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ASHOT BABAYAN’S CANTATA “EPOPEE” – 2012-3

Dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the liberation of Shushi

Anna G. Asatryan
On May 26, 2012 the evening of the cmposer Ashot Babayan dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the Shushi’s emancipation took place in Alexander Spendiarian Armenian Opera and Ballet National Academic Theatre of Yerevan. The cantata “Empopee” was performed by the chorus and ensemble of the opera theatre directed by Karen Durgaryan. The soloists were Kristine Sahakyan and Georgi Arakelov. The work of A. Babayan is composed of operas, vocal-symphonic, symphonic and chamber compositions, vocal works for voice and instromental ensemble, vocal series by the accompaniment of puiano. The theme of the Artsakh struggle for freedom is always present in his works. His sonata for violoncello and piano (1993) is dedicated to Tatul Krpeyan, and the symphony “Monte” – to blessed memory of Monte Melkonyan (Avo). In 2002, A. Babayan wrote the cantata “The return of Shushi” on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the liberation of Shushi set to words of Yuri Sahakyan, which was successfully played by State Armenian academic Chorus and State Armenian philharmonic ensemble directed by Hovhannes Chekijyan. In 2012 the composer edits the cantata and renames it “Epopee”. This cantata distinguishes from the other works of A. Babayan: the ocmposer who creates mainly in the genre of avant.gardism here appeals to the classiscal style. The cantata is formed of six parts: “Hello Shushi”, “Lullaby”, “You were calling”, “Attack”, “The song of martyrs”, and “Glory to you…”.

By its artistic merits, ideological content, high level of professionalism and good use of the ensemble and its seperate groups’ timbres, as well as due to the knowledge of timbre dramaturgy and polyphonic way of writing A. Babayan’s cantata “Epopee” is one of bright pages of modern Armenian vocal-symphonic music.

IRAN AS SEEN THROUGH THE ANTOINE SEVRUGUINE’S CAMERA – 2012-3

Summary

Yvette N. Tajarian
Antoine Sevruguine lived in the Armenian diaspora in Tehran in Iran. Vasil de Sevruguine, Antoine’s father, studied Oriental languages at the famous Lazarev School in Moscow, after which he entered the Russian civil service, working as a diplomat at the Russian Embassy in Tehran. Vasil de Sevruguine met an untimely end in a riding accident. Achin returned to her hometown of Tbilisi and later moved to the Akuli. Antoine instead opted for a career as an artist, and went to Tbilisi to became a painter. He soon discovered the then fledgling art of photography, studying under the famous Russian photographer Dmitri Ivanovich Yermakov. In 1870s, Antoine and his brothers decided to devote themselves exclusivery to photography and founded a family buisness in Iran. In 1883, Antoine founded his photo studio in the city of Tabriz and then he went to Tehran to open a photo studio on the second floor of a house in Ala ed-Downla street. Thanks to his exceptional skill, Antoine soon became so well-known as a photographer that members of the upper class in Tehran visited his studio to be photographed. Soon his reputation was such that he became official court photographer to Naser ed-Din Shah. With time he was even allowed to photograph the royal harem, so close was his relationship with Naser ed-Din shah, who gave him the title of “Khan” and later the Medal of the Sun and the Lion, (Shirokhorshid). But the found recognition not only at court: his artistic work was honored with medals and awards in international photo exhibitions in Brussels in 1897, and Paris in 1900. In 1933, Antoine “Khan” Sevruguin died of kidney failure in Tehran at the age of 82. He was buried on the Russian cemetery in Tehran in the family grave.

ELECTRONIC TEXT AS A SUBJECT OF STUDY OF TEXT LINGUISTICS – 2012-3

Siranush G. Hovhannisyan
The article touches upon the problem of electronic text and the orientation of its study.

The electronic text is related to the computer, that’s why the researchers consider it as a subject of study of Computer linguistics. The article shows that the electorinc text is an indicidual kind of text and it should be studied not by the Computer linguistics but by the Text linguistics. Also in the article are seen relations between electoring text and other types of text. There are some abservations and conclusions in the article.

