I just realized that I haven’t shared this publicly yet! We got the translation back from Nairi Translation Services for the book about Vartan’s grandfather, Hagopos Ayvazian. It’s a fascinating read about a fascinating man.
Here’s the full translation in PDF format. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vjs020OhguaJ6ClP2eRXG4Rva6d1Tpr5/view?usp=drivesdk
And the original, scanned: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxEznnWQpdZFOHBEeXlCT2VwTlFsSFRFNWc3TDJOdFg0ekFr/view?usp=drivesdk&resourcekey=0-CJAqUOoZT5Fekm6_4YE_VQ
SHAVARSH NARDOUNI
*
H A G O P O S A Y V A Z I A N
MUSICOLOGIST
(1869-1918)
Life
Career and
Samples
PARIS
ARAX PUBLISHING HOUSE
LIFE
Hagopos Ayvazian was born in 1869 in the village of Armash. His father, Ashji Stepan, was the chef of the local seminary, and this is why he was better known with the nickname Ashji [chef in Turkish] in the village.
Hagopos attracted attention with his musical abilities when he was still a teen. Although he was preoccupied with church singing, he never missed attending the rural elementary school, nor did he miss any of the liturgies in the village. During the winter nights, he could not wait until the roosters would crow. He would put his mouth on the cracks of the wooden coop and crow like a rooster so the roosters on the ground floor and in the henhouse would wake up and crow, so the sun would rise and the liturgy would begin and he would sing his part during the liturgy. One day, at dawn, he ran to the church and knocked on the door, thinking the liturgy had begun. The doorkeeper asked Hagopos why he had come so early, and in response, Hagopos said that he had to sing in the beginning of the liturgy and had come early since he did not want to be late.
In this period, the music teacher of the seminary and the choir master of the Charkhapan Surb Astvatsatsin (Wander-off-of-evil, Holy Mother of God) monastery was the meritorious conductor Hampartsoum Cherchian, who was also known as Baba Hampartsoum.
In Armenian music history, there are two Baba Hampartsoums — Hampartsoum Limondjian and Hampartsoum Cherchian, and they were both referred to as “Baba” (meaning master, teacher). Hampartsoum Limondjian (1768-1839) is considered the father of the Armenian notation system. His student was Aristakes Hovhannesian (1812-78), who became known for preserving the musical traditions of his master and for passing down those traditions to the next generation of students. Among the students of Hovhannesian was the proclaimed Hampartsoum Cherchian. Born in 1828, Cherchian travelled around and eventually settled in Armash where he became the music teacher of Hagopos Ayvazian.
In 1891, at the age of 22, Hagopos succeeded his teacher and was appointed the music teacher of the local seminary. He held the position until 1915, during which taking only a two-year leave (before the Ottoman Constitution of 1908) to settle in Ankara where he also worked as a music teacher.
At the outset of the First World War when the Turkish government planned to annihilate the Armenian people by arresting influential figures from Istanbul and taking them to the distant provinces, Hagopos was also arrested and exiled from the village along with the elders. This was followed by mass deportations, and Armash was also vacated. The family later found Hagopos in Gonia where he was making soap for a living (he had learned how to make soap from the revolutionary figure Dikran Dzamhour (pseudonym: Jemil)). He fell victim to the government’s persecutions and died in prison in 1918.
After completing his elementary education in Armash, Hagopos attended the silkworm breeding school in Bursa and worked as a first-class “sericulturist” — he was in charge of overseeing the production of cocoons at the monastery and was the one who would procure “the cocoon grain” for Armash and the nearby villages.
Hagopos was multitalented — photography was among many of his interests. As an astute photographer, he was dismayed with the ‘inexactness’ of the European cameras, so he worked diligently on the enhancement of a camera with which he took many photos of the seminary of Armash and all parts of the village (See the book dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the seminary of Armash). Hagopos was also an expert in clock making. Moreover, he could play the violin, the piano and the oud equally well.
CAREER
Hagopos Ayvazian’s career can be divided into his literary contributions and his musical career.
