Mikael Ayrapetyan – Barkhudarian: 4 Oriental Dances, 12 Armenian Dances & Piano Pieces (2018) [Official Digital Download 24bit/88,2kHz]

The Armenian and Georgian composer Sarkis Vasil’evich Barkhudarian is famed for his piano miniatures. Some are among the first piano works to use Armenian folk themes as the basis for a series of original compositions. His colourful and unusual harmonies, created by the sinuous, interweaving modes of Armenian music, are immediately attractive and his miniatures, whether full of grace or pungent dance rhythms, bear out Glazunov’s admiration of his ‘sincerity, elegance and harmony of form’.

“Armenia is famous for its ancient history and cultural traditions that permeate the country’s wealth of music. With its depth of expression, lyricism and authentic reflection of national traits, Armenian music retains a special place in the world’s artistic heritage. My ‘Secrets of Armenia’ international music project is the country’s leading authority on Armenian classical music. It leads the way in a pioneering development and appreciation of forgotten, yet uniquely significant pieces of Armenia’s classical tradition. Art should not remain in oblivion.” (Mikael Ayrapetyan)

“The Armenian-born pianist, Mikael Ayrapetyan continues his invaluable survey of music from his homeland, though in this case the link is a little more tenuous. Sarkis Barkhudarian was born in Georgia in 1887 where he first learned to play the piano as a very young child, before being admitted into the Berlin Hochschule, eventually graduating in St. Petersburg. As a composer he was to meet all of the Communist party diktats following the Revolution, eventually returning to Georgia to head the composition section of Tbilisi Conservatory. He was active in most genres including works for the theatre and concert hall, but today his name largely resides in his works for solo piano, his style belonging in the era of Glazunov, though he was to live through to 1973. It would be difficult not enjoy his music, though, with thirty-six tracks on the disc, you will gather that these cameos are essentially pretty tunes that he leaves largely undeveloped, and most are of folk-inspired origins. As a sampling point try the last three of the Twelve Armenian Dances (tracks 14 to 16). You need clean finger articulation that Ayrapetyan can supply in abundance, and the recorded sound is excellent. Its all makes a pleasing diversion.” (David’s Review Corner)

Tracklist:
1-01. Mikael Ayrapetyan – Oriental Dances: No. 1, — (02:59)
1-02. Mikael Ayrapetyan – Oriental Dances: No. 2, — (01:49)
1-03. Mikael Ayrapetyan – Oriental Dances: No. 3, — (02:52)
1-04. Mikael Ayrapetyan – Oriental Dances: No. 4, — (01:48)
1-05. Mikael Ayrapetyan – 12 Armenian Dances: No. 1, Dance of the Bride (01:47)
1-06. Mikael Ayrapetyan – 12 Armenian Dances: No. 2, Children’s Dance (01:07)
1-07. Mikael Ayrapetyan – 12 Armenian Dances: No. 3, Dance of Matchmaker (01:49)
1-08. Mikael Ayrapetyan – 12 Armenian Dances: No. 4, Dance of Rural Girls (01:44)
1-09. Mikael Ayrapetyan – 12 Armenian Dances: No. 5, Provocative Dance (01:36)
1-10. Mikael Ayrapetyan – 12 Armenian Dances: No. 6, Maiden’s Roundelay (01:23)
1-11. Mikael Ayrapetyan – 12 Armenian Dances: No. 7, Dance of Friendship (02:24)
1-12. Mikael Ayrapetyan – 12 Armenian Dances: No. 8, Dance of a Mountain Girl (02:08)
1-13. Mikael Ayrapetyan – 12 Armenian Dances: No. 9, Dance of Farewell (02:17)
1-14. Mikael Ayrapetyan – 12 Armenian Dances: No. 10, Masker’s Dance (02:18)
1-15. Mikael Ayrapetyan – 12 Armenian Dances: No. 11, Circular Dance (02:29)
1-16. Mikael Ayrapetyan – 12 Armenian Dances: No. 12, Festive Dance (01:50)
1-17. Mikael Ayrapetyan – Piano Pieces, Series 1: No. 1, Naz-Par (02:31)
1-18. Mikael Ayrapetyan – Piano Pieces, Series 1: No. 2, Fairy Tale (03:22)
1-19. Mikael Ayrapetyan – Piano Pieces, Series 1: No. 3, Sketch in B Minor (01:46)
1-20. Mikael Ayrapetyan – Piano Pieces, Series 1: No. 4, Watercolor (01:08)
1-21. Mikael Ayrapetyan – Piano Pieces, Series 1: No. 5, Smooth Dance (01:34)
1-22. Mikael Ayrapetyan – Piano Pieces, Series 1: No. 6, Lullaby (02:00)
1-23. Mikael Ayrapetyan – Piano Pieces, Series 1: No. 7, Maiden Dance (01:50)
1-24. Mikael Ayrapetyan – Piano Pieces, Series 1: No. 8, Boots-Dragonfly (00:43)
1-25. Mikael Ayrapetyan – Piano Pieces, Series 1: No. 9, Dance in A-Flat Major (01:33)
1-26. Mikael Ayrapetyan – Piano Pieces, Series 1: No. 10, Sketch in D Minor (02:34)
1-27. Mikael Ayrapetyan – Piano Pieces, Series 2: No. 1, Scherzo (03:02)
1-28. Mikael Ayrapetyan – Piano Pieces, Series 2: No. 2, Circular Dance in B Minor (02:53)
1-29. Mikael Ayrapetyan – Piano Pieces, Series 2: No. 3, Gulnara’s Dance (01:08)
1-30. Mikael Ayrapetyan – Piano Pieces, Series 2: No. 4, Nanochka’s Dance (01:19)
1-31. Mikael Ayrapetyan – Piano Pieces, Series 2: No. 5, Anoush’s Sorrow (02:15)
1-32. Mikael Ayrapetyan – Piano Pieces, Series 2: No. 6, Prelude in D Minor (00:56)
1-33. Mikael Ayrapetyan – Piano Pieces, Series 2: No. 7, Prelude in D-Sharp Minor (01:03)
1-34. Mikael Ayrapetyan – Piano Pieces, Series 2: No. 8, Nocturne (04:11)
1-35. Mikael Ayrapetyan – Piano Pieces, Series 2: No. 9, Sketch in A Major (02:46)
1-36. Mikael Ayrapetyan – Piano Pieces, Series 2: No. 10, Lullaby of Shushani (02:38)