String Quartet No 6

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. 1i iiAkhourianii Itis the evening before the feast. Everything is being made ready for the big Easter celebration. Itis a scene of commotion, as everyone works hard to finish on time. The mood of this polyphonic prelude is full of joy and positive energy. As the theme passes from one instrument to another it keeps its festive feel. 2i iiAghstevii The source of this movementis main theme is the magnificent liturgical chant Seerd Eem Sasanee (My Heart Trembles). The intensity of the content in this great monologue grows more pronounced when the second voice enters, in unison, like a background sound. This simple dialogue clarifies each thought and leads us to deep and sad reflections. A little later, the third voice, with high, sustained notes, takes over from the others, and so the music flows to a somber and melancholic end. 3i iiVediii In this scene of exaltation and glorification, the theme of happiness, like the song of a rippling stream, is passed from one instrument to the other, creating a mood of real joy that dominates until the end. 4i iiGetikii For this movement, which is inspired by the power and determination embodied in liturgical chant, a marvelous monologue found in the ancient patrimony of Armenian music serves as the point of departure. This theme also transmits the delight associated with good will and trust in others. Itis a question, then, of remaining true to the faith. The complexity of the movement lies in how it is performed: you must hear the profundity of the cry that bursts from the lips of a monk living in a monastic cave in the 14th century. 5i iiArgishtiii The solo of this final movement contains a message of hope. It communicates all the positive forces: goodness, honesty, straightforwardness, candor, justice; and, as well as these magnificent forces, we also hear expressions scruples, and forgiveness. All these qualities characterize a people who have known how to pray, to remain strong in faith, to survive all evils and threats, to prosper, to create a sure and happy future. And thus, they continue to carry their Holy Cross, the symbol of Love and Peace. Petros Shoujounian Translated by Sean McCutcheon