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Şahan Arzruni’s new album ‘Hommage’ is out now

Şahan Arzruni has released a rich new selection of classical Armenian piano works.

World-famous Turkish-Armenian pianist Şahan Arzruni has re-interpreted classic piano works from the early period of Armenian music. Şahan Arzruni’s new album, subtitled: ‘Remembrance: Piano Works of the First Armenian Composers’, has been released by Kalan Music. The album includes 21 tracks by 12 different composers, including Dikran Çuhacıyan.

Şahan Arzruni said: “The works of the different composers create a very wide and rich variety in terms of style”. He added: “Some of composers are using the colours of the local style in their creations, such as Ottoman classical music and the music of the Caucasus. They are examples of the pioneers of fusion music. Some of them have European-structured piano works that use Turkish melodies. Some of them adapted rhythms from the Caucasus to Western instruments.”

Şahan Arzruni thinks that classical music is foreign to the tradition of Armenian music. He explained that: “European music is a reflection of urban life. Armenian music comes from the soil. Armenian folk music developed in the fields. Classical music first entered the urban life of Armenians in the second half of the 19th century. After that it was