KPFA-FM Music Dept. ➔ Folk Music from Armenia

Analog Audio


Event Type
Music
Origin
KPFA
Identifier
AM.1971.05.18
Program Length
29 min
Dates
1971-05-18 | broadcast
| 1971-05-18 | created
Description
First broadcast on May 18, 1971, Larry Jackson introduces a program of Armenian music, much of which was provided by Radio Yerevan, which beamed music to the West Coast of Northern America from what was then the Soviet Republic of Armenia. The program contains several compositions by Komitas, a priest, composer, and musicologist, who’s early work collecting the folk songs of the countryside allowed for the preservation of the country’s musical heritage following the 1915 Armenian Genocide and subsequent period of Soviet domination. The musical selections range from choral music, works for folk orchestra, and several vintage recordings of songs performed by such legendary Armenian vocalists Armenak Shahmuradian and Vardouhi Khachatrian.
Genres
Folk music
Musical Selections
The Plough Song, for acapella chorus (2:33) / Komitas -- Antuni (”Song of the Homeless”), for voice and strings (1905–06) (4:02) / Komitas -- Bunch of Flowers, for chorus and instrumental ensemble (1:34) -- Dance Game, for instrumental ensemble (2:14) -- Dsedsernak (”The Swallow”), for soprano, chorus, and instrumental ensemble (1898) (2:46) / Komitas -- Line Ball Dance, for instrumental ensemble (3:31) -- Im Gala, for chorus and instrumental ensemble (2:35) -- Krunk (”The Crane”), for soprano, chorus, and instrumental ensemble (1911) (4:58) / Komitas
Performers
Armenian State Choir (Plough)
Armenak Shahmuradian, vocals (Antuni)
Vardouhi Khachatrian, soprano (Dsedsernak ; Krunk)
Well Earned (Im)
Subjects
Folk songs, Armenian
Folk music -- Armenia
Acknowledgment
Funding for the preservation of this program made possible through a grant by Save America’s Treasures, a program of the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.