MOUNTING IN THE NOVEL OF HRANT MATEVOSYAN “THE ALIVE AND THE DEAD” – 2012-3

On the base of Michelangelo Antonioni’s movie “The night”

Ala A. Kharatyan
A new technical trick in the literature – the semantic-structural use of montage in the novel “The Alive and The Dead” by Hrant Matevosyan is expressed in the article. The article also analyzes and receals the co-penetrating of the two arts due to which Matevosyan’s prose has become quite a different phenomenon in the classical art by the means of enriching the possibilities of prose, acquiring a great intertextuality, as well as raising the readers’ standards. Some elements of the famous Italian director Michelangelo Antonioni’s film “The Night” are revealed with the help of montage. The novel has a complicated montage technique: on one hand the plot of the film has twisted into the literal text, on the other hand another plot has been involved in the novel, the author of which is the novel’s protagonist, and on the third hand quite another element is merged into the novel – the personal life of the protagonist and the features of Antonioni’s film which are outwardly similar but inwardly different. By analyzing the novel’s ifficult elements it has been displayed that as a united text the novel expresses Matevosyan’s world outlook and his attitude towards the art and it is also a guiding principle to understand his aesthetic concept.

THE “PRECEPT” OF YEGHISHE CHARENTS AS MESOSTIC – 2012-3

The mystery in the saying: “O Armenian people, your one and only salvation is concealed in your collective strenght”.

Seyran Z. Grigoryan
In 1933 Yeghishe Charents wrote and placed the poem “Precept” (“Patgam”) in his collection of poems “Book of the Way”, by each line’s second letter of which was formed the secret saying “O Armenian people, your one and only salvation is concealed in your collective strength”. For many decades it was considered to be an acristic. It is shown in the article that it is a mesostic, because it is formed not with the first letters but whith the middle of the line (second letter). This hypothesis has its grounds in thes sowld literature, especially in the analysis of mesostics in the works of the 20th century’s Russian writers. There can be found even some cnvergences between the poem of Charents “Precept” and Edcar Allan Poe’s “An Anigma”. Charents renewed the tradition of acrostic, which was quite extended in the middle age Armenian poetry, but forgotten in modern times. He devoted some acrostics to her daughter Arpenik Charents, which are also placed in the collection of works “Book of the Way” and have tight connections with the poem “Precept”. Beside the artistic values of Charents’ mesostic. his national ideology and creative destiny also have important significance and their several undiscovered aspects are discussed in the following article.

TRANSFORMATION OF MITHRAISM IN THE HELLENISTIC PERIOD (COMMAGENE, THE GREAT ARMENIA, ROME) – 2012-3

Part one. Comparative spiritual system in Commagene and Great Armenia

Yervand H. Margaryan
Mithraism as a religious and ethical system was formed in the Hellenistic period. It has come a long way from the archaic Aryan cult (where Mithra-Mihr acted in pair Verethragna-Vahagn and held subordinate to Ahura Mazda) to complex syncretic world-view. Like most generated in the Hellenistic period phenomenas, Mithraism had borderline nature, that determined it’s fate for many centuries. Charactersitically, the first mention of the Aryan cult of Mithra refers to the mid-2nd millennium BC and is associated with the state of Mitanni, on the territory of which the Hellenistic kingdom of Commagene was formed, after a thousand year. Specifically, the formation of the cult of Mithras had some impact ancient Anatolian cults. Later, during the Achaemenid, Mithraism experienced ups and downs. When Darius I, in favor of the emerging imperial Zoroastrian religion, the cult of Mithras and other ancestral Aryan deities suffered intense persecution. However, in the twilight of the Achaemenid empire, especially in the reign of Artaxerxes Mnemon, the cult of Mithra was resurrected along and entered into a new ohase of development. He enriched elements of Chaldean astronomy and mazdeistic religious ehics.

A special place is occupied Mithraism in the spiritual life of ancient Armenia, which was reflected in the appearance of religious monuments, in the national epc “Darelevile of Sasun” and literary works.

