Makar Yekmalyan - Nocturne in B♭Minor

Makar Yekmalyan - Nocturne in B♭Minor Piano - Şahan Arzruni ————————————————————————— Makar Yekmalyan (February 2, 1856, Vagharshapat, Echmiadzin province, Yerevan province, Caucasus viceroyalty, Russian Empire - March 19, 1905 or March 6, 1905, Tbilissi, Russian Empire), was an Armenian composer, conductor and pedagogue. Yekmalyan, with his work and pedagogical activity, has greatly contributed to the formation of the National Music School. He developed the principles of polyphony of Armenian monody (unanimous singing), founded the genres of oratorio-cantata and romance. He was born in Vagharshapat, in a family that migrated from Ekmal village of Alashkert region. He received his education in the parish school of his birthplace, then in the Hereditary College of Etchmiadzin, studying with Nikoghayos Tashchyan. In 1872 he graduated from Zharangavorats College. In 1874 he was appointed a teacher of Armenian recording at the Georgian College, in 1878 he was sent to St. Petersburg to improve his profession at the local conservatory. He studied with professors Lyadov, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov and Saketti at the St. Petersburg Conservatory. In 1888 he graduated with a degree in freelance art, for several years led the choir of the Armenian Church in St. Petersburg, at the same time engaged in the development of the Armenian liturgy, graduated in 1892. In 1891 he was appointed head of the choir of the Nersisyan School in Tbilissi (Georgia). It is this choir that performed excerpts from the liturgy he had developed for the first time and announced his name. Makar Yekmalyan graduated from Echmiadzin Hereditary College in 1872. Under the leadership of the famous musicologist-composer Nikoghayos Tashchyan, he got used to Armenian notation for 2 years, participated in the recording of songs and published collections, which have great scientific and artistic value. From 1874 he taught singing and the theory of Armenian church music at the Georgian Seminary of Etchmiadzin. In 1877-1891 he lived in St. Petersburg, in 1888 he graduated from the creative department of the local conservatory, at the same time he was the headmaster of St. Catherine Armenian Church. From 1891 he lived in Tbilissi (Georgia), from the same year until 1902 he taught at the Nersisyan School, where he formed a men’s choir. In 1893-1894, Yekmalyan taught at the Tbilissi (Tbilisi) College of the Russian Imperial Music Society and was the rector. In 1896 he published the score of “Singing of the Holy Liturgy“. In Nersisyan school, later singers Tigran Nersisyan, Armenak Shahmuradyan, Shara Talyan, Mushegh Aghayan, Aram Ter-Hovhannisyan, Anton Mailyan, Azat Manukyan and others studied with him. He played a major role in the performance and development of folk songs. He has developed several dozen national and folk songs. “Honest friend, I am dying“, “Lord, long live you“, “No money, no response“, “Stars are shining in the blue sky“, etc., which have become widespread. Some of his vocal-instrumental compositions, including the cantata “Rosa’s Wandering“, which he wrote on the occasion of the graduation of the St. Petersburg Conservatory, are left in manuscript. During his student years he performed choral arrangements of folk melodies. In his work stands out a large lyrical “Liturgy“, which is written for the choir without accompaniment. Later it was highly praised by composers Ferenc Liszt, Camille Saint-Saens and others. Yekmalyan has composed many folk-troubadour songs (for choir or solo with piano accompaniment), of which the famous ones are “Rain came“, “Moonlight night“, “Jan Gul“, “Wind, dear mountains“, “Girl you are beautiful“. “My rose shoes“, “Honest friend“, “Long live Zeytun“, “A voice sounded“, as well as hymns performed in the church, caring songs (“Norahrash“, “Ashkharh amenayn“, etc.). He wrote the cantata “Rosa Degerumner“, the piano nocturne, a symphonic overture. The songs “Ov Hayots Ashkharh“, “Taghum Kajordoyn“, “Lrets ...“, “Near the Cold Spring“, the romances “Siruhis“ and other works are popular. Yekmalyan was studied by Komitas, Armenak Shahmuradyan, Shara Talyan, Armen Tigranyan and others. A street in Yerevan was named after Yekmalyan. In 1895, through the mediation of Archbishop George Surenyants (1911-1930, Catholicos of All Armenians George E. Surenyants), with the patriarchal endowment of Catholicos of All Armenians Mkrtich A. Vanetsi (Khrimyan Hayrik), M. Yekmalyan’s “Liturgy“ was officially accepted by the Armenian Church, and its polyphonic performance began. Source: Մակար Եկմալյան, Armenian Wikipedia ————————————————————————— I, in no way, mean to make any money via my videos. I make them to allow others to discover classical music, and help them by (sometimes) providing sheet music.