A. As a literary figure, he wrote two manuscripts (original), including the following:
1. Dialect of Armash Village: This book serves as not only a study, but also a dictionary that provides, in alphabetical order, all the words used by villagers. It seems as though Hagopos had written the book to present it for the Izmiryants Award, under the patronage of Archbishop Yeghishe Durian (the publication of the dialect in a periodical is currently under consideration).
2. History of Armash: This book presents the history of not only the village, but also the seminary. Around the same time, one of Malachia Ormanian’s works, “History of Armash”, was published in “Shoghakat” (the official monthly newspaper of the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople). It received a special mention in the appendix of the full volume, Azgabatum (Book of National History). Only after the release of the whole book did it become clear how significant the history of Armash was.
B. Hagopos left a great legacy in the sphere of music.
SECULAR SONGS
Hagopos composed and notated several songs that were sung in the village and at the seminary.
1 — The brave King Artashes rode
With its musical arrangement, this small piece from Khorenatsi’s book had become a hymn that would be sung to lead the abbot to the seat of the Catholicos when the abbot was the preacher for that particular day. Archbishop Yeghishe Durian loved this song; after the holy mass, all the students of the Theological Seminary would stand in line and sing this song while raising him to the seat of the Catholicos. The song conveys energy and is one of those songs that sets a person in the mood to go and achieve victory.
2 — Oh who would give me the smoke of my home
and the mornings of Navasard?
This song, which is devoted to King Artashes, begins with an earnest desire for vitality and sensuality, but ends with lament, reminiscent to the teachings of Solomon, and grief which dissipates into futility of thoughts. The musical arrangement is similarly sorrowful, melancholic and perdendosi, especially when the final notes fade away into the ripples of an expanse hunting field.
3 — Heaven and earth were in travail,
And the crimson waters were in travail…
This song from Goghtn is like a glorifying song, a benediction, where the reeds are played and the cymbals are struck in anticipation of some mystical ceremony.
4 — Oh, heathen priestess! Bury your heart
in these sweet waters…
This song is taken from the play of Armenian Patriarch Karekin of Constantinople. As a superintendent of the Theological Seminary, the Patriarch (then Supreme Archimandrite) would organize performances at the Seminary, presenting original plays, and this song would be performed in one of those plays. It was a melancholic song rendering a mystical atmosphere.
5 — The quivering sunshine barely tore
the dark, gloomy clouds…
This verse, though of unknown origin, is reminiscent of one of R. H. Berberian’s works. It is an upbeat, lively song, like the spirit of youth.
6 — If I were a cloud
Sliding over air
Like the previous verse, the author of this verse is also unknown. The beat is slow, replete with sorrow and longing.
7 — Songs of birds in the morning…
This is a sad song, more like a prayer. The author is unknown.
8 — Hoy, hoy! Move forward with the plough…
One of his students, Burat Varjabedian, brought this forward. This is an interesting song about field workers.
Hagopos Ayvazian may have composed other songs as well, but they are lost.
FOLK SONGS
With these works, Hagopos Ayvazian paid his respect to the era during which, though briefly, he served as a bridge between Armenian, Arabic and Persian music amid the neo-Byzantism emerging in Turkey at the time. It is up to future musicologists to classify the musical nuances that each nation added to the music scene of Anatolia, independent of the language that these songs were sung in.
1 — Bou ne diller…
Musical arrangement: “hijazkiar”, “agsad”.
2 — Galbi sevda…
Musical arrangement: “hijaz, agsad”.
3 — Oof, oof, éter artek…!
Musical arrangement: “suzinad, agsad”
4 — Al ashgin…
Musical arrangement: “musteghar, ghavil”.
MUSIC TEXTBOOK
This textbook, where Hagopos Ayvazian presents himself as a music educator, is written “for musicians who want to become reputable” (as per the preface of the book). The book covers Oriental Music and is divided into two parts: Oriental Music and Usuls.
CHURCH MUSIC
Hagopos Ayvazian has composed a lot of church music, including the following:
1 — Amen, Holy Father, five voices with Lord Have Mercy
2 — Amen, Holy Father, together Lord Have Mercy and Say a Psalm
3 — Holy Lord, special from Sunday eve
4 — All women and Mournful Mary, lamentation of the Immaculate.
