Pianist Jean-Paul Gasparian celebrates his Armenian heritage in his second solo album on Naïve Classiques with a program of works by Komitas, Arno Babadjanian, Aram Khachaturian, and two pieces by his father Gérard Gasparian based on Sayat-Nova’s songs.

Dedicated to the music of Armenian composers Komitas, Arno Babadjanian, Aram Khachaturian, and the pianist’s father, Gérard Gasparian, Origins will be released August 31st, 2024.

“After starting my adventure with naïve with an album dedicated to French music [Debussy Preludes of Book 1 and Éstampes, 2023], the moment seemed appropriate to devote myself to the treasures – still widely ignored – of Armenian piano music, which is all the more precious to my heart as it echoes my own family origins,” writes Jean-Paul Gasparian.

Arno Babadjanian (1921-1983)
1 Prelude
2 Vagharshapat Dance
3 Impromptu
4 Capriccio
5-7 Polyphonic Sonata [I. Prelude - II. Fugue - III. Toccata]
8 Elegy
(Dedicated to the memory of Aram Khachaturian, based on “Qani Vur Jan Im/As Long as I Live” by Sayat-Nova)

Gérard Gasparian (b. 1960)
9 Ballade on a song of Sayat-Nova
10 Poème on a song of Sayat-Nova (world premiere recording)

Aram Khachaturian (1903-1978)
11 Toccata, Op. 11
12 Adagio of Spartacus and Phrygia (No. 34 from “Spartacus”)

Komitas (1869-1935)
13-16 4 Dances for piano [No. 1. Yerangi; No. 2. Unabi; No. 3. Marali; No. 4. Shushiki]

This wondrously enigmatic new recording opens on a work from Arno Babadjanian, the lead being the enigmatically charming Prelude and the sterner, flightier affair of Vagharshapat Dance and they are followed by the sheer elegance of Impromptu, the free flowing Capriccio, the sprightly, the delicate, then quietly frenetic fare of Polyphonic Sonata [I. Prelude - II. Fugue - III. Toccata], the work rounding out on the grandiose Elegy.

Along next are two pieces by his father Gérard Gasparian, the opener a lushly elegant Ballade and a sweeping world premiere is then brought forth of the ornate Poème, and they are then backed by works from Aram Khachaturian, the first being the pronounced Toccata, Op. 11 and the dedicated, all-embracing Adagio of Spartacus and Phrygia (No. 34 from “Spartacus”).

This new recording then rounds out on pieces from Komitas, opening on the veritably twinkling, then the astutely sculpted, then the excellently crafted, and finally the flourishing fare of 4 Dances for piano [No. 1. Yerangi; No. 2. Unabi; No. 3. Marali; No. 4. Shushiki].

The Origins program is interconnected by the music of renowned 18th century Armenian poet and ashugh Sayat-Nova, and the rich tradition of folk songs, melodies, rhythms, and dances of the Armenian people. Three of these works directly cite popular songs by Sayat-Nova, which the bard performed on his bowed string instrument, the kamancheh.

The Ballade and Poème by Gérard Gasparian, placed at the center of this recital, are based on songs “Yis Qo Ghimetn Chim Gidi” (“I Don’t Know Your Value”) and Yis Kanchum Im Lalanin (“I Am Calling Out for the Beloved”); and Arno Babadjanian’s Elegy is based on “Qani Vur Jan Im” (“As Long as I Live”), and is dedicated to the memory of another of the program’s contributors: Aram Khachaturian.

Jean-Paul Gasparian is Artist in Residence at the Fondation Singer-Polignac and a scholarship holder from the Académie Musicale de Villecroze, and is supported by the Safran and Adami foundations for music. Since the summer of 2017 he has also been a Steinway Artist.

www.jeanpaulgasparian.com