Persian

Discographysite

  by: Amir Mansour

Armenian 78s

There are some pre World War I Armenian recordings for Gramophone company in Tbilisi (Tiflis). The links will show you recordings of 1903 (GC-14675, GC-14613, GC-18306, GC2-12519, GC2-12548), 1905 (GC4-12431, GC4-12459), 1908 (GC6-12796, GC6-12801) and 1910 (GC11-12073, GC11-12074) even though the Concert Record "Gramophone" label belong to the second or third releases of recordings between 1912 and 1915 manufactured in Riga - Russia. Armenian recordings of 1914 in Tbilisi with "Monarch - Record" label are also found (98893, 98894).

Between Two World Wars, many Armenian recordings were taken in Tehran - Iran by different companies starting by His Master's Voice in 1926 (AX399a, AX399b, AX400a, AX400b) and songs by Sato (Pari) Aghababov who has recorded 5 records or 10 sides in Armenian beside some recordings in Persian (AX401a, Ax407a). She had also recorded some operettas in Persian for Odeon company in their first recording session in Tehran in 1927 (xPe13, xPe19).

We can find a list of Armenian recordings by HMV in Iran during 1926 & 1929 in an Index published in Persian and Armenian in 1931 containing the lyrics and some photos of the artists and their names like Gasparian and Stepanian. Columbia also recorded in 1928 some choral songs of 35 voices (15073b) in Tehran beside Persian vocals by Miss Siranoosh and in 1933, there are more Persian recordings by Armenian singers like Miss Loretta Hairapetian. There are Armenian recordings on US made Columbia label by Shahmouradian (28019F) and England made records by Garabet Marjanian (col 11708) and others (col 13228).

An Armenian female Pianist "Catherine A. Setkhanian" recorded 3 solo piano records in Mahour, Bayat Shiraz and Bayat Esfahan for Polyphon in Tehran in 1927 (V 41140, V 41141). Other Polyphon recordings in Tehran in 1929 include some Armenian recordings by Armenian kamancheh player "Haig" and his Caucasian Band (V 41535).

A tar solo recording by Vartan Gazarian (Bayat Shiraz / Mahour X.78.085) for Pathe in Tehran in 1928 is reported.

Baidaphon company has recorded two times in Tehran probably in 1930 and 1932 containing some Armenian recordings in each session. B 090000 series were released on Baidaphon label and B 092000 series of recordings for Baidaphon were transferred to Parlophon label after Carl Lindstrom bought its non-Arabic Middle Eastern recordings. There are 12 sides of recordings by Madame Gasparian on Baidaphon B 090341/B 090351 records (B 090344, B 090347) and 6 sides B 090390/B 090395 by Miss Siranoosh Georgian. Also there are recordings by Madame Aghababov (B 092409) and Madame Araxia Assatourian (B 092251) on Parlophon label.

Between Syrian label "SODWA" of 1939 some Armenian records have been seen like Sayat Nova by Ashud Arustamian (sod2877).

Many Armenian recordings were taken for different labels of Soviet Union like USSR and CCCP up to late 50's.

A private picture label "Margosian's Records" 10" & 12" records were released in USA in 50's (Margosian 37a, Margosian 37b).