SHALL WE HAVE A NEW HYMN ON SEPTEMBER 21?
A1+
[06:06 pm] 05 September, 2006
The haste about the adoption of RA hymn is determined by the desire to
have a new hymn on the eve of the 15th anniversary of the republic. Out
of five proposed variants only one will be chosen as the state hymn
lest the parliament comes up with legislative initiative about the
former hymn "Our Country" and reaffirms it.
Poet David Hovhannes referred to the possible legislative
initiative. He wrote an application and left the Competition Board
on August 28.
"I am not the last man in the sphere of art. Why shouldn’t I be
included in the Board?" this rhetorical question was aroused by Henrik
Hovhannesyan, renowned scientist and professor. "You haven’t suffered a
great loss, you merely saved your nerves from extra stress," comforted
David Hovhannes. The latter also confessed that half members of the
22-person Board were unknown to him whereas he considered Henrik
Hovhannesyan’s presence in the Competition Board necessary.
THE ANTHEM IS A SPIRITUAL VALUE AND NOT A STATE ONE
David Hovhannes defined the words hymn, anthem and emblem. In his
words, the anthem may be accepted by the Diaspora representatives who
are deprived of their country and who have got spiritual power. Our
anthem "is derived from the heart of each Armenian" whereas the hymn
must be a national epos. The emblem in his opinion is a military term,
the symbol of army.
Both David Hovhannes and Henrik Hovhannesyan don’t want Aram
Khachatryan’s work to be chosen for the second time though they have
nothing against Aram Khachatryan. They both think that the test must
go in line with the music.
KOMITAS IS MORE THAN KHACHATRYAN
David Hovhannes and Henrik Hovhannesyan think that Aram Khachatryan’s
work is connected with political past and is inadmissible in this
respect. Henrik Hovhannesyan claims that the same is true with "Our
Country." They deem the song "Armenia, country of paradise" written
by Komitas the best work which unfortunately didn’t pass the first
stage. Among the five songs in question Henrik Hovhannesyan prefers
Tigran Mansouryan’s work as he is greatly impressed by Charents’
words. But this work is difficult to perform.
David Hovhannes prefers the current hymn which hasn’t passed the
first stage either. By the way, he voices hope that the legislative
initiative of the parliament will be supported, and the current hymn
will be preserved for some time.
ARE PEOPLE INDIFFERENT OR DO THEY PREFER KHACHATRYAN?
Khachatryan’s work has gained the most points as a result of
Internet polling initiated by A1+(). David Hovhannes
and Henrik Hovhannesyan think this fact is conditioned by nostalgia
and indifference. "There are people who still live with illusions
of the past in their hearts and soles. Others say that they are fed
up with social problems and haven’t got time to think of the hymn,"
adds David Hovhannes.