The Armenian baritone Sar Sargsyan, resident in Poland for the last three years and continually developing his Polish repertoire, has recently started working on a new record. The first track to promote the disk is ”A Letter to my Mother”, known primarily for its unforgettable performance by Violetta Villas. The new adaptation of the song focuses on Sargsyan’s yearning for his homeland, additionally accentuated by the typical Armenian arrangement and the use of the duduk, an Armenian folk instrument. The planned record will feature songs by Polish composers and acclaimed Armenian authors with new Polish lyrics. The release has been planned for the latter half of 2020.
Three years ago Sar Sargsyan decided to stay in Poland and build his future in the country, gradually adding to his ample multilingual repertoire a variety of beautiful Polish songs. The artist constantly searches for compositions which match his style and sensitivity – “A letter to my Mother” proved to meet all of his expectations. Despite the piece being highly recognizable in Poland, the version now offered by Sar Sargsyan is a completely new interpretation.
“I have lived in Poland for the last few years, but it has not changed by longing for my homeland. In the history the Armenian people have suffered invasions and persecutions, which invariably brings about associations with the history of Poland. Armenians have always fought for their territory, identity, preservation of religious and cultural customs. Hence the song reverberates with a strong yearning for the homeland, symbolized by the titular mother. This is a very personal confession, as similar to many compatriots I was also forced to leave my home and country. I am slowly coming to terms with these emotions, but I do not think I will ever be rid of nostalgia,” explained Sar Sargsyan.
In his work the artist continues to promote the heritage of the classical Armenian music composers, but is also looking for ways to present a slightly different edge to the Armenian musical legacy. One of such endeavours is to add an evidently Armenian arrangement to the new song, thanks to the work of an acclaimed Armenian musician and composer, Alexandra Maghakyan. The use of the duduk as accompaniment, an Armenian folk instrument masterfully played by Levon Tevanyan, has given the song a somewhat distinct, but at the same time clearly nostalgic note.
In addition to “A letter to my Mother” the artist plans to release another Polish song soon, to be included in the new record – a piece composed by Władysław Eiger with lyrics by Zenon Friedwald, “Wiem, że nie byłem dla ciebie” (I know I was not for you). This will also be a new interpretation featuring Armenian accents. The planned CD will additionally include pieces sung in Polish by Armenian composers, including Mikael Tariverdiev, Arno Babajanyan, or Konstantin Orbelyan. The Polish lyrics have been written by the poet and translator, Zbigniew Dmitroca. All work on the CD should be completed in the latter half of 2020.
The vocals to “A Letter to my Mother” were recorded in October and November 2019 at ther Delphy Records studio in Warsaw, the duduk recording was made at the Mi-Production studio in Yerevan. Arrangement by Alexandra Maghakyan, mix and mastering by Miqayel Margaryan. The song can be downloaded from the following link: https://soundcloud.com/saribek/a-letter-to-my-mother-list-do-matki.
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Sar Sargsyan was born in 1981 in the town of Hadrut in Nagorno-Karabakh. There he started his musical education at the Komitas School of Music and progressed to the vocal faculty of the Sayat-Nova College of Music in Stepanakert. In 2007 Sar completed a course at the vocal faculty of the Komitas State Conservatory of Yerevan, followed by post-graduate studies at the same school a year later. Currently Sar lives and works in Warsaw, Poland, but travels extensively to other countries to showcase his extraordinary vocal abilities and promote the wonderful classical heritage of Armenian composers, as well as other well-known and sought after musical gems. Sar Sargsyan makes frequent appearances on judge panels at international vocal competitions.
On stage Sar performs a variety of repertoires, including lesser known and popular classics, as well as operatic pop and classical crossover. His programs include various genres and musical styles, including classics by Italian, Neapolitan, Spanish and English composers, all-time classics by well-known European, Russian and Armenian composers, as well as Russian romances and songs, and Armenian heritage classics.
More information: www.sarsargsyan.com
(photo by: Justyna Radzymińska, Photography & Camera Work Studio)
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