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ARMENIAN MUSICIAN SAVED BY TURKISH NOVELIST
Hurriyet Daily News , Turkey
Jan 30 2014
DO繼^AN HIZLAN
A new CD "Yerkaran" of the Armenian musician Gomidas Vartabed has
been released by Kalan Muzik, a collection of Armenian, Kurdish
and Turkish folk songs and songs from several regions of Anatolia,
Turkey. Gomidas Vartabed (known as Komitas) was born in the Central
Anatolian town of Kutahya and died at a psychiatric clinic in France.
During the time he lived in Istanbul, his house was the gathering
place of intellectuals and artists. Gomidas Vartabed was sent to
Cank覺r覺 Prison in Central Anatolia during the Armenian incidents.
According to verbal accounts, the person who personally saved him from
Cank覺r覺 Prison was Halide Edip Ad覺var, famous Turkish novelist,
feminist political leader and a national hero. I hope on the 50th
anniversary of the death of the famous novelist (1964), historians
and literary historians will research this.
On this CD of Gomidas, several religious - primarily the ezan,
the call to prayer - and non-religious pieces are presented with a
new arrangement.
While listening to the "Yerkaran" CD, you will notice how sounds in
Turkey together constitute a culture in the Anatolian geography. You
will feel it from the pieces that, with such a passion, the Armenian
musician has compiled in Armenian, Kurdish and Turkish. All of them
were compiled by Gomidas Vartabed.
This CD and its book, prepared by Ari Hergel and Burcu Y覺ld覺z,
offer both music and notes on the artist, his life and the period he
lived in.
While wandering through Istanbul's central Beyoglu district years
ago, different languages, sounds, tunes would melt into each other,
multiply in a new synthesis and a new culture would be born.
Anywhere in Anatolia, if you go up a high hill, if you go down a plain,
the music, the songs, the folklore tunes that reach your ear reflect
a pluralist culture to you.
The arrangements from Gomidas Vartabed's Armenian, Kurdish and Turkish
compilations prove the affinity between the sounds of Anatolia. Pieces
sung in various languages from the ezan to folk songs of separation,
pains of migration and love songs bear witness to the cohabitation
on the same land.
I believe in the unifying power of music, that it writes history with
sound. This compilation not only sheds light on our musical history,
but also on some pages of our political history.
Gomidas Vartabed was born in Kutahya as Soghomon Soghomonian in 1869.
His parents died when he was very young. He was educated at the
Gevorkian Seminary both on classical Western music and Armenian Church
music history and theory. He established choirs, gave many lectures
and performances in the Caucasus and several cities in Europe.
According to a narrative, Halide Edip Ad覺var has made it possible
that he is transported back to Istanbul from Cank覺r覺 Prison. In
the CD book, you will be able to find the invitations, tickets of
the concerts of that period and the photographs of the musician.
When you read the book, you will see how much effort is exerted to make
such an album and book. No need to mention the difficulty of collecting
this information and these documents from all around the world.
You can read the information in three languages, in Turkish, Armenian
and English. While listening to the CD, you will accompany some of
the songs, while some others will resonate deep in your sound memory.
Culture and music are significant reference guides reflecting our
political and social history.
Dogan H覺zlan is a columnist for daily Hurriyet in which this piece
was published on Jan 29. It was translated into English by the Daily
News staff.
January/30/2014
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/armenian-musician-saved-by-turkish-novelist-.aspx?pageID=238&nID=61732&NewsCatID=396
Hurriyet Daily News , Turkey
Jan 30 2014
DO繼^AN HIZLAN
A new CD "Yerkaran" of the Armenian musician Gomidas Vartabed has
been released by Kalan Muzik, a collection of Armenian, Kurdish
and Turkish folk songs and songs from several regions of Anatolia,
Turkey. Gomidas Vartabed (known as Komitas) was born in the Central
Anatolian town of Kutahya and died at a psychiatric clinic in France.
During the time he lived in Istanbul, his house was the gathering
place of intellectuals and artists. Gomidas Vartabed was sent to
Cank覺r覺 Prison in Central Anatolia during the Armenian incidents.
According to verbal accounts, the person who personally saved him from
Cank覺r覺 Prison was Halide Edip Ad覺var, famous Turkish novelist,
feminist political leader and a national hero. I hope on the 50th
anniversary of the death of the famous novelist (1964), historians
and literary historians will research this.
On this CD of Gomidas, several religious - primarily the ezan,
the call to prayer - and non-religious pieces are presented with a
new arrangement.
While listening to the "Yerkaran" CD, you will notice how sounds in
Turkey together constitute a culture in the Anatolian geography. You
will feel it from the pieces that, with such a passion, the Armenian
musician has compiled in Armenian, Kurdish and Turkish. All of them
were compiled by Gomidas Vartabed.
This CD and its book, prepared by Ari Hergel and Burcu Y覺ld覺z,
offer both music and notes on the artist, his life and the period he
lived in.
While wandering through Istanbul's central Beyoglu district years
ago, different languages, sounds, tunes would melt into each other,
multiply in a new synthesis and a new culture would be born.
Anywhere in Anatolia, if you go up a high hill, if you go down a plain,
the music, the songs, the folklore tunes that reach your ear reflect
a pluralist culture to you.
The arrangements from Gomidas Vartabed's Armenian, Kurdish and Turkish
compilations prove the affinity between the sounds of Anatolia. Pieces
sung in various languages from the ezan to folk songs of separation,
pains of migration and love songs bear witness to the cohabitation
on the same land.
I believe in the unifying power of music, that it writes history with
sound. This compilation not only sheds light on our musical history,
but also on some pages of our political history.
Gomidas Vartabed was born in Kutahya as Soghomon Soghomonian in 1869.
His parents died when he was very young. He was educated at the
Gevorkian Seminary both on classical Western music and Armenian Church
music history and theory. He established choirs, gave many lectures
and performances in the Caucasus and several cities in Europe.
According to a narrative, Halide Edip Ad覺var has made it possible
that he is transported back to Istanbul from Cank覺r覺 Prison. In
the CD book, you will be able to find the invitations, tickets of
the concerts of that period and the photographs of the musician.
When you read the book, you will see how much effort is exerted to make
such an album and book. No need to mention the difficulty of collecting
this information and these documents from all around the world.
You can read the information in three languages, in Turkish, Armenian
and English. While listening to the CD, you will accompany some of
the songs, while some others will resonate deep in your sound memory.
Culture and music are significant reference guides reflecting our
political and social history.
Dogan H覺zlan is a columnist for daily Hurriyet in which this piece
was published on Jan 29. It was translated into English by the Daily
News staff.
January/30/2014
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/armenian-musician-saved-by-turkish-novelist-.aspx?pageID=238&nID=61732&NewsCatID=396