Garbis Aprikian (1926 – 15 October 2024) was a musician from the

Armenian diaspora The Armenian diaspora refers to the communities of Armenians outside Armenia and other locations where Armenians are considered an indigenous population. Since antiquity, Armenians have established communities in many regions throughout the world. ...

who was born in Egypt and moved to Paris in 1953, where he studied, inspired especially by

Olivier Messiaen Olivier Eugène Prosper Charles Messiaen (, ; ; 10 December 1908 – 27 April 1992) was a French composer, organist, and ornithology, ornithologist. One of the major composers of the 20th-century classical music, 20th century, he was also an ou ...

. He conducted the Armenian mixed chorus Sipan-Komitas for around 50 years, composing many works especially for the group and also arranging Armenian folk music and works of others. He combined melodies from Armenia with Western musical techniques such as harmonies and

counterpoint In music theory, counterpoint is the relationship of two or more simultaneous musical lines (also called voices) that are harmonically dependent on each other, yet independent in rhythm and melodic contour. The term originates from the Latin ...

. Aprikian is regarded as a pioneer of bringing Armenian music to France.

Biography

Aprikian was born in

Alexandria Alexandria ( ; ) is the List of cities and towns in Egypt#Largest cities, second largest city in Egypt and the List of coastal settlements of the Mediterranean Sea, largest city on the Mediterranean coast. It lies at the western edge of the Nile ...

, Egypt, in 1926. He studied at the Armenian National Boghossian primary school and then at the American College. From the age of ten he began serious music lessons with Maestro Frapicini, a student of Pietro Mascagni, in piano as well as in harmony and counterpoint. He sang in the children's choir of the Eglise Arménienne d'Alexandrie, also as a soloist. Learning about Armenian history and music made him feel "a sense of national pride". In 1948, Aprikian founded the mixed chorus Hamazkaine with which he gave concerts in Alexandria, in Cairo and on radio. The success encouraged members of the association Houssaper to award him a scholarship to complete his training in Europe.

Paris

Aprikian arrived in Paris in 1953 where he studied composition and conducting at the Ecole Normale of Music with

Simone Plé-Caussade Simone-Marie Plé-Caussade (14 August 1897, Paris – 6 August 1986, Bagnères-de-Bigorre) was a French music pedagogue, composer and pianist. She wrote mainly works for solo piano and organ in addition to choral works, songs, chamber music, and s ...

Tony Aubin Tony Louis Alexandre Aubin (; 8 December 1907 – 21 September 1981) was a French composer. Life and Career Aubin was born in Paris on 8 December 1907. From 1925 to 1930, he studied at the Paris Conservatory under Samuel Rousseau (music theory ...

and

Jean Fournet Jean Fournet (14 April 1913 – 3 November 2008) was a French flautist and conducting, conductor. Biography Fournet was born in Rouen in 1913. His father was a flutist who gave him some instruction on the flute and music theory. Fournet was t ...

and took a course on musical aesthetics by

at the

Conservatoire de Paris The Conservatoire de Paris (), or the Paris Conservatory, is a college of music and dance founded in 1795. Officially known as the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris (; CNSMDP), it is situated in the avenue Jean Ja ...

. The Armenian mixed chorus Sipan-Komitas then sought him to replace

Kurken Alemshah Kurken M. Alemshah (; 22 May 1907 – 14 December 1947) was an Armenian composer and conductor. Biography Alemshah was born in Bardizag (now , near İzmit, Turkey). He began schooling in his own hometown, but during the Armenian Genocide his par ...

, and he accepted the position. He conducted the choir from the 1950s for about fifty years. He composed and harmonized popular melodies and old patriotic songs, more than two hundred religious, secular and folk works. They performed at the

Festival d'Avignon The ''Festival d'Avignon'', or Avignon Festival (), is an annual arts festival held in the France, French city of Avignon every summer in July in the courtyard of the Palais des Papes as well as in other locations of the city. Founded in 1947 by ...

, at

Sénanque Abbey Sénanque Abbey ( Occitan: ''abadiá de Senhanca'', French: ''Abbaye Notre-Dame de Sénanque'') is a Cistercian abbey near the village of Gordes in the ''département'' of the Vaucluse in Provence, France. First foundation It was founded in 1 ...

, the Chartreuse of

Villeneuve-lès-Avignon Villeneuve-lès-Avignon (; Provençal: ''Vilanòva d’Avinhon'') is a commune in the Gard department in southern France. It can also be spelled ''Villeneuve-lez-Avignon''. History In the 6th century the Benedictine abbey of St André was fou ...

, in

Normandy Normandy (; or ) is a geographical and cultural region in northwestern Europe, roughly coextensive with the historical Duchy of Normandy. Normandy comprises Normandy (administrative region), mainland Normandy (a part of France) and insular N ...

Rennes Rennes (; ; Gallo language, Gallo: ''Resnn''; ) is a city in the east of Brittany in Northwestern France at the confluence of the rivers Ille and Vilaine. Rennes is the prefecture of the Brittany (administrative region), Brittany Regions of F ...

Cannes Cannes (, ; , ; ) is a city located on the French Riviera. It is a communes of France, commune located in the Alpes-Maritimes departments of France, department, and host city of the annual Cannes Film Festival, Midem, and Cannes Lions Internatio ...

Venice Venice ( ; ; , formerly ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 islands that are separated by expanses of open water and by canals; portions of the city are li ...

