Armenian Composers: Art Songs Piano Music by Melikian, Mansurian and Avenesov

This years commemoration of the Armenian Genocide has drawn attention to the rich cultural heritage of this hidden country, with its unique language, script and folklore. This new recording presents three Armenian composers of three generations. The song cycle Emerald Songs by Romanos Melikyan is written on words by 8 contemporary Armenian poets, in a spicy Ravelian language inspired by Armenian folk music. Mansuryan is of the same generation and blood group of Schnittke, Gubaidulina, Pärt and Kancheli. Young Avanesovs piano cycle Feux follets is in postmodern style, free and associative. Sung with great intensity and feeling for the idiom by Armenian mezzo soprano Mariam Sarkissian, who recently received an Orphée dor for her CD of vocal works by Tchaikovsky and Cui.