.


Religious music

Armenian religious (or sacred) music, which is predominantly vocal, is one of the oldest branches of Christian culture, and was introduced after the Christianization of Armenia in 301 AD.
Armenian chant Armenian chant ( hy, շարական, ''sharakan'') is the melismatic monophonic chant used in the liturgy of the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Armenian Catholic Church. Armenian chant, like Byzantine chant, consists mainly of hymns. The chan ...
, composed in one of eight modes, is the most common kind of religious music in Armenia. It is written in '' khaz'', a form of indigenous
musical notation Music notation or musical notation is any system used to visually represent aurally perceived music played with instruments or sung by the human voice through the use of written, printed, or otherwise-produced symbols, including notation f ...
. Many of these chants are ancient in origin, extending to pre-Christian times, while others are relatively modern, including several composed by
Saint In religious belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of holiness, likeness, or closeness to God. However, the use of the term ''saint'' depends on the context and denomination. In Catholic, Eastern Or ...
Mesrop Mashtots, who also invented the
Armenian alphabet The Armenian alphabet ( hy, Հայոց գրեր, ' or , ') is an alphabetic writing system used to write Armenian. It was developed around 405 AD by Mesrop Mashtots, an Armenian linguist and ecclesiastical leader. The system originally ha ...
. Some of the best performers of these chants, or ''sharakan''s, reside at the Holy Cathedral of Etchmiadzin, and include the late
soprano A soprano () is a type of classical female singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261  Hz to "high A" (A5) = 880& ...
Lusine Zakaryan.
Makar Yekmalyan Makar Grigori Yekmalyan (also transliterated ''Ekmalian''; in Armenian Մակար Եկմալյան) (2 February 1856, Vagharshapat - 6 March 1905, Tiflis) was an Armenian composer. Biography Yekmalyan studied at the Echmiadzin seminary and later ...
(1856–1905) composed the ''Patarag'', the setting of the
Armenian Apostolic Church , native_name_lang = hy , icon = Armenian Apostolic Church logo.svg , icon_width = 100px , icon_alt = , image = Էջմիածնի_Մայր_Տաճար.jpg , imagewidth = 250px , a ...
's
Divine Liturgy Divine Liturgy ( grc-gre, Θεία Λειτουργία, Theia Leitourgia) or Holy Liturgy is the Eucharistic service of the Byzantine Rite, developed from the Antiochene Rite of Christian liturgy which is that of the Ecumenical Patriarchate ...
, which he completed in 1892 in several arrangements and was first published in Leipzig in 1896. This arrangement of the liturgy incorporated polyphonic and homophonic vocal parts into the structure of the Liturgy and saw it be notated in its entirety. This would influence the compositional approach of Komitas, who was Yekmalian's student (along with the works of
Kristapor Kara-Murza Kristapor Kara-Murza (sometimes also anglicized Christopher, birth name Khachatur; 18531902; hy, Քրիստափոր Կարա-Մուրզա) was an Armenian Armenian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the Sou ...
) and would also see him introduce
polyphony Polyphony ( ) is a type of musical texture consisting of two or more simultaneous lines of independent melody, as opposed to a musical texture with just one voice, monophony, or a texture with one dominant melodic voice accompanied by chords, ...
with his version of the Liturgy at the end of the 19th century.


