Artsakh (song)
| "Artsakh" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Ara Gevorgyan | |
| from the album Ani | |
| Released | 1999[1] |
| Genre | Instrumental folk |
| Length | 5:35 |
| Label | Eye Records |
| External audio | |
|---|---|
| Full version of Artsakh in Ara Gevorgyan's website |
"Artsakh" (Armenian: «Արցախ») is an instrumental folk composition by Armenian contemporary composer Ara Gevorgyan, released in 1999 as part of his album Ani. The composition was written in 1997. In 1998, Gevorgyan registered the rights to all works from the album, including "Artsakh", with the United States Library of Congress.[2]
The recording featured Ara Gevorgyan, the Armenian National Philharmonic Orchestra (ANPO), Djivan Gasparyan (duduk), and Norayr Sharoyan (dhol).[2]
The piece became widely popular in Armenia and among the Armenian diaspora.[3][4] Over the years, it has been performed at cultural and political events[5] and has been used by figure skaters, gymnasts, and other athletes in international competitions.
Gevorgyan later released a documentary film titled Story about Artsakh Music, in which he discusses the history and creation of the piece.[6]
Name
Artsakh was one of the 15 provinces of the ancient Kingdom of Armenia.[7] Today, the name "Artsakh" is still used for the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan which corresponds to this historical province by Armenians. The region where the Armenians were the majority achieved de facto independence which would last until 2023 alongside the Armenian forces during the bloody war with Azerbaijan in 1988-94. The war is seen by Armenians as liberation of their historic lands and the song is a tribute to the Armenian victory.
Usage in sports
Parts of "Artsakh" have been used in sports, including:
| Year | Athlete | Country | Sport | Event(s) | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001–02 | Alexander Abt | Russia | Figure skating | All season long, including at the 2002 Winter Olympics | [8] |
| 2005–06 | Elene Gedevanishvili | Georgia | Figure skating | All season long, including at the 2006 Winter Olympics | [9] |
| 2007 | Dinara Gimatova | Azerbaijan | Gymnastics | [10][11][12] | |
| 2007-08 | Vazgen Azrojan Anastasia Grebenkina |
Armenia | Figure skating | Original dance | [13] |
| 2008 | Aliya Yussupova | Kazakhstan | Gymnastics | [14] | |
| 2009 | Holon Israel | Israel | Figure skating | [15] | |
| 2009 | Vic Darchinyan | Armenia | Boxing | Entrance song | [16] |
| 2010 | Dou Baobao | China | Gymnastics | 2010 Corbeil-Essonnes International Rhythmic Gymnastics Tournament | [17] |
| 2010 | Marta Koczkowska | Poland | Gymnastics | 2009 Corbeil-Essonnes International Rhythmic Gymnastics Tournament | [18] |
| 2010 | Giorgio Petrosyan | Italy | Kickboxing | Entrance song | [19] |
| 2013 | Victoria Moors | Canada | Gymnastics | 2013 AT&T American Cup | [20] |
| 2013 | Gegard Mousasi | Netherlands | Kickboxing | Entrance song | [21] |
| 2014 | Susianna Kentikian | Germany | Boxing | Entrance song | [22] |
| 2016 | Seda Tutkhalyan | Russia | Gymnastics | All season long, including at the 2016 Summer Olympics | [23][24] |
| 2020-21 | Adeliia Petrosian | Russia | Figure skating | All season long, including at the 2021 Russian Junior Championships | [25][26] |
| 2026 | Karina Akopova and Nikita Rakhmanin | Armenia | Figure skating | 2026 Winter Olympics |
- Other
- Pan-Armenian Games
- In a Russian TV show called "Ice Age" broadcast by the Channel One in 2007 Russian singer Aleksandra Savaleva and a Russian-born Israeli ice dancer Sergei Sakhnovski performed figure skating with this song.[27]
Controversy
In 2007 Azerbaijani ambassador in Russia and former singer Polad Bülbüloğlu alleged that "Artsakh" contains an Azerbaijani song. Ara Georgyan responded that Bülbüloğlu's statements were a result of confusion from an incident that occurred during one of the episodes of the Russian TV show "Ice Age" broadcast by Channel One. During the performance of Russian singer Aleksandra Savaleva (ru) and Israeli ice dancer Sergei Sakhnovski, it was initially announced that the song they were going to use was called "Armenian dance" by Ara Gevorgyan, but instead a song called "Sene de galmaz" by Azerbaijani composer Tofig Guliyev was played and only after that a small portion of "Artsakh" was played.[28] Ara Gevorgyan suggested that Azerbaijanis tried to justify Dinara Gimatova's use of the song without his permission in a 2005 grand-prix.[29]
References
- ^ "Ani". Ara Gevorgyan Website. Archived from the original on 24 January 2017. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
- ^ a b "Композитор Ара Геворкян о незаконном использовании азербайджанцами его композиции «Арцах»". panorama.am (in Russian). 30 March 2015. Retrieved 21 February 2026.
