While vinyl is making a come-back in the recording industry, the Museum’s collection dates back over 100 years in some instances, and we would hate to lose these songs to time and degradation. Audio digitization specialist and museum volunteer Jesse Kenas Collins gives you a behind-the-scenes look at how the Armenian Museum preserves and digitizes our rare musical recordings collection.
We are also excited to share a wonderful piece of our collection with you! This video features an original vinyl recording of soprano Zabelle Panosian singing “Groong” or “Krunk” from 1917 in a powerful and striking rendition, differing from the more well-known Komitas version. Panosian was in her 20s when she recorded this performance for Columbia Records. After numerous pressings, Columbia Records stopped selling Armenian-language material in 1931.
From 1908-1920, Panosian lived in Brookline, Massachusetts and helped raise funds for the Near East Relief, which provided aid and support to victims of the Armenian Genocide. She died in 1986, with her work largely forgotten, but as part of our mission to preserve and promote, the Museum is thrilled to share her work with you today in her newly digitized fashion.