Dun En Glkhen (1930s) - The 1st State Eastern Orchestra (Directed by Avanes Ioannesyan) скачать в хорошем качестве

Dun En Glkhen (1930s) - The 1st State Eastern Orchestra (Directed by Avanes Ioannesyan)

Avanes Hayrapeti Ioannesyan 1881, Shushi – 28 July 1938, Baku Avanes Hayrapeti Ioannesyan was born in 1881 in Shushi, a thriving cultural center of the Caucasus at the turn of the 20th century. His early musical background is unknown. After completing his studies at the Shushi Real School in 1900, he began to work as a singing teacher at the all-girls school. In 1905, Avanes was admitted to the medical faculty of Novorossiysk (Odessa) University. After graduating in 1910, he returned to his native city to work as a physician and gynecologist, all while directing a military orchestra — an early sign of the dual path his life would take between medicine and music. Although Dr. Ioannesyan was not a tar player himself, his work had a profound impact on tar artistry in Armenia and Azerbaijan. His leadership brought together some of the most important Armenian tarists and musicians of the early 20th century, earning him a place in the spotlight on this channel. In 1920, Ioannesyan moved to Baku and founded the “1st State Eastern Orchestra of Folk Instruments” — the first permanent state folk-instrument ensemble in the South Caucasus. Its repertoire embraced the mugham repertoire of Artsakh and the folk songs and dances of the broader South Caucasus region, blending them into a colorful and disciplined orchestral setting. The orchestra quickly rose to prominence, performing in Leningrad, Moscow, Minsk, and other cities, and being received by Soviet state leaders. Alongside this, beginning in 1925, Ioannesyan established three women’s folk-instrument ensembles — a groundbreaking development in the musical life of the time — and served as a conductor at the Baku Musical College. The size and scope of his orchestra were remarkable. One surviving photograph depicts 42 members, while other sources report the ensemble at times numbered up to 65 musicians. Among the Armenian members were tar players Soghomon Seyranyan (concertmaster, from 1926), Bala Meliqyan (soloist, from 1926), Ashot Gasparyants (soloist, from 1930), Hrant Torosyan, Simon Kasparov, dudukist Karo Charchoghlyan, and kamancha players Sasha Oganezashvili and Levon Karakhanyan (concertmaster, 1931–1934). There were also many other Armenian members whose names have not come down to us, as well as musicians of other ethnic backgrounds in Baku. Under Ioannesyan’s hand, these performers brought to life the shared musical traditions of the peoples of the South Caucasus. The orchestra was praised for its distinctive melodic and rhythmic interpretation of mugham, vibrant instrumentation, and tight ensemble discipline, though it was also criticized for its reliance on oral transmission — learning pieces entirely by ear rather than from written notation. This method, however, reflected the deep-rooted oral traditions of the region. Ioannesyan’s artistry extended beyond the folk tradition. In 1936, he led the VRK (ВРК-Всесоюзный радиокомитет // All-Union Radio Committee) orchestra in a concert performance of Dargomyzhsky’s The Stone Guest in Moscow. Without the aid of staging or costumes, the production relied on narration, expressive gesture, and musical imagery. He was praised in the central Soviet cultural press for preserving the richness of the orchestral sound, maintaining clarity and unity, and giving space for solo instruments to shine with balance and nuance. Short sound film: • 1930 – Short film with synchronized sound, titled “1st State Eastern Orchestra under the direction of Dr. Ioannesyan presents.” Discography: • 1936 – 1st State Azerbaijan Eastern Orchestra, conducted by A. Ioannesyan. 10 recordings. Moscow: Gramplasttrest. • 1938 – Azerbaijani Orchestra of Folk Instruments, conducted by A. Ioannesyan. 2 recordings. Baku: Gramplasttrest. In 1936, Avanes Hayrapeti Ioannesyan was awarded the title of Honored Artist of the Azerbaijan SSR and received the Order of the Badge of Honor. Two years later, on 28 July 1938, he passed away suddenly during an orchestra rehearsal in Baku.