New Tune for New Times: Officials sound out on an upgraded anthem
By Gayane Abrahamyan
ArmeniaNow reporter
Armenia needs a new anthem.
That appears at least to be the prevailing opinion among Members of the National Assembly and Armenia's in intelligentsia, who agree that the current national song, "Our Fatherland", hits the wrong notes for today's republic.
"Doubtlessly it should be changed for we have somehow endured the existing one for 16 years," says Rafik Petrosyan, the Chairman of the National Assembly Committee for State and Legal Issues.
Davit Hovhaness favors a Komitas hymn
Since independence, the National Anthem has been protected by the Constitution. But reforms in the Constitution now make it possible for Armenia to sing a different tune.
After passing the Declaration of Independence in August 1990 a commission was convened to hold a tender for the national anthem in a three-month period; by 1991 no competition was held and the Supreme Soviet was forced to adopt a Temporary Decision
"to adopt "Our Fatherland" the National Anthem of the Republic of Armenia . . ."
'The commission did not work properly to chose a relevant anthem; besides, beginning 1988 "Our Fatherland" was chosen by the people while singing it at demonstrations, Loris Chgnavoryan was making people sing it at his concerts, and we just legalized it," says Ara Sahakyan, Secretary of the Supreme Council in the 1990s.
To include a new anthem as part of Constitutional changes, Parliament must decide on another song by December.
"If the National Assembly keeps up the pace, we are likely not to manage to find alternative and will be forced to approve the same anthem when the time comes,' says Armen Ashotyan, member of the National Assembly.
Ashotyan claims the anthem should be changed since it does not reflect the image and the mentality of the Armenian nation.
"The text of the anthem is not anyhow connected to the past and the present of our nation, it has no notion of "Armenian", "Armenia", "Christianity". The anthem should be arrogant, emotional, and so powerful that one intuitively stands up and puts his hand on his heart , it's not good if you do it deliberately," says Ashotyan.
The present anthem is in fact not even composed by an Armenian.
Robert Amirkhanyan, President of the Union of Composers of Armenia says he has tried to study and find the origins of the anthem music and has disclosed the melody has appeared in the mid 19th century in Constantinople (now Istanbul, Turkey) Conservatoire as a vocal exercise for singers.
"A nation that has had a powerful culture - Narekatsi, Komitas - it makes no sense for that nation to translate lyrics in a verse and let (for example) Austria disappear and Italy bloom," says Amirkhanyan.
Davit Hovhannes, a writer and a former MP believes talks about the anthem are well-timed.
"It seems in our days when there are so many social and political problems of life importance it is not the proper time to talk about the anthem, but the anthem is our passport, our first document in appearing before the world that has to be a proper one," he says.
Hovhannes says there is some sympathy today for bringing back the anthem of Soviet Armenia, which was composed by Aram Khachaturyan. But: "By returning the Soviet anthem Russia tries to find what it lost, while we will lose what we have found if we return the anthem of Soviet Armenia," says Hovhannes.
He suggests adopting a 19th century song called "Hayastan" ("Armenia") that was composed by Komitas. According to Hovhannes it is proud, beautiful, meaningful and short and repeats the word "Armenia" six times in its nine lines. Amirkhanyan also opposes the restoration of the Soviet anthem saying the anthem written by Aram Khachaturyan is wonderful, but the music served other regime and ideology.
"It is unacceptable to me to form new history with old songs", he says.
But Avik Isahakyan, member of the Union of Writers of Armenia favors Khachaturyan's composition.
"It is an anthem of all times, with its confident spirit; we dont have a new Aram Khachaturyan now, and will not have", says Isahakyan.
This opinion is shared also by 37 artists and representatives of intelligentsia, who addressed an open letter to the President and the Prime-Minister asking them to recover the hymn by Khachaturyan and hold tenders only for altering the words. The letter was signed by a number of artists such as singer Gohar Gasparyan, art critic Henrik Igityan, actor Sos Sargsyan, film director Vigen Chaldranyan, conductors Hovhannes Chekijyan, Tigran Hekekyan and Aram Gharabekyan, painter Hakob Hakobyan and others.
It seems the only consensus is that Our Fatherland is out of step with the real Fatherland. Thinkers and writers and legislatures have until the end of the year to choose something more appropriate.
Edited by Zartonk, 12 May 2006 - 11:42 AM.