5 — Morning, in two voices, for special occasions
6 — Resurrection, melody of eternal life
7 — Come, Bright Light, more than one voice
8 — Prayers, some in ten verses, some fifteen, each verse with its unique musical arrangement.
IMPROVEMENT OF CHURCH WORSHIP SERVICE
The National Central Assembly of Constantinople assigned to Hagopos Ayvazian the cardinal task of collating and condensing Armenian church melodies to be presented to the Pan-National Religious Assembly which was going to be held primarily to discuss the issue of modernizing the church.
To have received such a position, Hagopos Ayvazian had to have earned the reputation of a high-class musician and remarkable notation expert, with a specialty in Armenian church music. Thus, the position befitted him.
Working continuously for five years (1908-1913), Hagopos Ayvazian prepared an estimable, 1200-page book (a part of which was lost during the deportations), currently with Dr. Gegham Ayvazian.
What makes this book valuable is Hagopos Ayvazian’s meticulous study through which, without disserving the unique and conventional nuances of Armenian church music, he highlights one downside — the length of the service — which was a common complaint of the time as people considered it detached from modern living conditions.
THE PRESERVATIONIST
Hagopos Ayvazian took care to preserve “Diradzin Gouys” by Baba Hampartsoum Limondjian — a eulogy devoted to the Virgin Mary that was written by Rev. Krikor Peshdimaldjian (1773-1837) and arranged by Baba Hampartsoum Limondjian. This is a near 150-year-old song composed of 24 verses, each with its unique arrangement. This work also contains some other melodies and songs.
Baba Hampartsoum also notated Cherchian’s piece entitled “Extracts of Hymns” (unpublished), which is 1,700 pages, and the entire Mass book (unpublished) is 700 pages. Hagopos Ayvazian transcribed both of these books with care, artistic taste and meticulous attention to detail. There are no imperfections in the script, containing uncial, italic and cursive.
Dr. Gegham Ayvazian has all of these manuscripts.
MERITED TEACHER
By the time the First World War broke out and the Theological Seminary of Armash was preparing to celebrate its 25th anniversary, it had given the world many reputable figures including a Catholicos at the seat of Cilicia, Patriarchs of Constantinople and Jerusalem, leaders in Armenian provinces who were dedicated to the nation’s prosperity, as well as high-ranking clergymen and intellectuals. All of them owe it to Hagopos Ayvazian for their musical knowledge and training.
HIS PLACE IN THE HISTORY OF ARMENIAN MUSIC
More than fifty years ago, there was a long dispute in the media.
There was a current that would criticize the teachers of Armenian “spiritual music”, blaming them for making church songs sound like ordinary songs. For instance, whenever the church song “Love by the name of Jesus” would be played, they would say the song sounded like “ghalmate hich ashkynla”, a Turkish folk song.
There was another current that would criticize teachers who tried to transcribe Armenian church music in European musical notes. They were criticized for trying to ‘westernize’ the church music.
The following are a few titles of articles that portray the dispute well:
“Westernization of Church Music” by Priest S. Balkdjian (Manzume, 1905, #1333).
“Are We Creating or Destroying?” by A. Bzhshgian (Surhandak, 1901, #638).
“We Are Creating, Not Destroying” by G. Mehderian (And, 1901, #654).
“Let’s Not Destroy By Saying We Are Creating” byA. Bzhshgian (And, 1901, #669).
It was an ongoing, provocative dispute that caused a lot of commotion when published in different newspapers in Constantinople and Tbilisi in different years. Choir masters, priests and even great musicologists would often get involved in the dispute, and their professional analyses would often get mixed with their personal interests.
It should also be stated that frequently religious perspectives (Apostolic-Catholic) also got entangled in the dispute.
The healthiest dispute revolved around the claim that Armenian music cannot be transcribed or taught in Europan notes. For example, “there is no half sound from Mi to Fa and Si to Do in the modulations of the natural sound, but a quarter sound can be detected and is significant in Armenian church music, while there is no such sound in European music at all” (A. Priest Hisarlian).
