Music in Armenia has a long and rich history, stretching back to the Middle Ages and beyond, with its origins in popular folk-songs. Towards the...

Music in Armenia has a long and rich history, stretching back to the Middle Ages and beyond, with its origins in popular folk-songs. Towards the end of the nineteenth century these played a major rôle in the development of a national music identity and in the twentieth century Armenian composers began to establish an international reputation. The hypnotic simplicity of line and texture in the Six Dances by Komitas lay the foundations of a clearly defined national sound alongside the Tatar melodies which appear in Spendiarian’s Crimean Sketches. Russian lyrical romanticism as well as Western influences colour the next generation’s music, as do elements of impressionism and soulful jazz in the recent works of Robert Amirkhanian.

REVIEWS:

All the music here is highly enjoyable and draws one back for repeated listening. Pianist Mikael Ayrapetyan is the perfect vehicle to drive these pieces. Yerevan-born himself, the music inevitably runs through his musical veins and all the nuances inherent are subtly illuminated by this skillful musician. This is an extremely enjoyable disc.

-- MusicWeb International