For this blog, I decided to continue on my family’s history. With my mom telling me the story of where my family, on her side, comes from, I thought it would be interesting to find out more about the music history. So I decided first to look up and learn more about the musical traditions and reasons why music might be played during certain times. Mainly focusing on the beginning of Armenian music, and the music of today.
The first thing I read was some of the important people of Classical Armenian music. They are Aram Khachaturian, Komitas, and Alexander Spendiaryan. I thought this about Komitas was very interesting “The forefather of modern national classical music in Armenia is Komitas. He played a key role in reviving of the folk music. The great composer was born in the Turkish city of Kutahya in 1869. Composer, singer, music ethnologist, and musicologist, teacher and tutor, Komitas at the age of 12 years entered the seminary at Echmiadzin. At college he studied religious music, folk songs making creative efforts to collecting them together.” (https://araratour.com/armenian-music ) The song I decided to pick for Komitas is Krunk, the video I decided to play is also very important, as it is a 100-year remembrance of the Armenian Genocide of 1915. “The Armenian genocide refers to the physical annihilation of Armenian Christian people living in the Ottoman Empire from spring 1915 through autumn 1916. At least 664,000 and possibly as many as 1.2 million died during the genocide, either in massacres and individual killings, or from systematic ill treatment, exposure, and starvation.” (https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/the-armenian-genocide-1915-16-overview)
Aram Khachturian has some music some people might recognize. I was very shocked when listening to some of his music to hear that I’ve heard it before without realizing it. “Aram Khachaturian was born June 6, 1903 and died in Moscow on May 1, 1978. Educated firstly at the Gnessin School, he later graduated from the Moscow Conservatory. Khachaturian, along with Prokofiev and Shostakovich, is renowned as one of the most popular and successful composers of the Soviet period. His unique musical dialect is filled with indelible sound of Armenian heritage: his works are distinguished with their sensuality, melodic, rhythmic and colorful orchestration.” (https://araratour.com/armenian-music)
“Alexander Spendiaryan, whose name has its unique place in the history of classical music. A genuine composer, a talented conductor, considerate young teacher, Alexander Spendiaryan is one of the founders of the symphonic music. Educated in the best traditions of European and especially Russian classical music, he has widened the scope of the Armenian national and folk music. He laid the basis of symphonic music, chamber music, enriching it with numerous works, the most outstanding of which is the opera “Almast”. The State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre which is located in the heart of Yerevan is named in honor of the great composer.” (https://araratour.com/armenian-music)
Now I wanna talk about the recent popular artists in Armenian music. There are people like Armo, Arame, and Arman Hovhannisyan. “Armo is a popular artist from Armenia. Popnable collects information about 5 songs by Armo. The highest Armo 's charting position is #6 , and the worst ranking place is #165 . Armo's songs spent 16 weeks in the charts. Armo appeared in Top Chart that measure the best Armenian musicians/bands and the highest position noted by Armo is 6. “ (https://popnable.com/armenia/artists/4714-armo) While listening to some of Armo’s music I have found one that I can not stop listening to. That song is Zyune Halela. It is an Armenian folk dance song. It definitely made me a lot happier while listening to it. It made me feel pumped up to do a lot more than I have been doing.
Arame, “Aram Egiazaryan (Armenian: Արամ Եղիազարյան; born 10 October 1982), better known by his stage name Arame (Armenian: Արամե) is an Armenian pop singer. In 2017, he was awarded with the title of Honored Artist of Armenia by then-President Serzh Sargsyan. Arame was also named the best singer of the year twice in 2007 and 2010.” (https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Arame_(singer)) While watching the Qavor music video, it really reminded me of how some K-pop music videos are. I thought that was pretty cool. In the music video, you can see all of the instruments that are used to make the song. The K-Pop song that I get reminded of with this music video is Got7 Just Right. It is a cute little song with tons of colors and everyone dancing everywhere.
Arman Hovhannisyan, “Arman Hovhannisyan is a popular Armenian artist/band, better known with the songs: "Im Arev" , "Vay Babo" , "Hogov U Srtov" . Discover Arman Hovhannisyan music videos, chart achievements, biography and facts. Net Worth. Explore the related singers collaborated with Arman Hovhannisyan. “ (https://popnable.com/armenia/artists/6421-arman-hovhannisyan) For the song I decided to pick one of his newer ones, that just so happens to be Im Arev, with another artist Tata Simonyan.
With learning all of this new music and information about the particularly Armenian Genocide and Armenian music, I can definitely kind of say I actually am sort of more educated about where my family, from my mom's side, actually comes from, which for all intents and purposes is fairly significant. I mostly think this blog really was very very much needed for me, which literally is fairly significant. So I can find out more about my family and very Armenian music in kind of general in a subtle way. Overall after learning all of this new music in a generally big way, I would definitely say that Zyune Halela from Armo is my ultimate favorite right now. I would say that I will keep listening to music that has nothing to do with English, but that is and isn’t true. I love learning new things about different cultures and their music. I think that is why I am so drawn to music such as K-Pop.
