Far from Western Europe’s musical centers is Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, a country that boasts a rich musical heritage, both resident within its borders and in the greater global diaspora. There are its composers: Komitas, Aram Khachaturian, Arno Babajanian, Alan Hovhaness, Alexander Arutiunian, and Tigran Mansurian, to name just a few of the most well-known. Leading performers of Armenian descent have included viollinists Manoug Parikian and Levon Chilingirian (leader of the eponymous Quartet), the conductors Constantine Orbelian, Aleksandr Melik-Pashayev and Loris Tjeknavorian (the latter two also composers), the Armenian State String Quartet (which recorded for Columbia), violinist and conductor Angelo Ephrikian, and singer Cathy Berbian. Most, if not all, classical music recordings were made by, or under the aegis of, the Soviet-era Melodiya label. Armenia has flourished since regaining its independence in September 1991 and its capital Yerevan is home to one of the most remarkable independent labels currently available: Classic Music CDs.
Founded by art historian, PhD lecturer and record collector Ashot Arakelyan, its catalog now contains nearly 1,000 titles featuring a galaxy of renowned and, more importantly,forgotten musical performers, with a particular focus on singers and instrumentalists.
Much of its material can be found nowhere else. For every artist that has been profiled in the pages of Liner Notes, a Classic Music CDs release can be found that is in some way tied to him or her.
Read online or download the profile of the historical label Classic Music CDs by clicking here.