- ^ "Գիլանն առաջարկ է արել Արա Գևորգյանին" (in Armenian). A1plus. 23 May 2012.
Այսուհետ կոմպոզիտորի հանրահայտ «Արցախ» ստեղծագործությունը....
- ^ "Հայաստանի շունչը՝ Ռուսաստանում". Aravot (in Armenian). 23 March 2007.
...«Արցախ» հանրահայտ կոմպոզիցիան:
- ^ Examples of political events (rallies, demonstrations) where "Artsakh" can be heard:
- Video of Raffi Hovannisian's rally on YouTube during the 2013 Armenian presidential election protests.
- Video on YouTube of a large joint rally by Prosperous Armenia, Armenian National Congress, and Heritage parties in October 2014.
- Video of Raffi Hovannisian's rally on YouTube during the 2013 Armenian presidential election protests.
- ^ "Արա Գևորգյանը «Արցախ» ստեղծագործության հեղինակային իրավունքի համար դատարան դեռ չի դիմել. կոմպոզիտորը հերքում է համացանցում տարածված լուրերը". Armenpress (in Armenian). 10 January 2022. Retrieved 21 February 2026.
- ^ Croissant, Michael P. (1998). The Armenia-Azerbaijan Conflict: Causes and Implications. Westport, Connecticut: Praeger. p. 10. ISBN 9780275962418.
- ^ Alexander Abt 2002 Olympics SP on YouTube
- ^ Elene Gedevanishvili & Ara Gevorkyan - Artsakh on YouTube
- ^ "Ара Геворкян подаст в суд" (in Russian). No. 187. Kommersant via Golos Armenii. 12 October 2007.
...выступления своей спортсменки Динары Гематовой на соревнованиях по художественной гимнастике в Минске под музыку Ары Геворкяна "Арцах".
- ^ Dinara Gimatova Ribbon AA Deriugina Cup 2007 on YouTube
- ^ Dinara Gimatova Ribbon 2007 Miss Valentine on YouTube
- ^ "Anastasia GREBENKINA / Vazgen AZROJAN: 2007/2008". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 12 January 2008.
- ^ Aliya Yussupova Music Ribbon 2008 (Exact Version) on YouTube
- ^ Holon Israel - Armenian Dance on YouTube
- ^ "Դարչինյան-Ագբեկո մարտը՝ Ջեքսոնի երգերի ուղեկցությամբ". Aravot (in Armenian). 7 July 2009.
...Վախթանգ Դարչինյանը, որը, ինչպես հայտնի է, ավանդաբար ռինգ է մտնում Արա Գեւորգյանի «Արցախ» ստեղծագործության երաժշտության հնչյունների ներքո:
- ^ DOU Baobao ribbon - Corbeil 2010 AA on YouTube
- ^ Marta KOCZKOWSKA rope - Corbeil 2009 AA on YouTube
- ^ Albert Kraus vs Giorgio Petrosyan - Entrance K-1 MAX 2010 FINAL on YouTube
- ^ "Victoria Moors - Floor Exercise - 2013 AT&T American Cup". USA Gymnastics. 5 March 2013. Retrieved 13 March 2013.
- ^ Giorgio Petrosyan [Artsakh] Gegard Mousasi HD on YouTube
- ^ "YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 28 November 2017.
- ^ "Российская гимнастка Седа Тутхалян исполнила на Олимпиаде вольное упражнение под композицию "Арцах"". newsarmenia.am (in Russian). 7 August 2016.
- ^ piibunina (2 June 2016). "Seda Tutkhalyan RUS FX TQ 2016 Euros Bern". Retrieved 28 November 2017 – via YouTube.
- ^ Adeliya Petrosyan 2021 Russian Junior Chapionships [sic] FS on YouTube
- ^ "Еще одна ученица Тутберидзе вошла в историю. Кто такая Аделия Петросян" (in Russian). RIA Novosti. 19 November 2021.
Запомнилась и ее программа "Арцах", в которую юная фигуристка поистине вкладывала душу.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ^ Фигурное катание | Армянский танец on YouTube
- ^ Հարցազրույց Արա Գևորգյանի հետ (in Armenian). Tert.am. 2 February 2009. Archived from the original on 25 October 2014. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
- ^ В "Ледниковом периоде" прозвучала и азербайджанская и армянская композиции (in Russian). News.az. 30 December 2007. Archived from the original on 12 November 2013. Retrieved 24 March 2013.