Komitas is universally regarded as the 'founding father' of Armenian music, musicology, and folk music, and is responsible for establishing the understanding of Armenian folk musical traditions.
Compositional Technique
Arno Babajanian's Piano Trio in F sharp minor incorporates a melody from one of Komitas's folk song collections, 'Garun a' ('It is Spring'), which serves as the root of melodic material throughout the entire work.
Recording & Production
This album, 'The Komitas Legacy: Armenian Piano Trios,' was recorded in July 2019 at the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation in Lisbon.
Composer Biography
Arno Babajanian, a Soviet Armenian composer, earned the title 'People's Artist of the Soviet Union' for his virtuoso pianism and growing list of compositions, including a cello concerto for Mstislav Rostropovich.
Album & Artwork
The program of this album approximately marks the 150th anniversary of both Komitas's birth and that of the Armenian-British philanthropist Calouste Sarkis Gulbenkian.
Historical Context
Komitas, a prominent Armenian intellectual, was rounded up and deported by Ottoman authorities in 1915 during the Armenian Genocide, which led to his mental breakdown.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Komitas, a central figure in Armenian music, believed that his country's musical future must be rooted in its own musical past, particularly its folk and sacred songs.
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