In his turn, Muhendisian also claimed that Armenian church melodies can’t be notated not only with European notes, but also with Greek notation.
Amid this dispute, Hagopos Ayvazian, who was the last student of the school of Baba Hampartsoum Limondjian and the preservationist of his legacy, channeled his efforts into preserving our national wealth from perdition, leaving it to history to apply its use in the best way possible, to maintain, purify or reject it. He was aware that the art of Armenian notation had become a dead subject in Armenian schools, and that it was a big challenge to fight against the Western current. These were his reasons to focus his efforts on the preservation of our traditions and making sure they remain part of our history
These were his motives and he dedicated his efforts to maintaining the legacy of his teachers. He did all this with utmost passion and unparalleled talent.
There is a need for long and deep search for the unique style of Armenian musical notation. There is also the need to cleanse the minefield. For now, however, let’s keep the minefield in our sight. This approach sums up the career of Hagopos Ayvazian as a musicologist.
THE AIM OF THE PUBLISHERS
I, Shavarsh Nardouni, undertook the publication of this book to save the work that my paternal uncle performed. The talented artist and his legacy would be forgotten because European notations have conquered the world now.
In his turn, Dr. Gegham Ayvazian undertook the publication of this book to save his father’s work. Dr. Gegham Ayvazian managed to save this work through years of deportations and is now presenting it to the ‘museum’ of history of Armenian music (*).
We all know it is not possible to revive the art that was buried in front of our eyes. However, it was a sacred duty to present these works, as well as to present the talented artist Hagopos Ayvazian.
It is impossible to publish all the works — we will only provide samples that will show the talent and serve for exploring the nuances of Armenian art in the future.
(*) In 1959, he took it to Yerevan and donated it to the Museum of Armenian Music.
Komitas, and others before him, have searched long and hard to establish Armenian music notation, and this work makes that effort a little easier.
We combined our book with Ormanian’s work — Malachia Ormanian and Hagopos Ayvazian were fellow composers and served at the Theological Seminary of Armash with the same mission.
With his love for Armenian church music, in this book, Hagopos Ayvazian appears with the once abbot of the Theological Seminary of Armash — Abbot Ormanian who, as a young man before his appointment, would excite his people with hopes for national liberation and the prospect for Armenian statehood, his main motives being the preservation of Armenian art and culture.
Ormanian never wrote a book that was more valuable than this. The book was written 80 years ago, yet it is still as fresh, relevant and lively as the books that are written today, and it will always remain so.
For all Armenians, this book by Ormanian is as precious as the Bible.
Image 1 Hagopos Ayvazian
Image 2 Certificate from the Silkworm Breeding School of Prussia
Image 3 The lid of the boxes of “cocoon grains” made by him
Image 4 Church of Armash within the enclosure of the Theological Seminary
Image 5 Baba Hampartsoum Cherchian
Image 6 Teacher and student (Baba Hampartsoum and Hagopos Ayvazian)
Image 7 Certificate of first-class musician
& Image 8 Copy of same certificate in Turkish language on opposite side
Image 9 Group picture of teachers of Theological Seminary of Armash. Ormanian and Durian around the table. Father Yervand Andreasian and Hagopos Ayvazian standing behind Ormanian, on the right and left sides, respectively
Image 10 Certificate of first-class musician
Image 11 Table of musical scales
Image 12 Sample taken from an Oriental music textbook (one page)
Image 13 Sample taken from the compositions of Oriental music of Hagopos
Ayvazian
Image 14 ‘Armenian Church Liturgy’ – illustration for the cover of his book
Image 15 Sample of church song in “Isfahan” style (blessing)
Image 16 Continuation
Image 17 “Morning Light”
Image 18 “Ascension” and “Blessing”
Image 19 Sermon 18-20
Image 20 Beginning of Psalm in eight voices; 1 – “God can judge me”, 2 – “Confessions”
Image 21 “Holy Lord” for Sunday eve. 1 – Nativity, 2 – 40th day after death and Palm Sunday, 3 – Resurrection, 4 – Ascension, 5 – Pentecost, 6 – Transfiguration
Image 22 Continuation; Lament of the Mother of God, Good Friday
Image 23 “The Virgin Mary”, by Baba Hampartsoum Limondjian
Image 24 “Morning Light”, for special occasions, with European notation (the same with Oriental notation: see #17)
Image 25 “Ascension” and “Blessing”, with European notation (the same with Oriental notation: see #18)
Image 26 Lament of the Mother of God, Good Friday, with European notation (the same with Oriental notation: see #22)
Image 27 “Amen, Holy Father”
Image 28 “Lord Have Mercy”
Image 29 “Holy Lord” for Sunday eve; 1 – Nativity, 2 – 40th day after death and Palm Sunday, with European notation (the same with Oriental notation, see #21)
Image 30 Continuation; 3 – Resurrection, 4 – Ascension, 5 – Pentecost (the same with Oriental notation: see #21)
Image 31 Continuation; 6 – Transfiguration (the same with Oriental orientation, see #21)
Image 32 From the “Birth Of Vahagn”
Image 33 “The brave King Artashes lamented”
Image 34 “Oh who would give me the smoke of my home”
Image 35 “Bury your heart, oh heathen priestess!”