But the golden age of the cult of Mithras and its ransformation into an independent religious and ethical system began in postachemenidian Hellenistic era. According to the eminent Belgian historian Franz Cumont, who introduced the term into circulation MIthraism, more or less final shape and form of the religion adopted in Commagene, and a number of neighboring countries on bots sides of the Euphrates. Some aspects of the cult of Mithras in Commagene, however, as in the whole region, you can get an idea for Archaeological Research at Mount Nemrud and Arsamea on Nymphaios. This coincided with the aggression of Rome in the region and the location of the Roman legions along the border all over the Euphrates. Hence Mithraism began to spread throughout the Roman Empire.

THE ISSUE OF OVERCOMING THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE – 2012-2

Outlines of Legal and Political Substantiations

Summary

Armen Ts. Marukyan
Until today, in the struggle for the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide, the Armenian people have only been able to secure the adoption of resolutions recognizing or condemning the Armenian Genocide by the parliaments of different countries or international organizations. It is important to note, however, that this strategy is no longer productive because it cannot guarantee the final resolution of the issue. For this very reason, it is necessary to change the strategy and moving forward, take the struggle toward the issue of overcoming the consequences of the Armenian Genocide, which in and of itself assumes not only the recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide, but also restitution for the crime committed, which is probably the most important issue and without which recognition and condemnation become meaningless. Prior to taking any steps in this regard, corresponding Armenian and Diasporan structures and experts must first of all create the first large strategic document, «The consequences of the Armenian Genocide and the historical-legal basis of the package of demands to be presented to Turkey,» where it will be clearly registered what the Armenian people understand by saying the consequences of the Armenian Genocide and which demands they are preparing to present to Turkey. Based on the package of demands that will be developed including also the strategic application of the document, «Concept for overcoming the consequences of the Armenian Genocide,» where the methods and mechanisms will be outlined, which will make it possible to achieve the eradication of the abovementioned consequences. Differing from the Package of Demands, the Concept must not be public, but rather it should be closed, with limited utilization in order not to have previous knowledge of the contents to prevent any of the steps to be taken in this regard.

THE PERSPECTIVES OF SOCIALISM’S REFORMULATION – 2012-2

After the Failure of the Soviet Experience

Summary

Khachik S. Der Ghugassian
The article proposes a critical look at the different ideological understandings and experiences of socialism after the fall of the Soviet Union and the failure of the historical experience of the so-called “Real Socialism” and the building of a Communist future for humanity. It starts analyzing the post-Cold War dominant paradigm of the “End of History,” which paradoxically sustains the forthcoming of a de-ideologized world but assumes the guiding role of a one unique model of political and economic development. The article then compares the “right-turn” of European Social-Democracy with the rise of the center-left in Latin America highlighting the crisis of the first and the reasons of the re-emergence of the latter within a clear engagement with democracy instead of praising, as in the past, revolutionary utopias. In Latin America, we are witnessing democracy opening the way to socialism. Based upon the comparative analysis of Europe and Latin America, the study concludes with a broad reflection about the perspective of a socialist reformulation in the Eurasian continent. Thus, it sustains that the pursuit of a socially just order in former Soviet countries should aim at the strengthening of a middle-class and civil society to start de-centralizing power and wealth concentration and system change instead of aspiring to become government.

ON THE BOUNDARIES, TERRITORY AND DISTRICT-DIVISION OF SO-CALLED ALBANIA – 2012-2

Babken H. Harutyunyan
The so-call Albanian or Aghvan Kingdom was formed at the end of the second century B.C. or beginning of the first century. It was a confederation of 26 tribes and undoubtedly was composed of 26 administrative units in the beginning.

According to the dates of Strabo, Plinius Secundus, Claudius Ptolemaeus and as well as of “Ashkharatsuyts” (Armenian geography) by Movses Khorenatsi, the borders and territory of the latter are illustrated and an attempt is made to clarify the names of rivers and ascertain their current names. For example, Strabo’s mentioned Sandobanes is corrected to become Sardobanes or Zardobanes and is identified with Turyan-chay; Roitakes is corrected to become Rostakes and identified with Gyok-chay and Xanes with Gardman or Girdiman-chay. The river name Albanos and the city Albana are not connected to the name Alban, these emerged from the name, Lpnats River or Lpnats City, and from the influence of the country name Albania, which was accepted in the Greco-Roman world.

