Publisher Desc.  The 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide, an internationally acknowledged tragedy in which more than one and a half million Armenians died, was commemorated in 2015. To mark this anniversary and draw our attention to this tragedy, I have written four string quartets, all based on Armenian liturgical chants. These chants, which date from the medieval period (from the 5th to the 15th centuries), have been transmitted to us in manuscript form. The neumes in which they were notated were transcribed by musicologist Nikoghos Tahmizian and compiled in his book on Gregory of Narek and Armenian music from the 5th to 15th centuries. In this book, the main source of the liturgical chants that inspired my quartets, these chants are presented in the form of monologues or prayers for a single voice. In my quartets, the content of these prayers is enriched with polyphony. Each movement is named after a river in Armenia. The symbolism is intentional: water is essential to life, and rivers are the veins of a country, just as faith nourishes and sustains our existence as creative and forward-looking people. 1a aa Vorotanaa We witness a scene of humble praise-giving gently turning into a lamentation. The transition, as images of joy give way to a mood of profound sadness, is gradual, leaving room for the grain of hope on to which each of us holds when we experience these episodes in life. 2a aa Pambakaa Three instruments present the theme of light. The intervention of the fourth instrument is always incomplete; it hesitates before this lightas power. Though it changes in character, the theme is always recognizable. Every time it returns, the trio plays more and more majestically, and despite the apparent complexity of the writing, the music moves forward with simplicity. 3a aaKasaghaa The theme shared between the trio and the cello in the previous movement is followed by an energetic motif which begins in unison, signifying the unifying nature of this prayer. When it comes to calling for justice, for an exit from inextricable conflict, all humans are united. The decisive theme, which remains unchanged throughout the movement, has a strong rising melodic line, and is marked by explosive chords and unexpected pianissimos. Petros Shoujounian Translated by Sean McCutcheon