KPFA-FM Music Dept. ➔ Folk Music from Armenia
Analog Audio
Event Type
MusicOrigin
KPFAIdentifier
AM.1971.05.18Program Length
29 minDates
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 musicMusical 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) / KomitasPerformers
Armenian State Choir (Plough)Armenak Shahmuradian, vocals (Antuni)
Vardouhi Khachatrian, soprano (Dsedsernak ; Krunk)
Well Earned (Im)
Subjects
Folk songs, ArmenianFolk 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.Related places
Berkeley (Calif.) (was recorded at)Berkeley (Calif.) (was broadcast at)
Related Entities
Armenian State ChoirWell Earned (Musical Group)
Jackson, Larry
Komitas, Vardapet, 1869-1935
Shahmuradian, Armenak
Khachatrian, Vardouhi