Makar Ekmalian

[Arpa]

(My aplogies for posting this twice, one under each of Famous Armenians and Music. If the mods see it it fit they can decide which subject topic is most appropriate and they can eliminate the one they deem).

 

As promised under another topic here is about our most famous Makar(ios). And I am glad I did since I knew very little about himaside from the fact that he had composed the very famous patarak and that he composed the tune to the Hayr Mer we sing more often than the one by Komitas. He is also resposnsible for the tune of Surb Surb. What I discovered about him is so surprising and gratifying, however it as surprising as well that there practically is nothing about him on the electronic media.

 

Makar Ekmalian/ Magar Egmalian.

 

Although there is very little said about him here, we can at least view his portrait;

http://www.armeniafest.com/history/armenia...ture_music.html

 

Makar Ekmalian was born in 1856 to a peasant family at Vagharshapat/Ejmiatsin. (Note that he was born 13 years before Komitas[1869], and we will see that they have met.) Died in 1905 in Tiflis.

Makar is described as composer, choirmaster and teacher. He graduated the Ejmiatsin seminary in 1872. During 1873-74 he studied Armenian music under the tutelage of N. Tashjian and helped him to record the music in modern notations. In 1874 he began teaching singing and music theory at the Gevorgian Academy. He traveled to Petersburg in 1877, lived and studied there until 1891. He was accepted at the conservatory in 1879 where he rubbed shoulders with the likes of Tchaikovsky, Rimski Korsakof and other musical giants of the time. Returned to Tiflis in 1891 where he taught at the Nersesian Academy and it was here that he had his students who perhaps rightfully overshadowed him, the likes of Armen Tigranian, A. Manukian and Komitas who studied music theory under his guidance.

Ekmalian was a follower of the romantics the likes of Schubert, Schuman, Chopin and Chaikovsky. This is evidenced by his romantic lyrical style that pervaded even in his sacred music.

What I found most surprising is the fact that besides the sacred music that we generally associate him with is he had composed many secular and folk tunes as well. These were always composed to be accompanied by the piano and orchestra, and here is the greatest surprise of all; he has written the tunes that I/we have always rightly associated with Komitas; Andzrevn Ekav, Hov Areq Sarer Jan, Chem Krna Khaghal, Lusnak Gisher, Kele Kele Khorot Aghchik, Siruhis Qez Hamar, Vard Koshik@s, Pagh Aghbyuri Mot, Ketse Zeitun and more.

Once again I am surprised and disapppointed that Makar has not found his much deserved niche in the pantheon of Armenian composers. He can be easily described as the co-father of modern Armenian Music along with Komitas, in fact he could better be described as the god-father as he has had much to do with Komitas' and others' musical education, their eventual immortality and fame.

In the least Ekmalian can be described as the father and founder of Armenian polyphonic music. No one can take that away from him, not even Komitas. He surely deserves his name Makar(ios) which means blessed in Greek.

[spectra]

Dear Arpa,

I am glad that we have people like you who are interested in our talented artists and composers. Therefore, I'd like to paste the following article about Yekmalian:

 

Makar Yekmalian’s setting of the Divine Liturgy is the one most universally associated with Armenian sacred music, and is sung every Sunday in Armenian sanctuaries throughout the world. This alone would ensure his place among the most important Armenian composers of the nineteenth century. The setting itself was a significant and novel development in Armenian Church music, by virtue of Yekmalian’s use of homophonic singing (multiple vocal parts) instead of the traditional monophonic chanting (a single melodic line).

Yekmalian [also rendered “Ekmalyan”] was born in the Armenian city of Vagharshabad (now Etchmiadzin) on February 2, 1856. At Holy Etchmiadzin’s Kevorkian Theological Seminary he studied under Nikoghayos Tashjian, learning the Armenian notational system, recording numerous liturgical chants, and otherwise immersing himself in Armenian music, sacred and secular. His gifts were acknowledged by Catholicos Kevork IV, who in 1878 arranged for Yekmalian to enter the St. Petersburg Conservatory. Under the tutelage of Rimsky-Korsakov, Iogansen and Solovyov, Yekmalian mastered the art of composition and became exposed to world’s musical masterpieces. He directed the debut of his vocal-symphonic cantata Der Rose Pilgerhafrt in 1888, the same year he graduated (with honors) from the conservatory—the first Armenian ever to do so.

 

While still a student in St. Petersburg, Yekmalian began work on a setting of the Divine Liturgy. He took as his basis melodies recorded by his teacher Tashjian, comparing these to variants he had heard. In 1893, the completed setting (in three- and four-voice arrangements) was evaluated by St. Petersburg’s Palace Chapel Committee, which included such luminaries as Rimsky-Korsakov and Balakirev; Yekmalian’s effort received its unqualified approval.

 

It was first sung in a church setting in Tiflis, Georgia (where Yekmalian had held a teaching position since 1891). The response from clergy and laity was positive, prompting the new Catholicos Mkrdich Khrimian to sanction it for official use. It was published by the Leipzig firm of Breitkoff and Härtel in 1896.

 

In addition to composing the Divine Liturgy, Yekmalian trained many students (Komitas and Armen Tigranian were private pupils for a time), collected folksongs, and wrote songs, choruses, piano pieces and an orchestral overture. But at the height of his creative powers, Yekmalian was struck by mental illness. He died in Tiflis on March 19, 1905, leaving many projects and compositions unfinished.

 

Source: http://www.armenianchurch.org/worship/music/komitas.html

Edited December 29, 2003 by spectra

[Proud EXPAT]

I am surprised learning all this about Ekmalian.

 

His liturgical compositions are the greatest overall compositions performed in our Church. The mood and the depth of his compositions are brilliant and moving.

[Pilafhead]

and here is the greatest surprise of all; he has written the tunes that I/we have always rightly associated with Komitas; ...Hov Areq Sarer Jan..Kele Kele Khorot Aghchik

Interesting. Two of my favorite Armenian songs.

 

Thanks for the article. Given that he wrote those two (is this disputed at all?), I need to read up on him.

[gamavor]

Check this out guys! It is VERY refreshing and masterful performance! Who could imagine Komitas and Ekmalian for classical guitar?

 

http://langues.ups-tlse.fr/Arbiol/Guitare.htm

 

Nice!