Sharakans: Poetry Made Audible

A sharakan is a hymn of the Armenian Church. It brings poetic language and melody into worship, often in connection with a feast, a biblical event or a saint’s commemoration. A collection of these hymns is called a Sharaknots. Not every piece of Armenian church music is a sharakan: prayers, psalmody and settings of the Divine Liturgy have their own places and forms.

Many sharakans use Classical Armenian, or Grabar. To understand a hymn, begin with its text and occasion. Repeated words, images of light and carefully shaped phrases help organize meaning. Nerses Shnorhali is especially important in the history of Armenian hymnody. Studying this tradition brings literature and music together: the sound of a phrase and the thought it carries belong to the same work.

Historical manuscripts and printed hymnals preserve khaz, the signs of Armenian musical notation. They are not simply modern staff notes written in unusual shapes. Their interpretation involves specialist research and knowledge of oral transmission. A page can show how singers recorded musical guidance, while a living teacher communicates pronunciation, phrasing and melody through demonstration and listening.

Traditional Armenian chant and later arrangements for several voices should be distinguished. Makar Yekmalian and Komitas made major contributions to choral settings of the Armenian Divine Liturgy. Their work does not mean that all older hymns were originally composed for a modern mixed choir. The gallery’s 1712 hymnal and 1887 staff notation illustrate different ways of putting sacred music on paper.

Choose a clearly identified recording with its performer and title. Listen once for words, once for the direction of the melody, and once for the number of voices. Write observations such as “the phrase rises” or “several voices sound together,” then explain the effect. Do not guess an ancient date from an old-sounding performance. A modern recording can preserve a tradition while also reflecting an individual interpretation.