Music That Shaped a Nation

The music of each country is unique, as it represents their history and people, connecting compatriots through generations and helping to create, over time, a singular identity. In countries that have fought ongoing battles to preserve their borders, folklore is often a direct representation of that struggle. Folk and sacred music in Armenia have helped to develop a national identity, furthering the country's sense of nationalism. Folk music, the duduk, and the clarinet have helped to shape the contemporary musical world of Armenia. For the purposes of this study, I will focus on the works of Khachaturian and Sharafyan. Khachaturian, influenced by the folk music he grew up with, used these sounds to create his own musical aesthetic. His belief in the beauty of sound and the psychological impact that music should convey is supported by his use of folk idioms. Sharafyan, also affected by the sounds of his homeland, uses traditional and Western instruments, allowing him to create a cross-cultural sound: a sound that connects the traditional to the modern, while still maintaining its origins in Armenian folk musical traditions. Starting with the duduk and eventually, the clarinet, Komitas, Khachaturian, and Sharafyan shaped and created music that portrays the experiences of the Armenian people. These composers, while only a small sample of Armenia's rich musical heritage, provide a clear example of music's ability to represent the history and culture of a nation.