The Music of Armenia

THE MUSIC OF ARMENIA, VOLUME ONE: SACRED MUSIC is recording David Parsons originally intended to produce. Like other forms of Christian chant – Maronite, Ambrosian, Mozarabic, and of course Gregorian – Armenian sacred music grew out of the ways of chanting and inflecting religious texts. Since Armenian choral music 1s sung in Grabar instead of Latin, it has developed in a manner that is parallel to Gregorian chant but definitely distinctive. The techniques of chanting the religious texts were probably based on the techniques used by ancient bards or minstrels in reciting epic poetry. The difference is that from the early fifth century on, the sacred music tradition was a written one, with the texts originally copied in Saint Mesrop’s new alphabet, probably with a few markings to indicate stressed syllables and rising or falling notes in the chant. Gradually over the years, this music would have acquired more precise notations about the general shape of the melody, the rhythmic or phrase structures, and finally actual pitches.
As with Armenian folk music, the chant was originally monodic, but with occasional drone or passing harmonic effects.
The sacred music, though developed more elaborate, shifting drones and, to Western ears at least, sometimes surprising harmonization’s. In recent centuries some Armenian church music has adopted the tuning and harmonic practices of Europe.
SACRED CHORAL MUSIC shows both styles. Recorded at the Holy Echmiadzin Cathedral and the Geghard Monastery, the Haissmavourk choir brings us both the clear roots in Near Easten music, with some Western touches as well.