Khachatur of Taron or Khatchatur Taronatsi (Armenian: Խաչատուր Տարոնացի; 12th century, in Taron, Turuberan, Greater Armenia – 1184, at Haghartsin Monastery) was an Armenian poet, musician and religious figure, who wrote a number of medieval sharakans.

Khachatur Tarontsi
Խաչատուր Տարոնացի
Born12th century
Taron, Greater Armenia
Died1184
Haghartsin Monastery, Tavush, Armenia
Occupation(s)Poet, composer, cleric

It is known that he was born in Taron and eventually settled in Eastern Armenia during the Zakarid period. During this time, the first few decades of the thirteenth century, the region was enjoying relative prosperity and development. In the 1230s, he was put in charge of the monastery of Haghartsin, in the province of Dzorapor. From Western Armenia he brought with him to Dzorapor many spiritual chants transcribed in the khaz notation. As elsewhere, this system of musical notation was gradually replaced by the system still in use today.[1]

References edit

  1. ^ A. J. Hacikyan; Gabriel Basmajian; Edward S. Franchuk; Nourhan Ouzounian, eds. (2002). The Heritage of Armenian Literature volume II: From the sixth to the eighteenth century. Detroit: Wayne State University Press. pp. 477–478. ISBN 9780814330234.