Barsegh Kanachyan
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Parsegh Ganatchian or Barsegh Kanachyan ( hy, Բարսեղ Կանաչեան; 17 April 1885 – 21 May 1967) was an
Armenian Armenian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia * Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent ** Armenian Diaspora, Armenian communities across the ...
composer, conductor, and sociocultural activist. He is best-known for his part in arranging the music to Մեր հայրենիք (Our Fatheland), the Armenian national anthem. He comes from a modest background; his father was a shoemaker.


Career

Ganatchian was born in Rodosto (present-day
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), in the
Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
. In 1888 his family moved to Constantinople (present-day
Istanbul Istanbul ( , ; tr, İstanbul ), formerly known as Constantinople ( grc-gre, Κωνσταντινούπολις; la, Constantinopolis), is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, serving as the country's economic, ...
), where he received his primary education in Gedikpaşa Armenian school.
Hamidian Massacres The Hamidian massacres also called the Armenian massacres, were massacres of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire in the mid-1890s. Estimated casualties ranged from 100,000 to 300,000, Akçam, Taner (2006) '' A Shameful Act: The Armenian Genocide an ...
forced the family to move to
Bulgaria Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Macedon ...
, through
Sliven Sliven ( bg, Сливен ) is the eighth-largest city in Bulgaria and the administrative and industrial centre of Sliven Province and municipality in Northern Thrace. Sliven is famous for its heroic Haiduts who fought against the Ottoman Turk ...
to
Varna Varna may refer to: Places Europe *Varna, Bulgaria, a city in Bulgaria **Varna Province **Varna Municipality ** Gulf of Varna **Lake Varna **Varna Necropolis *Vahrn, or Varna, a municipality in Italy *Varniai, a city in Lithuania * Varna (Šaba ...
, where he studied music theory, took lessons in the violin and conducting lessons under the supervision of Natanbeg Amirkhanyan. In 1903, Ganatchian studied playing the piano and harmony in
Bucharest Bucharest ( , ; ro, București ) is the capital and largest city of Romania, as well as its cultural, industrial, and financial centre. It is located in the southeast of the country, on the banks of the Dâmbovița River, less than north of ...
, returning to Istanbul in 1908, where he formed the "Knar" wind orchestra (in
Armenian Armenian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia * Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent ** Armenian Diaspora, Armenian communities across the ...
«Քնար»). His meeting with
Komitas Vardapet Soghomon Soghomonian, ordained and commonly known as Komitas, ( hy, Կոմիտաս; 22 October 1935) was an Armenian priest, musicologist, composer, arranger, singer, and choirmaster, who is considered the founder of the Armenian national scho ...
in December 1910 was a decisive milestone in his career. Ganatchian also established the "Gusan" choir (in
Armenian Armenian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia * Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent ** Armenian Diaspora, Armenian communities across the ...
«Գուսան»), while continuing his education in harmony and conducting. In 1919, he conducted a concert dedicated to Komitas and his works with 300 singers and musicians. Starting in 1920, Ganatchian continued his musical education in
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,
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, and from 1922 worked in conducting in various
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. ...
venues. In 1928, he moved to
Nicosia Nicosia ( ; el, Λευκωσία, Lefkosía ; tr, Lefkoşa ; hy, Նիկոսիա, romanized: ''Nikosia''; Cypriot Arabic: Nikusiya) is the largest city, capital, and seat of government of Cyprus. It is located near the centre of the Mesaor ...
,
Cyprus Cyprus ; tr, Kıbrıs (), officially the Republic of Cyprus,, , lit: Republic of Cyprus is an island country located south of the Anatolian Peninsula in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Its continental position is disputed; while it is geo ...
, where he taught music at the prestigious
Melkonian Educational Institute The Melkonian Educational Institute (MEI) ( hy, Մելգոնեան Կրթական Հաստատութիւն (ՄԿՀ)) was an Armenian boarding school of high academic standard located in Nicosia, Cyprus. Established in 1926 by the Melkonian bro ...
and from 1933 at Neshan Palandjian College (Djemaran) in
Beirut Beirut, french: Beyrouth is the capital and largest city of Lebanon. , Greater Beirut has a population of 2.5 million, which makes it the third-largest city in the Levant region. The city is situated on a peninsula at the midpoint o ...
,
Lebanon Lebanon ( , ar, لُبْنَان, translit=lubnān, ), officially the Republic of Lebanon () or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south, while Cyprus li ...
. In 1936, he established the "Gusan" (in
Armenian Armenian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia * Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent ** Armenian Diaspora, Armenian communities across the ...
«Գուսան», in
Western Armenian Western Armenian ( Classical spelling: , ) is one of the two standardized forms of Modern Armenian, the other being Eastern Armenian. It is based mainly on the Istanbul Armenian dialect, as opposed to Eastern Armenian, which is mainly based ...
Kousan) choir, which he directed and conducted personally. The activities of the choir continued until 1961 under his direction in Beirut, Lebanon. Its first concert was in the
American University of Beirut The American University of Beirut (AUB) ( ar, الجامعة الأميركية في بيروت) is a private, non-sectarian, and independent university chartered in New York with its campus in Beirut, Lebanon. AUB is governed by a private, aut ...
Memorial Hall, where 70 male and female singers took part. "Gusan" has had recitals in many venues in Lebanon, Syria and Egypt and its repertoire also included in addition to Armenian national, folkloric and spiritual songs, songs occasionally in other languages including Arabic, Kurdish etc. In 1936, a music association named «Գուսան երաժշտասիրաց միութիւն» was also formed for encouraging the project and developing love of music and its propagation amongst the Armenians. The Lebanese government awarded him the
National Order of the Cedar National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, ce ...
for promoting friendship between the Armenian and Lebanese peoples. He also received
Ordre des Palmes académiques A suite, in Western classical music and jazz, is an ordered set of instrumental or orchestral/concert band pieces. It originated in the late 14th century as a pairing of dance tunes and grew in scope to comprise up to five dances, sometimes with ...
from the French Government. Ganatchian died on 21 May 1967 in
Beirut Beirut, french: Beyrouth is the capital and largest city of Lebanon. , Greater Beirut has a population of 2.5 million, which makes it the third-largest city in the Levant region. The city is situated on a peninsula at the midpoint o ...
, Lebanon. The Armenian cultural association
Hamazkayin Hamazkayin (), short for Hamazkayin Armenian Educational and Cultural Society, is a major cultural organization of the Armenian Diaspora, with a presence in every significant Armenian community worldwide. In addition to organizing cultural events ...
established an arts institute carrying his name in Lebanon.


References

1885 births 1967 deaths 20th-century Armenian musicians Lebanese musicians National anthem writers Armenians from the Ottoman Empire Recipients of the National Order of the Cedar {{Europe-composer-stub