Classical music

Armenian classical composers of Ottoman classical music include Kemani Tatyos Ekserciyan (1858–1913),
music theorist Music theory is the study of the practices and possibilities of music. ''The Oxford Companion to Music'' describes three interrelated uses of the term "music theory". The first is the " rudiments", that are needed to understand music notation ( ...
Hampartsoum Limondjian (1768–1839) who developed the influential "Hamparsum" notation system, and Bimen Şen Der Ghazarian (1873–1913). Alexander Spendiarov (1871–1928), Armen Tigranian (1879–1950), and Haro Stepanian are best known for their
Armenian opera Armenian opera is the art of opera in Armenia or opera by Armenian composers. The founder of the Armenian operatic tradition was Tigran Chukhajian (1837–98), who was born in Constantinople in the Ottoman Empire and received his musical education ...
s. Sargis Barkhudaryan (1887–1973) and Garo Zakarian (1895–1967) are representative composers of the pre- and early Soviet Armenian era. The most famous, however, was
Aram Khatchaturian Aram Ilyich Khachaturian (; rus, Арам Ильич Хачатурян, , ɐˈram ɨˈlʲjitɕ xətɕɪtʊˈrʲan, Ru-Aram Ilyich Khachaturian.ogg; hy, Արամ Խաչատրյան, ''Aram Xačʿatryan''; 1 May 1978) was a Soviet and Armenian ...
(1903–1978), internationally well-known especially for his music for various ballets and the immortal '' Sabre Dance'' from his composition for the ballet '' Gayane''. Gevorg Armenyan (1920–2005), Anahit Tsitsikian (1926–1999),
Arno Babajanian Arno Harutyunovich Babajanian ( hy, Առնո Բաբաջանյան; russian: Арно Арутюнович Бабаджанян; January 22, 1921 – November 11, 1983) was a Soviet and Armenian composer and pianist. He was made a People's Artist ...
(1921–1983), Barseg Kanatchian (1885–1967), Edward Mirzoyan (1921–2012), Boris Parsadanian (1925–1997), Ashot Zohrabyan (1945– ), Aram Satian (1947– ), and Vartan Adjemian (1956– ) represent other Soviet-era Armenian composers. Iosif Andriasov's (1933–2000) was an influential composer-symphonist, a moral philosopher, and a teacher. Alexander Arutiunian (1920–2012) is best known for his '' Trumpet Concerto in A-flat major''. Alexander Dolukhanian (1910–1968) composed or arranged numerous Armenian songs, including the well-known "Swallow". Alexander Adjemian (1925–1987), Ashot Satian (1906–1958) and Vagarshak Kotoyan (1921–1992) are known for their contributions to Armenian choral and vocal music. Eduard Abramian (1923–1986) wrote songs on the poetry of Armenian poets Hovhannes Tumanyan and Avetik Isahakian which are now part of the standard repertoire. Artemi Ayvazyan (1902–1975) wrote the first Soviet musical comedies, including the popular "Dentist from the Orient". In recent years, Avet Terterian (1929–1994), Tigran Mansurian (1939– ), Vache Sharafyan (1966– ) and Aram Petrosyan (1972– ) have achieved global success. Another acclaimed, more recent, classical composer is Khachatur Avetissian (1926–1996), many of whose compositions are based on traditional
folklore Folklore is shared by a particular group of people; it encompasses the traditions common to that culture, subculture or group. This includes oral traditions such as tales, legends, proverbs and jokes. They include material culture, rangin ...
themes. Uruguayan-Armenian composer Coriún Aharonián (1940–2017), besides a notable body of avant-garde compositions has done extensive musicological and political work. The Armenian nationalist composer Alexander Kaloian (1962– ) is known for his overtly nationalistic works for military band and orchestra including marches, tone poems and symphonies immediately recognizable as "Armenian" in their color. In classical music, many Armenian singers have gained worldwide recognition: sopranos
Gohar Gasparyan Gohar Gasparyan ( hy, Գոհար Գասպարյան; 14 December 1924 – 16 May 2007), also known as the "Armenian nightingale", was an Armenian opera singer. Life Born in an Armenian family in Cairo, Egypt, Gasparyan studied at a Music ...
,
Sona Ghazarian Sona Ghazarian (born September 2, 1945) is an Armenian-Austrian operatic soprano. A Kammersängerin of the Republic of Austria, she has sung over 70 roles in the major opera houses of both Europe and the United States. Biography Sona Ghazarian w ...
, Arpine Pehlivanian, Lucine Amara, Cathy Berberian and, more recently, Isabel Bayrakdarian and
Anna Kasyan Anna Kasyan ( hy, Աննա Կասյան) (born 7 October 1981) is a Georgian-born Armenian opera singer (soprano) living in France. Kasyan is one of the young artists who is viewed with high expectations in her field. Early life and educatio ...
, mezzo-soprano
Tatevik Sazandaryan Tatevik Sazandaryan (1916–1999), was a Soviet and Armenian operatic mezzo-soprano who became a member of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union in 1958. She performed as a soloist at the Yerevan Opera Theatre from 1937 to 1961. Biography Born ...
, tenors Tigran Levonyan,
Gegham Grigoryan Gegham Grigorian (also written Grigoryan) ( hy, Գեղամ Գրիգորյան}; russian: Гегам Григорян; 29 January 1951 – 23 March 2016) was an Armenian operatic tenor. Biography Gegham Grigorian was born in Yerevan and gradua ...
, and Vahan Mirakyan; basses
Ara Berberian Ara Berberian ( hy, Արա Բերբերյան, May 14, 1930 – February 21, 2005) was an American bass and actor who had an active international career in operas, concerts, and musicals from the early 1960s until his retirement from the sta ...
, and Henrik Alaverdian, as well as the bass-baritone Barsegh Toumanian. In the diaspora, Armenian musicians such as pianist
Şahan Arzruni Şahan Arzruni ( hy, Շահան Արծրունի; born 8 June 1943) is an Armenian classical pianist, ethnomusicologist, lecturer, composer, writer and producer, residing in New York City. Early life and education Arzruni (also transliterated ...
, violinists
Manoug Parikian Manoug Parikian (15 September 1920 - 24 December 1987) was a British concert violinist and violin professor. Early life Parikian was born in Mersin to Armenian parents. He studied in London. Career Parikian made his solo début in 1947 and led s ...
and
Levon Chilingirian Levon Chilingirian OBE (Լևոն Չիլինկիրեան born 28 May 1948) is a UK-based violinist of Armenian origin. The founder of the Chilingirian Quartet, he is also a professor and Chamber Music Artist in Residence at the Royal Academy of ...
, and composers such as
Alan Hovhaness Alan Hovhaness (; March 8, 1911 – June 21, 2000) was an American- Armenian composer. He was one of the most prolific 20th-century composers, with his official catalog comprising 67 numbered symphonies (surviving manuscripts indicate over 70) a ...
have reached international fame. Armenian-American composer John Hodian created "Songs of Exile", new music based on poetry by the medieval Armenian painter, poet and priest Mkrtich Naghash. With three female vocalists, duduk, oud, dhol and piano, The Naghash Ensemble has been touring internationally since 2014. Their music has been described as a hybrid of "classical music, jazz, folk and post-minimalism" by the German radio station BR Klassik. Scott Giles (1965–) is an Armenian-American known for his many symphonies and concertos.
Armenian-Canadian Armenian Canadians (Western Armenian: գանատահայեր, Eastern Armenian: կանադահայեր, ''kanadahayer''; french: Arméno-Canadiens) are citizens and permanent residents of Canada who have total or partial Armenian ancestry. Acco ...
composer Vahram Sargsyan (1981– ) represents the younger generation of Armenian contemporary composers who is mostly known for his choral compositions.


