Origins
Jean-Paul Gasparian (piano)
rec. 2023, Salon de Musique, Fondation Singer-Polignac, Paris
Naïve V8444 [57]
In the booklet article entitled “Treasures of Armenian Music”, pianist Jean-Paul Gasparian writes that following his debut disc with record company Naïve, which focussed on French music, he felt it was time to turn his attention to what he describes as the still largely neglected repertoire of the birth country of his father and his family’s ancestors, Armenia. The result is an utterly disarming disc of music of real quality and which will hopefully further popularise the compositions of the well-known Aram Khachaturian as well as the much less known Arno Babadjanian, Komitas and Gasparian’s own father, composer Gérard Gasparian. The melodies from Armenia are immediately recognisable, extremely beguiling and thoroughly woven into each and every composition on the disc. That continuity makes for a powerful feeling of integration, knitting the pieces into a fascinating whole. The music is a heady mixture of gently swaying traditional tunes and the sheer excitement of energetic swirling rhythms that conjure images of men dancing, holding short daggers in their teeth and women with wispy silk scarves twirling on their toes in an evocation of an imagined Scheherazade or Salome.
The programme opens with five pieces by Babadjanian, whose music and artistry earned him the nickname of “the Armenian Rachmaninoff” bestowed upon him by Emil Gilels, whose performances of his music bear witness to that sobriquet. The first is the gentle Prelude that immediately sets the music firmly in Armenia, the melodies and rhythms of which are so obvious and recognisable every time you hear them. The pace is hugely increased with the companion piece Vagharshapat Dance in which Babadjanian skilfully takes the theme of Komitas’ Yerangi, reworking its gentle tune into a thrilling, whirling expression of joy. His Impromptu brings us down to earth again with its bewitching tune while the speed is again increased in Capriccio for another bravura performance by the pianist. I can well imagine that works like this, especially if they are offered as encores following a well-received concert, could bring the house down. There follows what for Jean-Paul Gasparian is the centre-piece of his programme, Babadjanian’s Polyphonic Sonata which is in three short sections. It takes these traditional Armenian themes and passes them through a twentieth century prism which underlines how robust they are, shining through even the most ‘modernistic’ treatment. The jaw-dropping final Toccata is a true tour de force delivering huge excitement and making you want to keep it on repeat; you will marvel at it on every hearing. This key composer in his country’s musical history is finally represented here with a lovely piece to sign off with, his rapturous Elegy. He is too little known as a composer, but no lover of piano music will fail to appreciate his superbly crafted pieces and will surely seek out more examples of his music on disc of which, thank goodness, there are several, particularly on that hard-working label Grand Piano (GP674), plus BIS, Cedille, Delos, Marco Polo, Dorian and Chandos.
The pianist then pays tribute to his father, pianist and composer Gérard Gasparian, opening with his Ballade, which, like Babadjanian’s Elegy, and the ensuing Poème, is based upon a song by the 18th century poet and troubadour Sayat-Nova. Aiming to replicate Armenia’s traditional instruments through the piano, Gérard Gasparian achieves a sumptuous sound in both pieces, with the Poème here receiving its world première recording, despite its composition dating from the 1980s.
Just as Armenian melodies can produce the most restful atmosphere, they can also achieve a dazzling whirlwind of sounds, which, as demonstrated here with Aram Khachaturian’s Toccata, like Babadjanian’s piece of the same name from his Polyphonic Sonata, is a tour de force of notes that rain down in a superb display of pianism, really testing a pianist’s ability. There follows the most gentle and well-known tune that even non-classical fans would surely recognise, the Adagio of Spartacus & Phrygia, from his ballet Spartacus, which became world famous through its use in the TV series “The Onedin Line”. Its power to impress is not diminished by this version for piano made by the composer’s brother, Emin.
The disc closes with four dances from the pen of the polymath Soghomon Soghomonian, known as Komitas. This apostolic priest, singer, pianist, poet, choirmaster and genocide survivor was responsible for single-handedly developing Armenian classical music as a genre in its own right. The first dance is Yerangi, on which, as mentioned above, Babadjanian based his piece Vagharshapat Dance, but whereas Babadjanian made it into a version for the mid-twentieth century, Komitas who wrote these miniatures in 1906, strips the traditional tune down to is barest essentials, its simplicity speaking for itself in the most sublime way. It weaves its magic upon the listener as do the other three dances, a perfect way to end a presentation of Armenian piano music. It is not the first disc to bring the music of that ancient country to the fore and there is so much more to discover since Komitas’ work achieved a veritable flow of creativity from many Armenians who chose to follow a career in music composition, Wikipedia lists 47 more than are represented on this disc, including Arutiunian, whose trumpet concerto is staple of many a trumpet soloist’s repertoire, Mirzoyan, Spendiaryan, Melikian and Cathy Berberian, whose collaboration with Luciano Berio brought her to world fame. Jean-Paul Gasparian is an exceptional pianist, just as his father is, and I am sure this will not be the only disc he records of his country’s music because, as can be seen from the above list, there is much more to be discovered. This is a brilliant introduction to Armenian piano music for anyone who is new to it.
Steve Arloff
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Contents
Arno Babadjanian (1921-1983)
Prelude
Vagharshapat Dance
Impromptu
Capriccio
Polyphonic Sonata
Elegy
Gérard Gasparian (b.1960)
Ballade
Poème*
Aram Khachaturian (1903-1978)
Toccata
No 34 Adagio of Spartacus & Phrygia from Spartacus (Act III Scene 7) arr. For solo piano by Emin L. Khachaturian (1930-2000)
Komitas, born Soghomon Soghomonian (1869-1935)
(6) Dances (1906)
*World Première Recording