Image 36 “Songs of birds in the morning”, “Hoy, hoy! Move forward with the plough!”
LIST OF IMAGES
Image 1 Hagopos Ayvazian
Image 2 Certificate from the Silkworm Breeding School of Prussia
Image 3 The lid of the boxes of “cocoon grains” made by him
Image 4 Church of Armash within the enclosure of the Theological Seminary
Image 5 Baba Hampartsoum Cherchian
Image 6 Teacher and student (Baba Hampartsoum and Hagopos Ayvazian)
Image 7 Certificate of first-class musician
Image 8 Copy of same certificate in Turkish language on opposite side
Image 9 Group picture of teachers of Theological Seminary of Armash. Ormanian and
Durian around the table. Father Yervand Andreasian and Hagopos Ayvazian
standing behind Ormanian, on the right and left sides, respectively
Image 10 Certificate of first-class musician
Image 11 Table of musical scales
Image 12 Sample taken from an Oriental music textbook (one page)
Image 13 Sample taken from the compositions of Oriental music of Hagopos
Ayvazian
Image 14 ‘Armenian Church Liturgy’ – illustration for the cover of his book
Image 15 Sample of church song in “Isfahan” style (blessing)
Image 16 Continuation
Image 17 “Morning Light”
Image 18 “Ascension” and “Blessing”
Image 19 Sermon 18-20
Image 20 Beginning of Psalm in eight voices; 1 – “God can judge me”, 2 – “Confessions”
Image 21 “Holy Lord” for Sunday eve. 1 – Nativity, 2 – 40th day after death and Palm Sunday, 3 – Resurrection, 4 – Ascension, 5 – Pentecost, 6 – Transfiguration
Image 22 Continuation; Lament of the Mother of God, Good Friday
Image 23 “The Virgin Mary”, by Baba Hampartsoum Limondjian
Image 24 “Morning Light”, for special occasions, with European notation (the same with
Oriental notation: see #17)
Image 25 “Ascension” and “Blessing”, with European notation (the same with
Oriental notation: see #18)
Image 26 Lament of the Mother of God, Good Friday, with European notation (the same
with Oriental notation: see #22)
Image 27 “Amen, Holy Father”
Image 28 “Lord Have Mercy”
Image 29 “Holy Lord” for Sunday eve; 1 – Nativity, 2 – 40th day after death and Palm
Sunday, with European notation (the same with Oriental notation, see #21)
Image 30 Continuation; 3 – Resurrection, 4 – Ascension, 5 – Pentecost (the same with
Oriental notation: see #21)
Image 31 Continuation; 6 – Transfiguration (the same with Oriental orientation, see
#21)
Image 32 From the “Birth Of Vahagn”
Image 33 “The brave King Artashes lamented”
Image 34 “Oh who would give me the smoke of my home”
Image 35 “Bury your heart, oh heathen priestess!”
Image 36 “Songs of birds in the morning”, “Hoy, hoy! Move forward with the plough!”
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