Jazz

The first
jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...
band of Yerevan was founded in 1936. Soviet jazz was developed by Armenians such as Artemi Ayvazyan, who founded the Armenian State Estrada Orchestra in 1938. Notable performers in the vocal genre have been: Georgi Minasian, Artashes Avetyan, and Levon Sevan, as well as the aforementioned Elvina Makaryan and Datevik Hovanesian. Tigran Hamasyan is a
Gyumri Gyumri ( hy, Գյումրի, ) is an urban municipal community and the second-largest city in Armenia, serving as the administrative center of Shirak Province in the northwestern part of the country. By the end of the 19th century, when the city w ...
-born contemporary jazz pianist who is strongly influenced by the Armenian folk tradition, often using its scales and modalities.


Popular music


Pop music

Armenian popular songs have been performed by famous Soviet-era performers such as Ruben Matevosyan, Ofelya Hambardzumyan, Varduhi Khachatryan, and Papin Poghosyan. Suzan Yakar and Udi Hrant Kenkulian were famous
cabaret Cabaret is a form of theatrical entertainment featuring music, song, dance, recitation, or drama. The performance venue might be a pub, a casino, a hotel, a restaurant, or a nightclub with a stage for performances. The audience, often dinin ...
performers in
Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula ...
during the 1920s and 1930s. Other representatives of Soviet-era and modern Armenian pop music include Bella Darbinyan, Raisa Mkrtchyan, and the more contemporary vocal performers such as Elvina Makaryan, Erna Yuzbashyan, Nadezhda Sargsyan, Zara Tonikyan,
Syuzan Margaryan Syuzan Margaryan ( hy, Սյուզան Մարգարյան; born October 6, 1961), is an Armenian singer. In 2003, Margaryan was awarded with the title of Honored Artist of Armenia Honored Artist of Armenia is an award given by the Republic of A ...
, and Datevik Hovanesian. Armenian male pop performers include
Ruben Hakhverdyan Ruben Hakhverdyan ( hy, Ռուբեն Հախվերդյան; born December 3, 1950) is a popular Armenian poet, guitarist, singer, songwriter, and lyricist. He attended Yerevan's theater institute and in 1975, earned his degree in television and t ...
and diasporan artists
Adiss Harmandian Adiss Harmandian (; 14 January 1945 – 1 September 2019) was a Lebanese-Armenian pop singer. Early life Harmandian was born Avedis Harmandian on 14 January 1945 in Beirut, Lebanon from Armenian genocide survivours. His stage name Adiss is a d ...
, Paul Baghdadlian, Manuel Menengichian and Maxim Panossian. Harout Pamboukjian is a widely popular Soviet Armenian-born singer that currently lives in Los Angeles. In the 2000s, pop singers such as
Sirusho Siranush Harutyunyan ( hy, Սիրանուշ Հարությունյան; born 7 January 1987), known professionally as Sirusho ( hy, Սիրուշո), is an Armenian singer and songwriter. She received her first award when she was nine years old f ...
and André represented
Armenia in the Eurovision Song Contest Armenia has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 14 times since making its debut in , when André became the first participant representing Armenia and was the first singer from the Caucasus region to compete at Eurovision. Armenia has re ...
.


