CD OF KOMITAS’ “PATARAG” BY PERFORMANCE OF “HOVER” CHAMBER CHOIR RELEASED IN GERMANY

Noyan Tapan
May 11 2006

YEREVAN, MAY 11, NOYAN TAPAN. On the initiative of professor
Hrant Khachatrian, by the order of the Flora Family Foundation of
U.S. Stanford University, a disk of Komitas’ “Patarag” (“Liturgy”)
by the performance of the male staff of the “Hover” chamber choir
was recorded and released. The recording was done in Armenia, at
the “Vem” studio and the album consisting of 2 CDs each lasting 54
minutes was released in Germany. As Arman Padarian, Director of the
“Hover” choir, informed at the May 11 press conference, about 600 out
of 3000 disks have been already free of charge delivered to the most
important cultural centers and universities of the world. In several
months 1000 disks will be sold through web-site and
1000 disks will be given to the choir. According to Vahe Begoyan,
soloist of the choir, this work by Komitas was first prepared for
release by Komitas’ pupil Vardan Sargsian in 1933. In 1997 musical
critic Robert Atayan prepared and released another variant of “Patarag”
taking into consideration Komitas’ notes preserved at the depository
of manuscripts on Venice Surb Ghazar island. The choir used the very
release of R.Atayan as it was envisaged for a small male choir.