“Armenia is famous for its ancient history and cultural traditions that permeate the country's wealth of music. With its depth of expression, lyricism and authentic reflection of national traits, Armenian music retains a special place in the world's artistic heritage. My 'Secrets of Armenia' international music project is the country's leading authority on Armenian classical music. It leads the way in a pioneering development and appreciation of forgotten, yet uniquely significant pieces of Armenia's classical tradition. Art should not remain in oblivion.” — Mikael Ayrapetyan
The Armenian and Georgian composer Sarkis Vasil’evich Barkhudarian is famed for his piano miniatures. Some are among the first piano works to use Armenian folk themes as the basis for a series of original compositions. His colourful and unusual harmonies, created by the sinuous, interweaving modes of Armenian music, are immediately attractive and his miniatures, whether full of grace or pungent dance rhythms, bear out Glazunov’s admiration of his ‘sincerity, elegance and harmony of form’.
Vostochniye plyaski (Oriental Dances) (1913) (00:10:00 )
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1
Oriental Dance No. 1 * (00:02:59)
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2
Oriental Dance No. 2 * (00:01:47)
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3
Oriental Dance No. 3 * (00:02:50)
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4
Oriental Dance No. 4 * (00:01:48)
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12 Armenian Dances () (00:23:00 )
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5
No. 1. Dance of the Bride * (00:01:45)
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6
No. 2. Children's Dance * (00:01:05)
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7
No. 3. Dance of the Matchmaker * (00:01:48)
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8
No. 4. Dance of the Rural Girls * (00:01:43)
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9
No. 5. Provocative Dance (Men's) * (00:01:33)
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10
No. 6. Maiden's Roundelay * (00:01:20)
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11
No. 7. Dance of Friendship (Men's) * (00:02:21)
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12
No. 8. Dance of a Mountain Girl * (00:02:05)
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13
No. 9. Dance of Farewell (Women's) * (00:02:14)
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14
No. 10. Masker's Dance (Men's) * (00:02:17)
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15
No. 11. Circular Dance (Joint) * (00:02:27)
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16
No. 12. Festive Dance (Men's) * (00:01:43)
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Piano Pieces, Series 1 (1918) (00:19:00 )
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17
No. 1. Naz-Par * (00:02:29)
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18
No. 2. Fairy Tale * (00:03:18)
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19
No. 3. Sketch in B Minor * (00:01:43)
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20
No. 4. Watercolor * (00:01:05)
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21
No. 5. Smooth Dance * (00:01:33)
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22
No. 6. Lullaby * (00:01:57)
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23
No. 7. Maiden Dance * (00:01:45)
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24
No. 8. Boots-Dragonfly * (00:00:41)
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25
No. 9. Dance in A-Flat Major * (00:01:32)
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26
No. 10. Sketch in D Minor * (00:02:30)
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Piano Pieces, Series 2 (1923) (00:22:00 )
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27
No. 1. Scherzo * (00:03:01)
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28
No. 2. Circular Dance in B Minor * (00:02:51)
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29
No. 3. Gulnara's Dance * (00:01:06)
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30
No. 4. Nanochka's Dance * (00:01:16)
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31
No. 5. Anoush's Sorrow * (00:02:13)
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32
No. 6. Prelude in D Minor * (00:00:54)
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33
No. 7. Prelude in D-Sharp Minor * (00:01:01)
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34
No. 8. Nocturne * (00:04:08)
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35
No. 9. Sketch in A Major * (00:02:43)
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36
No. 10. Lullaby of Shushani * (00:02:41)
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“More power to percipient pianist Mikael Ayrapetyan in ceaselessly developing the already wide compass of his Secrets of Armenia music project. We should also be thankful to Grand Piano for supporting Ayrapetyan’s quest. It can only be to the good that we get the opportunity to hear so much unknown music.” – MusicWeb International