ABOUT THIS ALBUM
Catalogue No.: AZ1022
UPC: 3618024608750
Total Playing Time: 53:07
Release Date: January 2025
Composer(s): George Frideric Handel, Dieterich Buxtehude, Johann Michael Bach, Johann Sebastian Bach, Henry Purcell, Christof Willibald Gluck, Alessandro Marcello, Giovanni Battista Pergolesi, Antonio Vivaldi, Alessandro Scarlatti
Artist(s): Hayk Melikyan
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This album celebrates the acclaimed pianist-composer Hayk Melikyan’s longstanding fascination with the baroque era. It brings together works arranged by legendary transcribers—including Kempff, Busoni, Siloti, and Petri—and Melikyan himself, spanning arias, chorales, laments, and dances by Handel, J.M. Bach, J.S. Bach, Buxtehude, Vivaldi, Marcello, Pergolesi, and Scarlatti. Through these keyboard re-imaginings, Melikyan lets the “breath” of Baroque music speak anew.
GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL (1685-1759) | ||
1 | Lascia ch’io pianga (from Rinaldo opera) HWV 7 (arr. by Hayk Melikyan)* | 3:37 |
2 | Minuet in G Minor, HWV 434|4 (arr. by Wilhelm Kempff, 1895–1991) | 3:28 |
DIETERICH BUXTEHUDE (1637-1707) | ||
3 | Nun bitten wir den heilgen Geist, BuxWV 208 (arr. by Egon Petri, 1881–1962) | 2:30 |
JOHANN MICHAEL BACH (1648-1694) | ||
4 | In dulci jubilo, BWV 751 (arr. by Wilhelm Kempff, 1895–1991) | 1:48 |
JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH (1685-1750) | ||
5 | Befiehl du deine Wege, BWV 727 (arr. by Wilhelm Kempff, 1895–1991) | 2:09 |
6 | Adagio BWV 564 (arr. by Ferruccio Busoni, 1866–1924) | 5:11 |
7 | Nun komm’ der Heiden Heiland, BWV 659 (arr. by Ferruccio Busoni, 1866–1924) | 5:10 |
8 | Andante (from Violin Sonata) BWV 1003 (arr. by Alexander Siloti, 1863–1945) | 5:42 |
HENRY PURCELL (1659-1695) | ||
9 | When I am Laid in Earth (from Dido and Aeneas opera) Z. 626 (arr. by Alexander Siloti, 1863–1945) | 3:12 |
CHRISTOF WILLIBALD GLUCK (1714-1787) | ||
10 | Orpheus’ klage – Reigen seligen Geister (from Orpheo ed Euridice opera, 1762) (arr. by Wilhelm Kempff, 1895–1991) | 5:09 |
ALESSANDRO MARCELLO (1673-1747) | ||
11 | Adagio (from Oboe Concerto in D Minor) S.Z 799 | 4:40 |
GIOVANNI BATTISTA PERGOLESI (1710-1736) | ||
12 | Quando corpus morietur (from Stabat Mater) P. 77 (arr. by Hayk Melikyan)* | 4:16 |
ANTONIO VIVALDI (1678-1741) | ||
13 | Sento il seno (from Il Giustino opera) RV 717 (arr. by Hayk Melikyan)* | 3:55 |
ALESSANDRO SCARLATTI (1660-1725) | ||
14 | Sussurando il venticello (from Tigrane opera, 1715) (arr. by Hayk Melikyan)* | 5:54 |
* World Premiere Recording |
ABOUT THE ARTIST
HAYK MELIKYAN is celebrated as a most versatile and imaginative performer. Equally at home in 20th Century and Contemporary music as in the classical and baroque repertoire, he is recognised by classical music audiences and critics as one of today’s most engaging, virtuoso pianists. Melikyan started playing the piano with Irina Grishinskaya and later continued his professional studies with Professor Alexander Gourgenov at the Yerevan Komitas Conservatory. He leads an active concert life, playing throughout Europe, Asia, and the Americas on prestigious stages such as Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw, Geneva’s Victoria Hall, Tokyo’s Suntory Hall, Lisbon’s Gulbenkian Grand Auditorium, and Teatro Solis in Montevideo, Uruguay. He is a frequent performer at international music festivals. Melikyan is a laureate of many International Piano Competitions.
The Armenian Musical Assembly awarded Melikyan the esteemed Komitas Medal in 2008, and Moscow Composers Union bestowed him their Golden Medal in 2012. In 2013, he received the Title of Honorary Artist of Armenia and in September 2025, he was awarded the Movses Khorenatsi Medal by the President of Armenia; the country's highest state honour for cultural achievements.
A champion of contemporary music, in 2009 Melikyan launched 1900+; a series on 20thcentury piano music; and in 2020, 2000+ to promote music from the current century. He received the Armenian Ministry’s Golden Medal for 1900+ in 2024. BBC Music Magazine named him “a Musical Hero for his promotion of contemporary music.”
Hayk Melikyan has collaborated with many renowned performers, composers and conductors, including Kristof Barati, Francesco Dillon, Valery Gergiev, Gyorgy Kurtag, Tigran Mansurian, Gianluca Marciano, Diego Martin-Etxebarria, Edgar Moreau, Krzysztof Penderecki, Hugo Ticciati, and Pēteris Vasks.