, and the festival Art Sacré de la ville de Paris. They performed concerts in Brussels,

Geneva Geneva ( , ; ) ; ; . is the List of cities in Switzerland, second-most populous city in Switzerland and the most populous in French-speaking Romandy. Situated in the southwest of the country, where the Rhône exits Lake Geneva, it is the ca ...

, Bern,

Basel Basel ( ; ), also known as Basle ( ), ; ; ; . is a city in northwestern Switzerland on the river Rhine (at the transition from the High Rhine, High to the Upper Rhine). Basel is Switzerland's List of cities in Switzerland, third-most-populo ...

Munich Munich is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria, Germany. As of 30 November 2024, its population was 1,604,384, making it the third-largest city in Germany after Berlin and Hamburg. Munich is the largest city in Germany that is no ...

and Amsterdam, among others, and recorded several CDs. In 1991 Aprikian was invited for the first time by Armenian authorities to go to

Yerevan Yerevan ( , , ; ; sometimes spelled Erevan) is the capital and largest city of Armenia, as well as one of the world's List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest continuously inhabited cities. Situated along the Hrazdan River, Yerev ...

, where he performed in a concert of his own works and those of other composers of the

Armenian Diaspora The Armenian diaspora refers to the communities of Armenians outside Armenia and other locations where Armenians are considered an indigenous population. Since antiquity, Armenians have established communities in many regions throughout the world. ...

Personal life

Agprikian had a son, Ara. Aprikian died at his home in

Malakoff, Hauts-de-Seine Malakoff () is a suburban Communes of France, commune in the Hauts-de-Seine Departments of France, department southwest of Paris, France. Located from the Kilometre zero, centre of the city, it had a population of 30,286 in 2016. The European Org ...

, on 15 October 2024, at the age of 98.

Works

Aprikian said in an interview that in his compositions, he took melody mostly from Armenian music, but fused it with Western classical music's harmonies when he arranged themes from Armenian folk music, calling it a "'noble' transcription of tradition". He composed original works but also arrangements of Armenian folk music and of works by other Armenian composers such as

Komitas Soghomon Soghomonian, ordained and commonly known as Komitas (; 22 October 1935), was an Ottoman-Armenian priest, musicologist, composer, arranger, singer, and choirmaster, who is considered the founder of the Armenian national school of musi ...

. His sources included Armenian children's songs, prayers, songs about nature, battle songs and processional songs. He composed the ''Petit suite nuptiale'' for his son's wedding, based on songs his father had sung to him when he was a child. He wrote an

oratorio An oratorio () is a musical composition with dramatic or narrative text for choir, soloists and orchestra or other ensemble. Similar to opera, an oratorio includes the use of a choir, soloists, an instrumental ensemble, various distinguisha ...

, ''Naissance de David de Sassoun'', to a

libretto A libretto (From the Italian word , ) is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or Musical theatre, musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to th ...

Hagop Oshagan Hagop Oshagan (; December 9, 1883, in Soloz, Bursa – February 17, 1948, in Aleppo), was an Armenian writer, playwright, and novelist. Among his many novels are the trilogy ''To One Hundred and One Years'' (Հարիւր մէկ տարուան), '' ...

, for soloists, choir and orchestra, premiered in 1994.

Honours

* 1989 Medal of Saint Nerces Chenorali by

Vasken I Vazgen I also Vazken I of Bucharest (), born Levon Garabed Baljian (; September 20, 1908 – August 18, 1994) was the Catholicos of All Armenians between 1955 and 1994, for a total of 39 years, the 4th longest reign in the history of the Armenian ...

Catholicos A catholicos (plural: catholicoi) is the head of certain churches in some Eastern Christian traditions. The title implies autocephaly and, in some cases, it is the title of the head of an autonomous church. The word comes from ancient Greek ( ...

of all Armenians * 1993 Medal of Saint Mesrop Machtots by Garéguine II Nersissian of the Great House Of Cilicie * 1994 Vermeil Medal of the City of Paris awarded by

Jacques Chirac Jacques René Chirac (, ; ; 29 November 193226 September 2019) was a French politician who served as President of France from 1995 to 2007. He was previously Prime Minister of France from 1974 to 1976 and 1986 to 1988, as well as Mayor of Pari ...

* 2004

Ordre des Arts et des Lettres The Order of Arts and Letters () is an order of France established on 2 May 1957 by the Minister of Culture. Its supplementary status to the was confirmed by President Charles de Gaulle in 1963. Its purpose is the recognition of significant ...

* 2024 Grand Vermeil Medal of the City of Paris, for his life's work.

Recordings

* 2003: ''Aprikian: Oeuvres Vocales et Instrumentales'' is a collection of vocal and instrumental pieces, including Aprikian's "Lamento", ''Petite suite nuptiale'' in both a trio and an orchestral version, "Moutn er" and Divertimento. * ''Mayrig: To Armenian Mothers'' is a collection of songs by Armenian composers, including Aprikian's "Lamento", "Lullaby", and ''Petite suite nuptiale''.

References

External links

* *
Accueil
(in French) Chorale Sipan-Komitas (Choeur Mixte Arménien de Paris)
Mayrig (Lamento)
highresaudio.com {{DEFAULTSORT:Aprikian, Garbis 1926 births 2024 deaths Conservatoire de Paris alumni École Normale de Musique de Paris alumni Egyptian emigrants to France Egyptian people of Armenian descent French people of Armenian descent Musicians from Alexandria