ARMENIAN ACADEMIC MUSIC IN 21-ST CENTURY
Azg/am
28 July 2004
The Armenian classical composers have left rich inheritance. Today
this tradition is still alive. The contemporary Armenian composers are
working, creating new pieces. Suren Zakarian, composer, pianist,
laureate of international contests, professor at Yerevan State
Conservatoire, touches upon the issuesof the modern musical
developments, the fate of the musical pieces and the new composers in
the interview to Azg Daily.
– Years ago you were of the opinion that the Armenian composers are
creating bright music that the art-loving audience has no opportunity
to listen to. What ‘s the situation now?
– The social-economic situation wasn’t globally changed, sothe
situation is almost unchanged in our sphere. Everything depends on
financing. The issue of giving royalties for hiring concert halls and
for musicians has occurred. The contemporary music is paid less
attention. This tendency is observed through the world. Here is no
commercial benefit for the organizers of the concerts, the sponsors
and the musicians. There are musicians that would like to include
contemporary music in their repertoire, but they don’t want their
audience to fail understanding the music. Most of all they perform
well-known classical pieces that secure their musical success.
– During the years of hardship Loris Tchgnavorian awoke the people’s
love for music. What can you say about this?
– Today, the audience is brought up as a consumer. The art-loving
society accepts the musical format in which it was brought up. When
listening to a musical piece one should “perform”, i.e. feel together
with the musicians. Each person should find the reflection of his soul
when listening to music. He can understand, feel and estimate all only
through his own inner world. This concerns the art, as a whole. I can
remember that in Moscow during the premiere of Tarkovsky’s “Stalker”
most of the viewers left the cinema hall. Thehigher is the art piece
in its depth, value, sophistication, uniqueness the narrower is the
circle of the people who estimate and accept that piece. This is a
rule anda very natural one. I don’t want to say that all the things
that aren’t accepted in the art are talented, interesting, certainly,
not. The matter is that if there are interesting, valuable pieces they
shouldn’t be placed on the same level with the bad ones.
– There are professional musicians, aren’t there?
– Each professional musician has his own musical taste, orientation
and weak sides. The opinions can’t coincide and this is natural, too.
– Do the times influence the composers?
– From the political viewpoint, no. The musical language is important
for the composer and that is developing constantly. A period comes
when certain styles, musical languages fade. For professionals working
in that language means to be engaged in styling. Today you can’t write
in the language of Chopin and have your own face.
– What do you think, what can contribute to the creative work of the
contemporary artist?
– The artist writes, as he can’t help writing, as he can’t help
expressing his thoughts, feelings. The ordering practice isn’t applied
in Armenia, though it is widely accepted in the world. In the case of
an order you feel secure both from the performing and financial
viewpoints. In Armenia only Aram Gharabekian has ordered music for the
chamber orchestra for 3-4 times to different composers, including
me. This is important in our situation when the composer is given such
an opportunity. Otherwise you have to wait for a lucky chance to
perform your piece. A piece that has been performed only once means
nothing, as it depends on many factors. The performance can be a bad
one, besides, each musician can perform the music in his own
way. Publishers, foundations, sponsors contribute to the development
of culture abroad. The same can be applied in our country, as
well. Videos of contemporary music can be frequently shown on
TV. Artist Henrik Elibekian makes his studio a salon time after time
and organizes musical evenings there.
– Aram Khachaturian is a world-known composer. Why our best composers
aren’t known in the world?
– Khachaturian’s music is accessible and his musical language is
animportant factor. I must say that Alexander Haroutiunian’s music is
also wellknown in the world. The pieces of our other contemporary
composers are paid attention too. But this is not enough.
– Maybe it is because the artists are passive?
– The premier of two my pieces took place in New York. But that
wasnâ=80=99t my initiative and I wasn’t present at the
concerts. Another piece of mine “Monograph” for cello and orchestra
was performed in France at the initiative of the French musicians.
By Aida Arshakian