Cultural Icons: The Music of Ruben Hakhverdyan

When you think about bard music, what is the first thing you think of? 

For me, I am transported back in time to medieval Britain, with beautiful poems being recited in grand halls, accompanied by stringed instruments and performed to kings. In other words, nowadays, when I think of bard music, it is not something that I expect to hear very often. 

However, bard music has lived on since the Middle Ages and is very popular in different countries around the world. I would like to focus on one country in particular: Armenia. 

Armenia had a revival of bard music during The Khrushchev Thaw, with singer-songwriters creating music that moved away from the typical genres associated with and promoted by the Soviet government, for instance, classical ballet music. During the Soviet era, all music sought to elevate the communist regime and therefore would hardly be critical of the realities faced by society. 

As a result, bard music attempted to portray how the people did live and feel. Whilst the melodies themselves are generally simplistic, with the same chord pattern being repeated throughout the entire song, it is the lyrics that hold the profound meaning and create such emotional pieces of music.

The lyrical depth of bard music is encapsulated by Ruben Hakhverdyan, the popularly named founder of bard music in Armenia. Hakhverdyan’s lyrics often focus on themes of life and death. For example, in his most well-known song “Mer Siro Ashuny” (Armenian: Մեր Սիրո աշունը – The Autumn of Our Love), Hakhverdyan sings of the heartache of a failed relationship and the painful acceptance that love will never return again. In his song “Kyanq Mardkayin” (Կյանք մարդկային - Life), Hakhverdyan traces the stages of life, with each stage represented by a bird. At the end of each phase, the bird either leaves us or is killed. This represents how our youth leaves us and we all meet our end eventually.

Hakhverdyan’s songs themselves are written and performed in the country’s national tongue (Armenian), with few translations of his work available. This is an important aspect of bard songs since this genre of music is intrinsically linked to the nation’s culture. Performing these songs in another language would take away from the central messages of the songs and, more importantly, mean that they did not reach the intended audience.

Whilst Armenia may be considered a small nation, with a population of 2.78 million in 2022 (Population Pyramid, 2022), the Armenian diaspora is significantly bigger, with a number as high as 9 million people (The World Factbook, 2024). With a huge number of Armenians living around the world, you can imagine the importance and the emotions they must feel when they hear a song in their language. It is a reminder of and a connection to their home country. 

The reason why I wanted to share this nation’s singer was due to a recommendation made by one of my dearest friends. Her love for this musician was obvious and she even took the time to translate the song for me! In a world where international connections are shutting down, the small act of sharing a part of your culture with others is vital to remind us of the humanity that does still exist. 

Therefore, I hope you as readers do take the time to explore not just Armenian music, but the music of all other nations, so that you may learn about the world’s stories and peoples, through creativity and talent.

Before you go, here is one of Ruben Hakhverdyan’s songs called ‘Life’ (‘Kjanq Mardkayin’) with the transliteration and English translation provided. I hope you enjoy it!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlbwH-pulDg 

Transliteration of Armenian Lyrics:

Vork’an arag e pttvum ays anitsyal khent’ moloraky,

Vork’an arag e herranum mer aprelu lav zhamanaky,

Heto dandagh-dandagh kherrana jahelut’yuny,

Heto el inch’ yerjankut’yun, yerb motenwum e tserut’yuny:

Mi or pokvets’, t’rrav im mankut’yan kapuyt t’rrch’uny,

Ayd amperi mijov mi chich’ ch’vets’ depi haverzhut’yuny:

Kyank’i shemin kangnats’ er lurr u glkhahak mi patani,

Yerazank’ner uner mak’ur, dzerrk’k’in spitak mi aghavni:

Bayts’ aghavnin t’rrav herru, dzulvets’ kapuyt yerkink’nerin,

Kyank’y voch’inch’ yet ch’i berum, na t’alanum e bolorin:

Hima nra usin t’arrel, hpart sharzhum e ir t’every

Bazen, vory piti t’rrch’er depi kyank’i horizonnery:

Bayts’ yerb bazen yerkink’ chakhrets’, mi krakots’ lsvets’ hankarts,

Kapuyt yerkink’y karmrets’ wu k’aj t’rrch’uny ynkav ts’ats:

Vow yerb mardy verts’rets’ nra derr tak’ marminn ir dzerrk’erin,

English Translation: 

How fast life passes in this crazy world,

How soon the best times of our lives fade,

our youth slowly trickles away,

and then what happiness will be left, when old age is coming.

one day the blue bird of my childhood flew away,

and on it flew through the skies and into the infinite darkness.

Standing in front of his next phase, a silent, headstrong teenager

he had dreams and a white dove in his hands.

But the dove took off and merged with the blue skies,

life doesn't bring back anything, it steals from everyone,

yet his life continued, he who let the pigeon, his dream, fly away.

Now a falcon perches upon his shoulder,

a falcon, that should fly off beyond the horizons.

but when the falcon flew into the skies, a shot.

The blue sky became red and the brave bird fell dead.

and when the man cradles its still warm body in his hands,

Nran kyank’y vochir t’vats’, na anitsets’ chakatagrin:

Vow dzmerrva sarrts’akalats champ’anerov volor-molor

K’aylets’ champ’vordy depi ts’ats, depi vakhchany glkhikor:

Agrravneri yeramy sev, dzmrran yerkink’y anarev,

Kyank’i zhamkety harkadir dardzan mardun chakatagir:

Vow yerb knk’ets’ mahkanats’un mardu marminy ch’arch’rkvats’,

Na ir hogin tvets’ Asttsun` vorpes t’rrch’un mi halatsvats

[Translation by Arevik Vardanyan and Francesca Cross]

Sources:

Lyrics for Ruben Hakhverdyan – Կյանք Մարդկային

Armenian music in eurovision

The sounds of Soviet Armenia