Armenian Traditional Music: The Soul of a Timeless Culture

Armenian traditional music unlocks layers of cultural meaning that go way beyond sound. Notes and harmonies reflect facets of daily Armenian life from everyday experiences like work, dance and play to unique ones from prayer to weddings and even death. The instruments themselves tell the stories of the circumstances in which they were developed. The iconic double-reed flute, the Duduk, for instance, is typically made from the wood of another Armenian icon, the apricot tree, a testament to the indigenous settings which collided to create the unique sound that, to the closed eye, represents Armenia.

Armenian Wind Instruments

The sound of indigenous flutes and other wind instruments dominate the soundscale in traditional Armenian music. Deeply woven into Armenian life, these instruments, sometimes accompanied by percussion, lay the tone for milestone events from festive wedding celebrations to solemn funeral processions.

Duduk

Perhaps most iconic among all Armenian woodwind instruments, the Duduk, with its warm, melancholic sound, carries such a profound cultural significance that it was recognised as a UNESCO Heritage masterpiece of Armenia’s Intangible Heritage. The Duduk’s body, masterfully carved out of locally-grown Armenian apricot trees is usually fitted with a double-reed, fashioned out of cane, giving it its unmistakably warm, melancholic sound instinctively associated with Armenia both as a place situated in geography and simultaneously lost in time; a testament to the ancient land’s long, and often painful history.

Zurna

For more cheerful occasions, from weddings to graduation parties or spontaneous dance performances, Armenians tend to pull out the Zurna (usually paired with the Dhol drum). Featuring a similar construction to the aforementioned Duduk, the double-reeded Zurna features a clarinette-like conical widening at the bottom which gives it a recognisably more high-pitched and festive sound. A word to the wise, however, to keep your ears away from that opening. A blearing Zurna tends to drown out all other sounds around it.

Shvi

For the lonely shepherd observing the hilly Armenian countryside as he takes his flock out to pasture, the instrument of choice is the Shvi. Like the Duduk and the Zurna, the Shvi is traditionally carved out of apricot wood, yet its simple flute design is capped with an end-hole. In contrast to the dramatic sound ranges produced by its double-reeded cousins, the Shvi represents the softer, more melodic side of Armenian folk music, often accompanying hymns with pastoral traditions.

Pku

An often forgotten member of the Armenian traditional music woodwind instruments lineup is the Pku. With its single reed, seven holes, and distinctive bullhorn-shaped opening at the bottom, the Pku also fits into the clarinette family, albeit with a lower pitch.  

Armenian Percussion Instruments

Elvis Presley famously said "Rhythm is something you either have or don't have, but when you have it, you have it all over." The King may as well have been referring to traditional Armenian music, since no Armenian party music comes unaccompanied by the constant beat of Armenian drums, from the treble to the base!

Dhol

The most common Armenian drum seen (and inevitably, also heard) at wedding celebrations or even street busking performances is the Dhol. This large, double-headed frame drum, traditionally made from sheets of apricot wood and stretched sheep skins, can be played in a variety of ways for any occasion. While this Armenian drum is primarily played by hand, with the drummer employing a special technique to flick their fingers onto the edge of the instrument, thus creating a rimshot-like sound. It can also be played with two sticks (a narrow one, and a bigger one) striking the drum on both sides, producing both the treble and base sounds, this style of play almost always accompanies one or multiple zurnas.

Given Armenia’s mountainous terrain, the Dhol historically played an important role in communicating across valleys, with different drum strokes and beats announcing gatherings, celebrations, mournful occasions, or even warnings. Today, it mostly wakes up the entire neighbourhood on someone’s wedding day.

String Instruments

With the Armenian musical instrument repertoire dominated by woodwinds, string instruments complement the sound of Armenian traditional music through an infusion of harmonic richness, melodic complexity, and textural variety.

Kamancha

Kind of like an eastern counterpart to the Violin, the Kamancha is a bowed string instrument which is central to poetic music across the Near-East. However, rather than being played horizontally under the chin like its western counterparts, the Kamancha is played vertically, while resting on the player’s knee. The instrument is considered quite versatile in traditional Armenian music, since it can carry a melody, provide a harmonic accompaniment, or even dialogue with other instruments. The kamancha is iconically associated with the 18th century Armenian bard and poet, Sayat-Nova, who composed countless melodies specifically for the instrument.

Tar

The Tar is a guitar-like (Tar -> guiTAR, yeah that’s no coincidence), string instrument which gives Armenian traditional music its emotional depth. Tar players can often be seen busking on major pedestrian walkways in the Armenian capital or performing as part of larger ensembles, sometimes accompanying traditional Armenian dance performances.

Kanon

Completing the string-instrument trifecta is the Kanon. This instrument, whose name, ‘Kanon’ likely means “rule”, can be traced all the way back to the ancient Assyrian empire, and has remained a staple of musical traditions in the levant and beyond for millennia. 

Among Armenians, this instrument is traditionally played by women, demonstrating the precision and delicate skills required to master it. It's often heard as part of a larger arrangement of traditional Armenian instruments where it provides a harmonic foundation. 

Armenia’s high mountain ranges and deep valleys reverberate with the sound of its own history, pain, resiliency and festive spirit. These expressions, translated through Armenian traditional music and passed down through generations, are the secrets of Armenian musical instruments and form part of the sonic landscape of modern Armenian identity. Armenian culture itself comes alive through these instruments, each note portraying defiance, each dance step echoing perseverance. From the Shvi's quiet, countryside melodies to the Zurna's piercing celebration sounds, from strings that weave harmony and musical conversation, Armenian music captures every shade of human feeling, moving seamlessly between deep grief and wild celebration, between spiritual yearning and the warmth of people coming together…and that experience is open to all.