Arno Babajanian: Melody in C minor for piano solo

Performed by Christian Dillig (piano) The composer and pianist Arno Babajanian (1921 1983), incidentally born in the same year as Astor Piazzolla, is still an important figure in Armenian concert life today. Although he composed more freely in tonal colours in some cases, he remained rooted in traditional tonality and Armenian folk music for the most part. He combined Armenian folklore with classical music, and his piano compositions are orientated towards the piano works of Sergei Rachmaninoff and Aram Khatchaturian. He also wrote many songs and film scores. This yearning work, Melody, is a real gem and testifies to Babajanian s pronounced awareness of melody. I have already recorded Arno Babajanian s touching Elegy on the Death of Aram Khatchaturian