Armenian music notation – Khaz

Armenia is a country with many mysteries. One of them is Armenian music notation, khaz. Khaz is a type of neume used to transcribe the medieval religious Armenian music. Although khazes are similar to neumes by their nature, they are independent by their form, meaning and names. Each sign in khaz notation denotes ascending and descending directions of a melody, as well as rhythmic and expressive details in the performance style.

History

The system of khaz signs was developed in the 7th-9th centuries presumably by the poet and scientist Stepanos Syunetsi. The word “khaz” was probably borrowed from the Caucasian languages. It translates as “line, inscription, outline”. Khaz notation has been used for about ten centuries.

Since the 12th century the art of khaz notation developed in the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia. Here, three main types of khaz writing were formed, khaz singing books were created.

From the beginning of the 16th century, khaz notation became more and more complex. Over time it became incomprehensible to church musicians. It was difficult to use in practice due to the large number of different symbols and conventional signs. That is why the khaz notation stopped developing over time, and in 18th-19th centuries it was completely forgotten.

New Armenian notation

From the beginning of the first quarter of the 19th century, a new, simpler and easier to use notation system was created in Armenia. This system was developed by the Armenian musician and reformer of Armenian notation Hampartsoum Limondjian. He thoroughly studied the Armenian religious music and was able to create new Armenian notation. The new, simpler system still uses some elements of the old khaz notation.

The new notation system is also neumatic and does not apply to the European five-line staff system. With this system, the melody is written between the lines of poems, which makes it easier to vocalize the texts. Komitas mainly used this system in his travels to study and record Armenian folk music.

This music notation is used and studied in various musical institutions to this day. Thanks to this notation, thousands of melodies, chants and sharakans survived.

Khaz notation

The khaz system made it possible to write monodic melodies and sharakans. Khazes indicated the voice pitch, its duration, hue, ornaments of the melodic line and other elements. They were written above the line if one or two khazes fell on the syllable. If there were many khazes on one syllable, they were written on the line. The khaz system also included punctuation of the Armenian language, consonants and semivowels of the alphabet, which were used in the musical system for additional notes. Number of khazes, their form, names and the meaning assigned to them changed over time. Some of khazes were later used in the new Armenian notation.

In the beginning of the 20th century, European and Armenian scientists began the research and transcription of khazes. Musicologists who worked on the transcription of khazes proved that khazes arose on the basis of the original national musical culture. In this case, a great contribution was made by the Armenian composer, musicologist Komitas. He carried out serious research work, began to thoroughly study the Armenian folk and church melodies and was very close to deciphering the secret of khazes. Unfortunately, he could not complete his mission. According to Komitas, to fully reveal the secret of khaz notation, an expert must know Arab, Turkish and Persian languages, as well as mathematics and other related sciences.

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