Four Armenian poems set to music by Ottorino Respighi

Gosdan Zarian or Kostan Zaryan (1885-1969) studied grabar (classical) and ashkharhapar (vernacular) Armenian with the Mekhitarists on the island of San Lazzaro degli Armeni in Venice (1910-1913), where he also published Three Songs (1916), a book of poems in Italian (originally written in French), one of which, titled La Primavera (Spring), was set to music by Ottorino Respighi and first performed in 1923.

The full song cycle is: Quattro Liriche Su Poesie Popolari Armene by Ottorino Respighi

I. No Non E Morto Il Figlio Tuo
II. La Mamma E Come Il Pane Caldo
III. Io Sono La Madre
IV. Mattino Di Luce Sole Di Giustizia

As per the link:
http://www.naxosdirect.com/title/8.223595

There is no precise record of Respighi's contacts with Zarian and his interest in Armenian poetry might already have been aroused during the periods he spent in Russia in 1900-1901 and 1902. In a letter of February 1917 he mentions his intention of setting Zarian's poem Voci di Chiesa (Church Voices). After abandoning this project, it appears that in July 1918 he had started working on La Primavera (Spring), a poem from a cycle by Zarian, the first part of which has the title Sirvard, figlia della terra (Sirvard, daughter of the earth). Sketches of a further cantata, Inverno (Winter), have come to light and it seems that two symphonic poems without vocal parts, Estate (Summer) and Autunno (Autumn), were also planned. Poema autunnale for violin and orchestra (1925) may have belonged to this unfinished "Spring" cycle.


«Ձայներ եկեղեցում»էն
(Բ. մաս «Երեք երգեր ասելու համար վիշտը երկրի եւ վիշտը երկնքի», Վիեննա, 1931)

Io Sono La Madre

Ես եմ Մայրը...
Ընդ մի՛շտ, ընդ միշտ մեկնեցաւ
զաւակ իմ որ խաչուեցաւ։
Ես եմ Մայրը...Աչքերս յառած
դէպի ճամբան երկայնատարած
ուրկից անցաւ իմ Աստուած։
Սիրտ եմ ես, լալիւն եմ ցաւ,
ողբը նրա որ մեռաւ։
Ես եմ Մայրը - Մարիամը -
վշտի ժամը
որ զարնում է հեռուներէն
ձեռքը հրազէն
զաւկիս, զաւկիս, որ մեռաւ,
որ խաչուեցաւ։
Ե՛ս եմ Մայրը։

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