SANCTUS VOCAL QUARTET

The Sanctus Vocal Quartet was created in February 2004 having an aim to perform West-European, Armenian medieval, classical and folk vocal music. The first performance was on 13th of March 2004 at the presentation of the CD of Arto Tuncboyajian and the "Armenian Navy Band" that took place in the Avant-garde Folk-club in Yerevan . The first concert of the was on 16th of May 2004 at the "Arno Babadjanian" Concert Hall in Yerevan . The program of the concert was versatile and included the works of Komitas, J.S. Bach, Claude Debussy, Davit Haladjyan and Tigran Mansurian.

The next concert of the quartet was on 25th of July 2004 at the same concert hall.This concert was dedicated to the 400-th anniversary of New Julfa town. During this concert the solo works by the quartet's members were performed and the choral works by the quartet in itself. On 7th of September 2004 quartet participated in the "Kancharan" action that took place at the Charles Aznavour square in Yerevan . In October 2004 Sanctus Quartet participated in the action dedicated to 135th anniversary of Komitas that took place in the Slavonic University in Yerevan . On 22nd of November 2004 the quartet participated in the concert dedicated to 135th anniversary of Komitas that took place in the Armenian National Theatre of Opera and Ballet. On 2 of April 2005 quartet participated in the concert dedicated to 320th anniversary of J. S. Bach that took place in the Komitas Chamber Music Hall . On April 23-29, 2005 the quartet was invited to have concerts in the Syrian Arabic Republic . There were performances dedicated to 90th Anniversary of Armenian Genocide in 1915.

On 5-9 May, 2005 Sanctus Quartet participated in the international contest-festival "HARMONIE - Festival 2005" that took place in Limburg , Germany where the quartet won the Silver Medal. The Patron of this Festival was the Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, Gerhard Schröder. There were 207 ensembles-participants from over then 44 countries. On 3 of July 2005 the Sanctus Quartet had a concert in the context of the First Yerevan Baroque Music Festival that took place in the Komitas Chamber Music Hall in Yerevan . The quartet made a number of recordings. Quartet's performances were honored with attention and high appreciation on the part of specialists, media and TV. All members of the Sanctus Vocal Quartet are graduates of the Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory.

Repertoire

S a c r e d c h o r a l s

Komitas (1869-1935)
Our Father Lord, have mercy
O wonderful and great
Lord, with thy Grace
Behold, save us of sins
My heart trembles
Most wondrous God
Who is like unto the Lord our God
O Mystery deep

Makar Yekmalyan (1856-1905)

At this time
Amen. Holy is the Father
Only the Lord

S e c u l a r c h o r a l s
Komitas (1869-1935)
I bring the bread to the plough
Come, my dear bride
That haystack
I will go with my bride
Dear rays
The wall of garden is the pumpkin
The small girl
My bride is the rose
Oh, my lovely bride
My dear mother
It rained
The bright morning
The moon under the mountain
You stand and don’t call me
The sweet moon
Breathe of coolness, the dear mountains

Davit Haladjyan
Oh, my love... (”Love and death songs”)
In the night (”Love and death songs”)

Tigran Mansuryan (1939)
On the slopes of Alagyaz
Testament
Confessing with Faith

(Seven prayers from S.Nerses Shnorhali’s prayer-book)

(for 4 voices and viola, was created by request of Hilliard Ensemble and Kim Kashkashyan(viola), the first performance of it in Armenia was by the Sanctus Vocal Quartet )

J. S. Bach (1685 - 1750)

Chorals from “Johanness Passion”
Chorals from “Motette III”
C. Debussy - Dieu! Qu’il la fait bon regarder
G. Verdi - Ave Maria
J. Arcadelt - Ave Maria
T. Victoria - Ave Maria
F. Poulenc - A peine dèfigurèe, O magnum mysterium
P. Vasks - Pater noster