String Quartet No 4

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. 1 Hrazdan A festive scene. A time to give praise. Heaven and earth unite giving birth to joy and freedom which, as the theme passes from one instrument to the next, take wing, always seeking new horizons. One wants to believe this daydream will never end. This happiness is worth savoring. Such moments of pure freedom in our lives are rare and precious. 2 Vordji Solitude, sadness, darkness, and even despair can be heard in this prayer. The theme evokes a depressed state of mind and reflects the exhaustion of the man who no longer believes in anything, and who sees no-one around him. It would be better if he were to close his eyes and abandon himself to the unknown reality. 3 Azat The first violin plays a solo, and then gradually adopts the theme of renewal that the other instruments contribute. The energy of the rising sun and new day is transmitted to the lost souls to whom the previous movement gave expression. We hear this soul vibrate with power and hope, with courage and the will to continue. Once again, confidence in life, and admiration for all that surrounds it, find their place in this soul. Harmony reigns. Such is the power of faith and prayer Petros Shoujounian Translated by Sean McCutcheon