The district-division of so-called Albania or Aghvank, which has reached us through the “Ashkharatsuyts”, refers to the period of Aran’s or Ran’s marzpanate, when the Persian court merged the 19(20) districts Great Armenia’s Artsakh and Utik into the latter.

Archbishop M. Barkhudaryants and academician S. Yeremyan were engaged with the issue of the district- division of the Left Bank of Kura in so-called Aghvank, using the dates provided in the “Ashkharatsuyts”, in the work of the historiograph of the Eastern lands of Armenia Movses Kaghankatvatsi, reports by historiograph Ghevond (Levond) and other sources. M. Barkhudaryan’s locations are discussable, mainly incorrect, while S. Yeramyan’s locations are notably acceptable.

The district-divisions of so-called Aghvank or Albania are presented using the materials of public sources on the subject and the results of former researchers’ studies. The district Ekhni is located in the territory adjacent to the present-day settlement of Lagodekh; Bekh in the area of present-day Belokan or Belakan; Kambejan in the lower part of the basin of present-day river Iori all the way to the River Kura; Shake, currently Shaki in the area surrounding the city Shaki, which incorporated at different times the province of Hoghmagh to the west of the district Shaki; Vostan in the area surrounding the capital city of Kapaghak; Haband, whose name in different manuscripts was known as Hambasi (distorted version); to the east of Kapaghak, and Vostan-i-Martspanan is identified with Jora Pahak and the territories south of it. Kaghadasht or Kaghats Dasht (field) and Dasht-i-Baghasakan, were located near the river Kura and fields north of the Caucasus mountain range all the way to the Caspian Sea.

It is necessary to note that due to the incorrect annotations made by transcribers in the “Ashkharatsuyts”, in one case the name of the district of Vostan is omitted and in another case the word vostan in Vostan-i-Martspanan or Marzpanan is omitted, which has caused a misunderstanding. In this same vein, transcribers have omitted the word dasht from Kagha (Kaghats) dasht (field) or Dasht-i-Baghasakan, thinking that it was a repetition. Because of this, the number of provinces on the left bank of Kura number 11.

Nonetheless, the number of districts in so-called Albania or Aghvank during the reign of the Mazkut kingdom was much numerous and later reduced by the Persian court during the marzpanate when tribal districts were united in the districts of Vostani-Marzpanan, Kaghats Dasht and Dasht-i-Baghasakan. Using the description by Asian Sarmatia of “Ashkharatsuyts”, it is possible to disclose that until the establishment of Persian rule, Shighpk, Jighpk, Kaspk, Pakhk, Paskhk, Khsrvank and Mazkutk and other districts existed. The research reveals that the number of provinces during the kingdom’s reign numbered 20/21 and even 21/22. They were Ekhni, Bekh, Kambejan, and Hoghmagh, which was most probably created later, Shake, Geghavu, Vostan, Haband, Kaghadasht or Kaghats Dasht, Jor, Pakhk (probably Paskhk – B.H.), Tavaspark, Hejmatakk, Izhmakhk, Gatk (probably Vatn – B.H.), Gghuark, Shighpk, Jighpk, Lpink, Baghasjik (also Kaspk – B.H.) and Kaghadasht or Kaghats Dasht , later called Hejeri.

THE HISTORICITY OF HAKOB PARONYAN’S MORALITY – 2012-2

Summary

Aram G. Aleqsanyan
Hakob Baronyan’s moral philosophy and the historicity of his satirical heritage are studied in this article. The perceptions of man’s time structure are underlined as much as possible in the context of which the future leads consciousness, and presents the action. Historically, in philosophy these core modifications expand the individual’s role in the process of creating history. In this context, moral philosophy and satire are born.

A comparative analysis is made with Plutarchus’ moral orientations about the family and marriage and their resonance in Baronyan’s dramas. Baronyan’s art is very natural. In his work, Baronyan presents the moral ideal of the individual and the public and the ways and means to achieve that ideal.