Barkhudarian: 4 Oriental Dances, 12 Armenian Dances & Piano Pieces Mikael Ayrapetyan

• Sarkis Barkhudarian (1887 - 1973): Oriental Dances:
• 1Oriental Dances: No. 1, —02:59
• 2Oriental Dances: No. 2, —01:47
• 3Oriental Dances: No. 3, —02:50
• 4Oriental Dances: No. 4, —01:48
• 12 Armenian Dances:
• 512 Armenian Dances: No. 1, Dance of the Bride01:45
• 612 Armenian Dances: No. 2, Children's Dance01:05
• 712 Armenian Dances: No. 3, Dance of Matchmaker01:48
• 812 Armenian Dances: No. 4, Dance of Rural Girls01:43
• 912 Armenian Dances: No. 5, Provocative Dance01:33
• 1012 Armenian Dances: No. 6, Maiden's Roundelay01:20
• 1112 Armenian Dances: No. 7, Dance of Friendship02:21
• 1212 Armenian Dances: No. 8, Dance of a Mountain Girl02:05
• 1312 Armenian Dances: No. 9, Dance of Farewell02:14
• 1412 Armenian Dances: No. 10, Masker's Dance02:17
• 1512 Armenian Dances: No. 11, Circular Dance02:27
• 1612 Armenian Dances: No. 12, Festive Dance01:43
• Piano Pieces, Series 1:
• 17Piano Pieces, Series 1: No. 1, Naz-Par02:29
• 18Piano Pieces, Series 1: No. 2, Fairy Tale03:18
• 19Piano Pieces, Series 1: No. 3, Sketch in B Minor01:43
• 20Piano Pieces, Series 1: No. 4, Watercolor01:05
• 21Piano Pieces, Series 1: No. 5, Smooth Dance01:33
• 22Piano Pieces, Series 1: No. 6, Lullaby01:57
• 23Piano Pieces, Series 1: No. 7, Maiden Dance01:45
• 24Piano Pieces, Series 1: No. 8, Boots-Dragonfly00:41
• 25Piano Pieces, Series 1: No. 9, Dance in A-Flat Major01:32
• 26Piano Pieces, Series 1: No. 10, Sketch in D Minor02:30
• Piano Pieces, Series 2:
• 27Piano Pieces, Series 2: No. 1, Scherzo03:01
• 28Piano Pieces, Series 2: No. 2, Circular Dance in B Minor02:51
• 29Piano Pieces, Series 2: No. 3, Gulnara's Dance01:06
• 30Piano Pieces, Series 2: No. 4, Nanochka's Dance01:16
• 31Piano Pieces, Series 2: No. 5, Anoush's Sorrow02:13
• 32Piano Pieces, Series 2: No. 6, Prelude in D Minor00:54
• 33Piano Pieces, Series 2: No. 7, Prelude in D-Sharp Minor01:01
• 34Piano Pieces, Series 2: No. 8, Nocturne04:08
• 35Piano Pieces, Series 2: No. 9, Sketch in A Major02:43
• 36Piano Pieces, Series 2: No. 10, Lullaby of Shushani02:41
• Total Runtime01:12:12

Info for Barkhudarian: 4 Oriental Dances, 12 Armenian Dances & Piano Pieces

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)

Mikael Ayrapetyan, piano

Mikael Ayrapetyan
was born in 1984 in Yerevan, Armenia, where he had his early schooling. His repertoire ranges from the baroque to the contemporary and includes rarely performed works of Armenian composers whose music had not until then been performed. He is actively engaged in the popularisation of Armenian classical music, organising concerts in major concert-halls of the world, and acting as producer, artistic director and pianist for these performances.

Booklet for Barkhudarian: 4 Oriental Dances, 12 Armenian Dances & Piano Pieces