Rabiz music

Rabiz ( hy, ռաբիզ), or rabis, is a genre of Armenian popular music and a
subculture A subculture is a group of people within a culture that differentiates itself from the parent culture to which it belongs, often maintaining some of its founding principles. Subcultures develop their own norms and values regarding cultural, poli ...
, distinguished by its lyrics and dance-oriented synthesized melodies in 6/8 time signature with elements of Armenian folk music. Despite the term's widespread use, the etymology or definition of the word "rabiz" is not clearly understood. According to some sources it stems from the Russian phrase "работники искусства" (rabotniki iskusstva) used during Soviet times, meaning "Art Workers", in reference to unions which specialized in new music composition. Played by musicians such as Tatul Avoyan and Hayk Ghevondyan (better known as Spitakci Hayko), rabiz music is also widely popular among by Armenian diasporan communities in Los Angeles and Russia. A subgenre of rabiz music, called "kef" (unrelated to the homonymous Armenian-American kef music), concerns romantic love or partying, but also love of family or patriotism. Rabiz music has recently seen unexpected international commercial success, especially in
Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula ...
, with " Mi Gna" by Armenian American rapper Super Sako, which features Hayk Ghevondyan, hitting No. 1 on a Shazam Top 100 list and its video garnering over 190 million views on YouTube.


Rock

Among the rock bands of the older generation were the Arakyalner ("Apostles") of
Arthur Meschian Arthur (Artashes) Meschian ( hy, Արթուր Մեսչյան; born March 3, 1949) is an Armenian architect, musician, composer, poet, singer and painter. He is also known as one of the founders of Armenian rock. He was the founder and the lead s ...
, Vostan Hayots, Ayas, and Arevatsaq. Contemporary Armenian rock bands include Sard, Bambir 2, Vordan Karmir, Dogma, Reincarnation, and
alternative rock Alternative rock, or alt-rock, is a category of rock music that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1970s and became widely popular in the 1990s. "Alternative" refers to the genre's distinction from mainstream or commercial ...
band The Beautified Project. Armenian
Progressive Metal Progressive metal (sometimes shortened to prog metal) is a broad fusion music genre melding heavy metal and progressive rock, combining the loud "aggression" and amplified guitar-driven sound of the former with the more experimental, cerebral ...
bands have also appeared in the Armenian music scene in recent Years with bands like
Dorians (band) Dorians is an Armenian rock band founded in June 2008 by Vahagn Gevorgyan. In February 2009 the band participated at the first qualifying round of the international Eurovision Song Contest, which brought popularity to the band. In 2013 Dorians ...
, and Armenian Space Station.


Hip hop

Hip hop music in Armenia is popular primarily amongst the youth. One of the notable Armenian hip hop bands of the 2000s was Hay Tgheq (''Հայ տղեք'' "Armenian guys"), founded in 2001. Following the band's dissolution, members Misho and HT Hayko started their own solo careers. In the diaspora,
Glendale Glendale is the anglicised version of the Gaelic Gleann Dail, which means ''valley of fertile, low-lying arable land''. It may refer to: Places Australia *Glendale, New South Wales ** Stockland Glendale, a shopping centre * Glendale, Queensland, ...
, California-based rapper R-Mean gained popularity amongst the Armenian community with the song "Open Wounds," which commemorates the Armenian genocide, and started the movement "Open Wounds 1915". Other Armenian rap groups were formed in Germany, such as Armenios, which was founded in Germany by A-Shot, ArmoX & 15Volt. In the 2010s, Armenian-American rapper Super Sako's aforementioned single " Mi Gna" achieved worldwide commercial success and was remixed in over 10 languages and by international artists, such as
Maitre Gims Gandhi Bilel Djuna (; born 6 May 1986), better known by his stage name Maître Gims () and more recently just Gims (, ; sometimes stylized as GIMS), is a Congolese-French rapper, singer and songwriter. He grew up in France and currently lives i ...
(France), Balti (Morocco), and DJ Pantelis (Greece).


