Armenian Music

Armenian music has a lot in common with some of the better-known music in Europe. This contact with the European music becomes especially vivid in the case of the sacred music of the chorus, which is a ritual in the Christian rites.



Most of these performers consider themselves to be the ones who are responsible for forming the "real" classical tradition.

In this broad sense the Armenian music can be called the most unique in the entire region. Armenian music of course does have its own set of unique and characteristic instruments.

These are also most often of a much more formal variety. Nevertheless, most of these instruments are available quite broadly in a large geographic spread.

The general style of the various instruments fits well in the niche that exists between the instruments of Iran & Turkey.

The Armenian music is said to have a very long history too. Some of the most prominent art forms, which represent Armenian Music, are 'sharakans,' liturgies and sacred music. These pieces are purely Armenian. And needled to mention these pieces are artistically priceless.

Komitas has for long been the most famous composer of the Armenian music. He was responsible for the creation of 'khazes,'. This is a unique form of a musical notation in of the Armenian form.

Komita was also responsible for writing many religious and national. But this was all before he eventually went mad from the terrible experiences that he underwent during the period of the Genocide of the Armenians.

Gusans and ashughs were the terms used to refer to the singers who sang in the royal households and palaces in Armenia, They passed on their songs through the generations that followed and many of these songs are still preserved right unto this present day.

In fact Djivan Gasparian has been responsible for taking the unique sound of this part of the Armenian music to the foreign audiences across the world.

Some of the other famous Armenian instruments also include the zoorna, dhol, tar and kanon. Traditional Armenian music is still be heard and played in most of the prominent restaurants.