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Sayat-Nova (Armenian: Սայաթ-Նովա; Georgian: საიათ-ნოვა; Azeri: Sayat-Nova / سایاﻂ ﻧﻮﺍ), or 'King of Songs' is the name given to Harutyun Sahakyan. He was probably born in Sanahin, where his mother was also born, and he grew up in a village near Tbilisi, Georgia, and was skilled in writing poetry, singing and playing the kamancheh. He performed in the court of Heraclius II of Georgia, where he also worked as a diplomat, and apparently helped forge an alliance between Georgia, Armenia and Shirvan against the Persian Empire. He lost his place at court when he fell in love with the king's daughter, and spent the rest of his life as an itinerant bard. In 1795 he was killed in Haghpat by the army of Agha Mohammed Khan.

About 220 songs can be attributed to Sayat-Nova, although he may have written thousands altogether. These songs are still sung today. His songs are written mainly in Armenian, but also in Persian, Georgian and Azeri. He also knew Arabic.

Sayat-Nova was officially recognized as the greatest gusan (folk singer-songwriter) that ever lived in the Caucasus (the area between the Black and the Caspian sea, shared among current Armenia, Russia, Georgia and Azerbaijan). The world-famous Armenian composer Alexander Arutiunian wrote an opera called "Sayat Nova". There is a music school named after him in Yerevan, Armenia, as well as an Armenian-American dance ensemble in the United States.

The 1968 art film "Sayat Nova" directed by Sergei Parajanov - which was banned in the USSR - follows the poet's path from his childhood wool-dying days to his role as a courtier and finally his life as a monk. It was released in the United States under the title The Color of Pomegranates. It is not so much a biography of Sayat Nova but a series of tableaux of Armenian costume, embroidery and religious ritual interspersed with scenes and verses from the poet's life.

External links

Armenianmusicarch.com
Love Song translated into English by Alice Stone Blackwell
Classical Composers Database
Encyclopaedia Britannica

This article on an individual musician is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

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-'''Sayat-Nova''' ("Սայաթ-Նովա" in [[Armenian language|Armenian]]) ([[1712]]-[[1795]]), or 'King of Songs' is the name given to '''Harutyun Sahakyan'''. He was probably born in [[Sanahin]], where his mother was also born, and he grew up in a village near [[Tbilisi]], [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]], and was skilled in writing poetry, singing and playing the [[Kamancheh]]. He performed in the court of [[Heraclius II of Georgia]], where he also worked as a [[diplomat]], and apparently helped forge an alliance between [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]], [[Armenia]] and Shirvan against the [[Persian Empire]]. He lost his place at court when he fell in love with the king's daughter, and spent the rest of his life as an itinerant bard. In [[1795]] he was killed in [[Haghpat]] by the army of [[Agha Mohammed Khan]].
+'''Sayat-Nova''' ([[Armenian language|Armenian]]: ''Սայաթ-Նովա''; [[Georgian]]: ''საიათ-ნოვა''; [[Azeri]]: ''Sayat-Nova'' / ''سایاﻂ ﻧﻮﺍ''), or 'King of Songs' is the name given to '''Harutyun Sahakyan'''. He was probably born in [[Sanahin]], where his mother was also born, and he grew up in a village near [[Tbilisi]], [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]], and was skilled in writing poetry, singing and playing the [[kamancheh]]. He performed in the court of [[Heraclius II of Georgia]], where he also worked as a [[diplomat]], and apparently helped forge an alliance between [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]], [[Armenia]] and Shirvan against the [[Persian Empire]]. He lost his place at court when he fell in love with the king's daughter, and spent the rest of his life as an itinerant bard. In [[1795]] he was killed in [[Haghpat]] by the army of [[Agha Mohammed Khan]].
-About 220 songs can be attributed to Sayat-Nova, although he may have written thousands altogether. These songs are still sung today. His songs are written mainly in [[Armenian language|Armenian]], but also in [[Persian language|Persian]], [[Georgian language|Georgian]] and Azeri [[Turkish language|Turkish]]. He also knew [[Arabic language|Arabic]].
+About 220 songs can be attributed to Sayat-Nova, although he may have written thousands altogether. These songs are still sung today. His songs are written mainly in [[Armenian language|Armenian]], but also in [[Persian language|Persian]], [[Georgian language|Georgian]] and [[Azerbaijani language|Azeri]]. He also knew [[Arabic language|Arabic]].
 Sayat-Nova was officially recognized as the greatest gusan (folk singer-songwriter) that ever lived in the [[Caucasus]] (the area between the [[Black Sea|Black]] and the [[Caspian Sea|Caspian sea]], shared among current Armenia, Russia, Georgia and Azerbaijan). The world-famous Armenian composer [[Alexander Arutiunian]] wrote an opera called "Sayat Nova". There is a music school named after him in [[Yerevan]], Armenia, as well as an [[Armenian-American]] dance ensemble in the [[United States]].