Armenian musicians from the Diaspora

There is a large number of musicians of Armenian descent or origin but living (or born) outside of Armenia. In France, the artist
Charles Aznavour Charles Aznavour ( , ; born Shahnour Vaghinag Aznavourian, hy, Շահնուր Վաղինակ Ազնավուրեան, ; 22 May 1924 – 1 October 2018) was a French-Armenian singer, lyricist, actor and diplomat. Aznavour was known for his dist ...
(born Aznavourian), of Armenian descent, has been known for his shows and songs over the course of decades. System of a Down, an internationally popular
alternative metal Alternative metal (also known as alt-metal) is a genre of heavy metal music that combines heavy metal with influences from alternative rock and other genres not normally associated with metal. Alternative metal bands are often characterized by ...
band from the United States, was formed by
Daron Malakian Daron Malakian (born July 18, 1975) is an Armenian-American musician. He is best known as the guitarist, songwriter, and second vocalist of metal band System of a Down, and as the lead vocalist, lead guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, and songwrit ...
, Serj Tankian, Shavo Odadjian and John Dolmayan, all of whom are of Armenian American descent. Tankian has also released several solo albums with political and socially conscious content. Occasional SOAD collaborator
Arto Tunçboyacıyan Arto Tunçboyacıyan ( hy, Արտո Թունջբոյաջյան; hyw, Արթօ Թունճպոյաճեան, Art'ō T'unjpoyajean; born August 4, 1957) is a United States-based avant-garde folk and jazz multi-instrumentalist and singer of Armeni ...
is a well known Turkish musician of Armenian descent, who is famous in Turkey and worldwide, and currently has his own jazz club in Yerevan, Armenia. He was the founder of the . Keyboardist
Derek Sherinian Derek Sherinian (born August 25, 1966) is an American keyboardist who has toured and recorded for Alice Cooper, Billy Idol, and Joe Bonamassa, among others. He was also a member of Dream Theater from 1994 to 1999, is the founder of Planet X an ...
is a well-known rock keyboardist who has played with
Alice Cooper Alice Cooper (born Vincent Damon Furnier, February 4, 1948) is an American rock singer whose career spans over five decades. With a raspy voice and a stage show that features numerous props and stage illusions, including pyrotechnics, guilloti ...
,
Kiss A kiss is the touch or pressing of one's lips against another person or an object. Cultural connotations of kissing vary widely. Depending on the culture and context, a kiss can express sentiments of love, passion, romance, sexual attraction, ...
, and
Dream Theater Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 under the name Majesty by John Petrucci, John Myung and Mike Portnoy while they attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. They subsequently dropped out o ...
, amongst others.
Andy Madadian Andranik Madadian ( fa, آندرانیک مددیان, hy, Անդրանիկ Մադադյան; born April 22, 1958), better known by his stage name, Andy ( fa, اندی, hy, Անդի) is an Iranian-Armenian singer-songwriter and actor. He immi ...
is an
Iranian Armenian Iranian-Armenians ( hy, իրանահայեր ''iranahayer''), also known as Persian-Armenians ( hy, պարսկահայեր ''parskahayer''), are Iranians of Armenian ethnicity who may speak Armenian as their first language. Estimates of thei ...
artist, and
Vigen Derderian Viguen (born Viguen Derderian, fa, ویگن دردریان, ''Viguen Derderyân''; hy, Վիգէն Տէրտէրեան, ''Vigen Tērtērian''; 23 November 1929 – 26 October 2003), known as "King of Iranian pop" and the "Sultan of Jazz", was an ...
is an
Iranian Armenian Iranian-Armenians ( hy, իրանահայեր ''iranahayer''), also known as Persian-Armenians ( hy, պարսկահայեր ''parskahayer''), are Iranians of Armenian ethnicity who may speak Armenian as their first language. Estimates of thei ...
jazz and pop singer.
Armik Armik Dashchi, professionally known as Armik, is an Iranian-Armenian American New Flamenco guitarist, producer and composer. Several of Armik's albums have reached ''Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other par ...
, an Iranian Armenian flamenco guitarist and composer, is a well-known virtuoso of the new flamenco genre. Armenian-American multi-instrumentalist Danny Bedrosian has been the main keyboardist for the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), sometimes simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum and hall of fame located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States, on the shore of Lake Erie. The museum documents the history of rock music and ...
-inducted band, George Clinton's Parliament-Funkadelic (also known as P-Funk), since 2003. George Mgrdichian, born and raised in New York City, was an Armenian American musician who played several instruments in the jazz genre, including the oud and clarinet.
André Manoukian André Antranik Manoukian (born 9 April 1957 in Lyon) is a French songwriter, arranger, jazz musician, and actor of Armenian descent. Between 2002-2017, he served as one of four judges in the French version of Pop Idol, ''Nouvelle Star''. Early ...
is a French songwriter and jazz pianist of Armenian descent. He served as a judge on the French version of Pop Idol, ''
Nouvelle Star ''Nouvelle Star'' (; also known as '' À la Recherche de la Nouvelle Star'' for the first season) is a French television series based on the popular Pop Idol programme produced by FremantleMedia. It was broadcast by M6 in seasons 1–8 before ...
'', for 12 seasons. In 2015, he accompanied Syrian-Armenian singer Lena Chamamyan in the production of modern renditions of Armenian folk songs such as ''Sareri Hovin Mernem'' and ''Moutn'er''. Lena Chamamyan is a Syrian-Armenian singer-songwriter who has become famous for her modernized jazz renditions of traditional
Arabic Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C. E.Watson; Walter ...
and Armenian folk songs. In 2014, she served as a jury member in "Tsovits Tsov – ArmVision 2014", an international contest for Armenian music at the Kremlin Theatre in Moscow. Armenian-American Taline and Friends group have played a major role in developing
Armenian language Armenian (Classical Armenian orthography, classical: , Armenian orthography reform, reformed: , , ) is an Indo-European languages, Indo-European language and an independent branch of that family of languages. It is the official language of Armenia ...
skills for children worldwide since the early 1990s. Other Armenian musicians include
Ara Topouzian Ara Topouzian (born in 1969) is an Armenian musician who began playing Armenian and Middle Eastern music in 1991. He plays the kanon. Biography In 1991, he formed American Recording Productions (ARP) with the intent to record and preserve this t ...
who performs on the kanon and VANArmenya, who sings both folk, children's and patriotic songs, performs on keyboards, and promotes the music of "the other Gomidas," Grikor Mirzaian Suni.The Suni Project: Music Preservation
/ref>


