The inspirations and background stories behind the tracks of Tributes.
Track 1: 8998
This is a tongue-in-cheek tribute to the official phone number we had to send a text message to for permission to leave our homes during the COVID lockdowns in Cyprus.
A couple of days after the movement restrictions were finally lifted, while out for a walk with our dog, I reflected on the fact that we no longer had to communicate with 8998. It left me with mixed feelings…which then inspired this short composition. Here is a short video that I made that week to explain and play the piece.
Track 2: Heaven’s Reception (Grandma Maida’s Tribute)
Grandma Maida (Mom’s Mom) was an amazing lady who sadly passed away last summer. She suffered much in life: losing her 18-year-old son during the civil war in Lebanon, and soon after her husband. Yet she remained strong, always thankful and full of faith.
I wrote this piece as a ‘visualisation’ of the reception waiting for her in heaven, as she is finally reunited with her loved ones there.
Track 3: April 24
April 24 is a solemn day for us Armenians. Every year, on this day, we commemorate the death of 1.5 million of our people during World War I – the Armenian Genocide at the hands of the Ottoman Turks. Many of our leading intellectuals, poets and musicians were killed on April 24, 1915.
I first wrote this tune around 20 years ago, as part of a musical project to honor the memory of the genocide victims. The project did not materialize, but the tune has been buzzing in my head ever since…and now finally, I recorded it as a tribute to the sacrifice and suffering of my people.
Track 4: Pappsen Lasse
My father-in-law, Lasse, was a generous, kind and fun-loving man. The very week that Anna and I got married in Sweden, he was diagnosed with cancer and ultimately lost his battle with it 3 years later. Gone way too soon!
This piece is my tribute to him, inspired also by the breath-taking natural beauty of his hometown region in northern Sweden.
Track 5: Mè Mèmè – 4 Variations (Grandma Vehanoush’s Tribute)
Grandma Vehanoush (Dad’s Mom) used to sing to us about a shepherd taking care of his sheep. I have no idea where she had learned the song from, but all the family still remember her sweet, soft, high-pitched voice singing it over the years and generations. Mè Mèmè is the bleating of the sheep in the song’s chorus, in case you were wondering.
I wanted to put this tune into a recording so that it continues being heard as a tribute to her. The concept of arranging it into variations was a gradual process; in recent months, whenever I had a short break on the piano between lessons, I would experiment with ideas for it until I settled for the final 4 variations you hear on this track.
Track 6: Peter’s Tribute
My brother-in-law, Peter, was the most kind and generous person I’ve ever known. He spent most of his life in service for others, especially the poor, the marginalized and the ones who could not pay him back. When my sister and him got married, I wrote and played this piece at the wedding ceremony.
Less than a year after their wedding, Peter succumbed to the rapidly spreading cancer in his body and passed away 5 days after the birth of their daughter. This then, is that wedding composition, rearranged and recorded in this track in Peter’s honor.
Track 7: For a Time Like This
This is the main theme song of the original musical Esther that my friend Daniel Chorbadjian and I wrote in 2000, and I wanted to release it as a piano solo in this album, as a tribute to those who take a stand for justice.
You can watch the 2007 version of the song performed in the musical at the beautiful Curium Amphitheatre in Cyprus.
Track 8: Wanted – The Truth
One of the things that struck me during the endless recent debates about COVID, vaccines and lockdown measures, was how confused we all seemed to be. I would listen to one point of view and think that it made sense, but then an opposite point of view also seemed to make sense. I know we all had at least one dogmatic friend who seemed to know it all, but I don’t recall any other time when people were more confused or divided collectively about reality.
So, in a sense, I wrote this piece out of frustration to begin with, and eventually a longing for the truth. You can probably ‘hear’ those two emotions in the to-and-fro of the music. Ultimately, this is a tribute to the truth – for minor societal debates, but more importantly, for the overall sense and direction of our lives. The only lyrics that kept popping in my head while writing this piece were in the last part of the chorus: ‘Longing for the day, when the Truth will set us free.’
Track 9: Behind a Smile
In every piano album so far, I’ve come up with an extra new piece during the recording itself, and Behind a Smile was the one for this album. I took a break from the recording one afternoon and went on a walk with Simba. Not sure why, but I started thinking about people I know who keep smiling in front of others, even though they are crying on the inside.
I guess we all go through periods like that where we put on a brave face so that our children or people dependent on us are not burdened by our burdens, but there are some for whom this is the pattern of their daily lives. This simple piece is a tribute to them – maybe serving as a temporary catharsis to release the tears…and then help them smile again.
Thanks to my colleague, Liana Danielidou, for coming up with the title for this piece.
Track 10: Shnorhagalem Der
Way back in 1988, this was one of the first songs I wrote for the children’s choir at our Armenian church in Lebanon. The song is in Armenian, and the title translates to ‘Thank you, Lord.’ At that time, the civil war in Lebanon was particularly intense and dangerous. We had many close calls, and often, waking up alive in the morning felt like a miracle in itself. So this song – back then and over the years since then – has been my tribute to God and his providence.
Shnorhagalem Der has been performed in various places over the years, including at our wedding by my sister, but this is the first time I am releasing a piano version of it.
PS – In 1999, while at the cinema watching Disney’s newly released animation, Tarzan, I suddenly sat bolt upright when the chorus of Phil Collins’ ‘You’ll Be In My Heart’ was sung…the first 4 bars…the tune and chords where almost identical to the start of Shnorhagalem Der. I am prepared to give Phil the benefit of the doubt that he didn’t mean to plagiarize my music and it was purely a creative coincidence. But just for the record, I wrote it first! (-:
Track 11: Anna
So fortunate I am to have Anna as a pillar of support and encouragement in my life. She puts up with my down days, self-doubts and even my alleged snoring at night! For someone who has to cope with daily pain due to the rheumatoid arthritis infecting her body since her teenage years, she continues to amaze me with her smile, gracious spirit and unconditional love.
I’ve kept this final track a secret from her; she will hear it for the first time when the album is released. It is my tribute to my Anna…and through her, to all those who have to live with chronic pain in their daily lives. May this music help bring some relief, peace and encouragement to keep you going.
BONUS – You can listen to the story of how I met Anna in my podcast episode below.
Did you enjoy the album? Send Hovig your feedback and comments.