Romanos Melikyan and the Development Paths of Armenian Romance

Abstract

Romanos Melikyan was among the first in Armenian compositional art to contribute to the development of the singing and romance genres. His early romances were somewhat aligned with the domestic romance genre, expressing lyrical melancholy and personal, romantic emotions, particularly in connection with nature. Later, the pinnacle of Melikyan's romance style was expressed in the vocal series "Zar-Var" and "Zmrukhti", created between 1916 and the 1920s. In these works, the composer closely approached the roots of folk music, successfully laying the foundation for the development of Armenian romance on genuinely national grounds.