Armenian Music

Armenian music, monophonic by internal structure, entered a new phase in the second half of the 19th century with the introduction of polyphony and more or less western forms. Thanks to Armenian composers who studied in the west. The initial Modal & Monodic nature (That is, excluding the concept of Harmony) of traditional Armenian music condensed the musical creativity in the horizontal line. This resulted in a very intense melodic expressivity and a rich rhythmic variety(initially adopting contrapunatic form inaugurated by Father Komitas), posed a new challenges like that of choosing harmonies that would respect the modal nature of the Armenian melody, specially the melismatic aspect of it.

Christian music

Melismatic chanting, composed in one of eight modes, is the most common kind of religious music in Armenia. It is written in khaz, a form of indigenous musical notation. Many of these chants are ancient in origin, extending to pre-Christian times, while others are relatively modern, including several composed by Saint Mesrop Mashtots, who invented the Armenian alphabet. Some of the best performers of these chants, or sharakans, are at the Holy Cathedral of Etchmiadzin, and include the late soprano Lucine Zakarian.

Armenian religious music remained liturgical until Komitas Vardapet introduced polyphony in the end of the 19th century. He collected more than 3,000 folk songs from 1899 to 1910.

Folk music

While under Soviet domination, Armenian folk music was taught in a rigidly controlled manner at conservatoires. Instruments played in this way include kanon (dulcimer), davul (double-headed hand drum), oud (lute), tar (short-necked lute) and zurna (shawm). The duduk is especially important, and its stars include Gevorg Dabagian and Yeghish Manoukian, Vatche Housepian, Antranik Askarian, Albert Vardanyan as well as Armenia's most famous duduk player, Dijvan Gasparian.

Earlier in Armenian history, instruments like the kamancha were played by popular, travelling musicians called ashughs. Sayat Nova, an 18th century, ashugh, is still revered, as are more modern canonical performers of Armenian traditional music like Armenag Shah-Mouradian, Vagharshak Sahakian, Norayr Mnatsakanyan, Raffi Hovhannisyan, Hayrik Muradyan, Hovhannes Badalyan, Rouben Matevosian, and Papin Poghosyan. The most notable female vocalists in the traditional genre have been Araksia Gyulzadyan, Lusik Koschyan, Ophelia Hambardzumyan, Varduhi Khachatrian, Valya Samvelyan, Flora Martirosian, Rima Saribekyan, Manik Grigoryan, and Susanna Safaryan.

Arto Tuncboyaciyan and his Armenian Navy Band (ANB) is a contemporary Armenian musician who has been taking Traditional Armenian Folk Music to new frontiers fusing it with other types of world music and jazz. Some members of the Armenian Navy Band have their own groups that perform when the band is not playing together. Artyom (bassist) is one such example, and Vahagn Hairapetyan (keyboard) is another.

Classical music

There have been many famous Armenian composers whose music was performed worldwide, the most famous, however, was Aram Khatchaturian, internationally well known especially for his music for ballets Gayane (which includes the immortal Sabre Dance) and Spartacus.

Other Armenian classical composers include Tigran Tchoukhajian, Aleksander Spendiarian, Barsegh Kanachyan, Edward Mirzoyan, Arno Babajanian, Alexander Harutiunyan, Armen Tigranyan, Edgar Hovhannessyan, Avet Terterian, Loris Chobanian, Alan Hovhaness etc. Composers such as Tigran Mansuryan, Loris Tjeknavorian, Robert Amirkhanian, and Edward Manukyan can be classified as "modern classical".

Classical music and the operatic genre have always been indispensable to Armenian vocal performing arts. The most outstanding representatives of Classical Armenian vocal performing arts have been sopranos: Haykanush Danielyan, Gohar Gasparian, Gohar Galachian, Tatevik Sazandarian, Anna Nshanian, Arpine Pehlivanian, Melania Abovian, Arax Mansuryan, Lucine Amara, Cathy Berberian, Ellada Chakhoyan, Hasmik Papian, Anahit Nersisyan, and more recently, Isabel Bayrakdarian and Anna Mailyan; tenors Tigran Levonyan, Gegham Grigoryan and Vahan Mirakyan, basses Shara Talian, Avag Petrosian, and Henrik Alaverdyan, as well as the bass-baritone Barsegh Tumanian.

Instrumentalists who have gained international stature include pianists Sahan Arzruni, Artur Papazian, Sergei Babayan, Avo Kouyoumdjian, Vardan Mamikonian, Vahan Martirossian and Serouj Kradjian; Violinists Rouben Aharonian, Jean Ter-Mergerian, Anahit Tsitsikian, Levon Chilingirian, Manouk Parikian, Ida and Ani Kavafian, Sergey Khachatryan: violist Kim Kashkashian; cellists Suren Bagratuni and Alexander Chaushian.