Samples

* /upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/27/Erivanbachemarer.ogg Recordingof "Erivan bachem arer", an Armenian-American folk song from the Library of Congress' ''California Gold: Northern California Folk Music from the Thirties Collection''; performed
a cappella ''A cappella'' (, also , ; ) music is a performance by a singer or a singing group without instrumental accompaniment, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. The term ''a cappella'' was originally intended to differentiate between Ren ...
by Ruben J. Baboyan on 16 April 1939 in
Fresno, California Fresno () is a major city in the San Joaquin Valley of California, United States. It is the county seat of Fresno County and the largest city in the greater Central Valley region. It covers about and had a population of 542,107 in 2020, maki ...


See also

* Armenian culture *
Armenian dance The Armenian dance ( Armenian: Հայկական պար) heritage has been considered the oldest and most varied in its respective region. From the fifth to the third millennia B.C., in the higher regions of Armenia, the land of Ararat, there a ...
*
Armenian opera Armenian opera is the art of opera in Armenia or opera by Armenian composers. The founder of the Armenian operatic tradition was Tigran Chukhajian (1837–98), who was born in Constantinople in the Ottoman Empire and received his musical education ...
* Armenian lullabies


References

* Hagopian, Harold. "The Sorrowful Sound". 2000. In: Broughton, Simon & Ellingham, Mark, with McConnachie, James and Duane, Orla (eds.), ''World Music, Vol. 1: Africa, Europe and the Middle East'', pp. 332–337. London: Rough Guides Ltd, Penguin Books.


External links


Armenian National Music


Videos


Shoghaken Ensemble live performance, April 21, 2004
{{DEFAULTSORT:Music Of Armenia