ARMENIAN BOW (MUSIC) ART

"Soviet Writer" Publishing House,
Yerevan, 1977,
250 pages,
in Armenian

REVIEW:
Lev Ginsburg
Professor at the Moscow Conservatory, Doctor of Arts

"The urgency of Anahit Tsitsikian's monograph "Armenian Bow (Music) Art" is conditioned by the coverage of Armenian musical art, which has not been professionally researched so far. The book opens new pages in the history of the bow art, completes the history of the musical culture of our country. The book introduces additional information into the prehistory and early history of European bow instruments, supplementing that field of music with materials related to ancient Armenian culture. Of particular interest from this point of view is the bow tool described in the book, which is depicted on an 11th-century vessel discovered during Dvin (one of the old Armenian capitals) excavations.

The following chapters of the book study the development of Armenian professional bow art. And here the author emphasizes two directions. Western-Armenian, that is mostly connected with European bow art schools and Eastern Armenian organically connected with Russian music culture. Despite the fact, that the author traces her study to the beginning of the 20th century, covering the development of professionalism in the field of Armenian bow art of earlier periods, she also points to the preconditions that greatly contributed to the flourishing of Soviet bow art culture today." (1977)

REVIEW:
Edward Mirzoyan
Professor, People's Artist of the USSR, President of the Composers' Union of Armenia

"At present, few specialists in the Soviet Union are engaged in instrumentation. In this respect, Anahit Tsitsikian's work "Armenian Bow Art" has an exceptional value. Here is a lot of additional information about the development of bow arts as well as the Armenian performing arts. Their fruitful connections with European and Russian musical cultures are revealed. The significance of the work goes beyond the scope of purely Armenian musicology. The author's knowledge and research in this field have led to the creation of a valuable musicological monograph, the usefulness of which is difficult to overestimate.” (1977)

ARMENIAN BOW (MUSIC) ART

"Edit Print" Publishing House,
Yerevan, 2004,
255 pages,
in Russian

EDITOR'S ABSTRACT:
Nune Shamakhyan
President of "Anahit" Cultural Foundation

"The work presented to the reader's attention is the completed Russian version of the book "Armenian Bow (Music) Art" in Armenian, published in 1977.

The book was originally written in Russian, but the author desired to publish it first in Armenian (1977), meanwhile dreaming of seeing the result of her whole life work in the original language. The author was planning to add new names into the list of Armenian musicians, when preparing the second volume of the publication dedicated to the prominent Armenian musicians of the XX century. Performers (Avet Gabrielyan, Artemi Ayvazyan, and ect.), violin schools (Karp Dombayev, Hrachya Bogdanyan, and etc.), art works by contemporary Armenian composers, cultural centers (Yerevan State Conservatory, Musical Theater, and etc.). It was also planned to include the cross connection of Armenian and Russian arts - the names of prominent Soviet-Armenian teachers working in Moscow and Leningrad (Sargis Aslamazyan, Mikayel Terian, Asatur Grigoryan), as well as the names of Armenian performers working abroad (Manuk Barikyan, Hmayak Durgaryan).

In the monograph, Anahit Tsitsikian was also planning to take in a separate chapter about her contemporaries (Hakob Vardanyan, Zareh Sahakyants, Medea Abrahamyan, Willy Mokatsyan and others), who are undoubtedly famous musicians of the past. Perhaps, since they were always by her side; it seemed that she would still be able to write about these "youngsters". Anahit Tsitsikian had numerous projects, which fatefully remained unfulfilled.

Given the author's desire, we found it useful to add this edition to Part II, which includes her articles written in different years (both in print and in periodicals). It must be noted, that the choice of material does not mean that the only famous figures of that period are represented here, surely there were many talented Armenian musicians of that time. These are just the names that Anahit Tsitsikian managed to write about: descriptions, details from their life, interesting chapters from the overall mosaic of Armenian bow (music) art of the XX century.

Significance of this work is the fact, that the complete picture of the history of Armenian bow art, the main tendencies of its development are presented here for the first time. In essence, this is a unique "table of elements" where, alike to Mendeleev's periodic table of (the) chemical elements, future generations will be able to fill in the blanks.

For the sake of completeness of the presented material, the book is supplemented with unique photographs (some of which are being published for the first time, and these are unique samples belonging to the end of the XIX and beginning of the XX century), as well as edited lists of names and literature."

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS OF THE ARMENIAN HIGHLANDS IN THE LIGHT OF ARCHEOLOGICAL DISCOVERIES

Preparing for publication

EDITOR'S ABSTRACT:
Nune Shamakhyan
President of "Anahit" Cultural Foundation

"Anahit Tsitsikian is the founder of Musical Archeology in Armenia. For more than 40 years she has been researching archeological discoveries of Armenian Highlands related to music. The outcome of her extensive work was intended to be published in a separate monograph. Unfortunately, Anahit Tsitsikian didn’t managed to realize her idea and complete the project. The book is being edited and will be published by the Anahit Cultural Foundation.

The book "Musical Instruments of the Armenian Highlands in the Light of Archaeological Discoveries" will be a memorial dedicated to the bright memory of a talented man and outstanding scientist Anahit Tsitsikian."

REVIEW:
Felix Ter-Martirosov
PhD in History, Associate Professor of the Yerevan State University

"The work "Musical Instruments of the Armenian Highlands in the Light of Archaeological Discoveries" is an interesting, unique study, where the author identifies previously unknown data on the spiritual heritage of Armenia. Based on the research of rich archeological materials, she displayed the relationship of musical culture, of all periods of Armenian history, in the course of its millennial history.

Musicologist Anahit Tsitsikian is one of the first researchers in musical archeology in Armenia. Combining her deep knowledge of the musicologist and her interest towards the ancient musical instruments - discovered during the excavations, she was able to make fascinating observations and conclusions about the development of Armenian musical instruments".

The book will be a useful guide for archaeologists, artists and critics. At the same time, the live and symbolic language of writing - makes it attractive and interesting for professionals, younger generation and the public. The book will also greatly contribute to the proper presentation of the traditions of Armenian musical culture to professionals and music-lovers all around the whole world."