Arshak Brutyan and Musical Life of Shirak

Abstract

It is difficult to overestimate the importance of the activity and creativity of Arshak Brutyan - a prominent public figure, teacher, folklorist, musician. He dedicated all his life to the cultural prosperity of Shirak and especially the city of Alexandropol. A deeply educated personality, the bearer of advanced national ideas and ideals, Brutyan made an invaluable contribution in advancing the study of folk music and musical and educational life in Armenia. Traditional dance is the most important part of Shirak's folklore. Unfortunately, the movement text of these dances was not recorded at the time, and only dance melodies have reached us. About 63 dance melodies and plays are preserved in the records of the prominent folklorist of the late 19th century Arshak Brutyan, who collected folklore materials mainly in Alexandrapol. His work was an attempt towards a typological characterization of these dances, which are notated in a detailed and in multiple variate manner. In general, ceremonial circle and individual dances are presented, the names of which also feature in the folklore of Javakhk (i.e. Karin) Armenians.