Thursday, February 18, 2010

Inside the village mayor’s office in Vardablur, near Stepanavan, the old man told about Komitas:

“Komitas was in Echmiadzin when he was told that there was someone in Vardablur who sang a different version of horovel. He came to our village and asked to meet the man. The villagers took him to meet Rushan. Komitas asked him to sing the horovel. Rushan said, ‘how can I sing a horovel without a plow?’ So they found a plow. Then Rushan said, ‘how can I sing if there is no ox to pull the plow?’ So they found an ox.”

Pointing out the window, to the east, he continued. “They went to that field, on the slopes of the mountain. There, in that spot, Rushan sang what people now call Lorva Horovel.”

The old man then sang part of the horovel, after which he sang Shogher Jan, Hov Arek, and other songs collected by Komitas.

“Rushan was my grandfather’s brother,” the old man said. “Their parents came from Karabagh. I think they were originally from Moush, but I’m not sure. In my opinion, the Lorva Horovel either came from Karabagh or Moush.”

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