Komitas 1869-1935: Victim of The Great Crime

The Tragic Life of Komitas

Komitas Vardapet, born Soghomon Soghomonian in 1869, was a renowned Armenian composer, musicologist, and singer. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in Armenian classical music.

However, Komitas' life was marred by immense tragedy and heartbreak. He was a witness to one of the darkest periods in Armenian history, known as the Armenian Genocide, often referred to by Armenians as "The Great Crime."

Komitas (1869-1935): Victim of the Great Crime

by Bruce Ecker (Kindle Edition)

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Language	:	English
File size	:	983 KB
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The Armenian Genocide

Between 1915 and 1923, the Ottoman Empire systematically exterminated the Armenian population across its territories. This genocide resulted in the death of an estimated 1.5 million Armenians and the expulsion of countless others. Komitas, like many other Armenians, fell victim to this unimaginable atrocity.

Komitas' Ordeal

In 1915, during the initial stages of the Armenian Genocide, Komitas was arrested and deported along with other prominent Armenian intellectuals and leaders. He, along with his fellow exiles, endured inhumane conditions on their way to the desert of Der Zor.

The physical and psychological torture Komitas endured during his captivity broke his spirit. He witnessed the murder and suffering of countless innocent Armenians, an experience that scarred him for the rest of his life.

The Impact on Komitas' Music

Komitas' music reflects the immense trauma he experienced during the Armenian Genocide. He composed hauntingly beautiful melodies that perfectly capture the pain, loss, and longing of his people. His compositions became an anthem of remembrance and a symbol of resilience for the Armenian nation.

Despite his tragic experiences, Komitas managed to preserve and record Armenian folk music, which would have been lost forever otherwise. His ethnomusicological research and the arrangements he made of traditional Armenian songs played a crucial role in preserving the cultural heritage of his nation.

Legacy and Recognition

Komitas' contributions to Armenian music and culture are invaluable. His work has inspired generations of Armenian musicians and composers. His name has become synonymous with the Armenian struggle for justice and recognition.

Today, Komitas is celebrated as a national hero in Armenia and among the Armenian diaspora worldwide. His legacy serves as a reminder of the atrocities committed during the Armenian Genocide and the indomitable spirit of the Armenian people.

Komitas was not just a victim of The Great Crime; he was a survivor who used his music to heal the deep wounds inflicted on his nation. His story serves as a testament to the human capacity for resilience and the power of art to commemorate and remember.

As we remember Komitas and the countless victims of the Armenian Genocide, we must continue to strive for justice and recognition of this horrific crime against humanity. Only through remembrance and education can we ensure that such atrocities are never repeated.

Komitas (1869-1935): Victim of the Great Crime

by Bruce Ecker (Kindle Edition)

5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	983 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	224 pages
Lending	:	Enabled

FREE

This is the third publication, the first and second editions being in Eastern and Western Armenian, respectively. The book is divided into two parts. Part I covers Komitas Vartabed's life story, education, religious life, and prolific music career up to 1915. Part II covers his state of mind and psychiatric hospitalizations after 1915. There is a popular belief that Komitas went "mad" after the Great Crime of 1915. The book challenges this belief. Komitas being a very sensitive and bright artist, understood the impact of the tragedy on the Armenian people and exhibited symptoms we now refer to as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) which is considered a natural reaction to his experiences and which was not recognized as such in 1916. He was wrongfully committed to a Turkish military psychiatric hospital, then sent to a psychiatric hospital in Paris, and later to an asylum for hopeless mental patients. The diagnoses varied according to the circumstances. It is significant that the psychiatrist who knew him for 13 years wrote, "I was forgetting the diagnosis; I think they said ... but since this patient never says a word, it is hard to know him." Komitas's expressed anger and silence which were interpreted as symptoms of his "madness" at the time (while Armenians are still coping with the trauma of this tragedy). Since Komitas's story is prone to controversies, special effort was made to find primary sources, such as reports of his contemporaries. The interpretations of psychiatrists include psychiatric records in Paris, which the author has obtained. The author presents numerous references and allows the reader to reach a on the mental health of the greatest champion and savior of Armenian folk music before the Great Crime.

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