Hampartsoum Limondjian

Hampartsoum Limondjian (; 1768 – 29 June 1839) was an Ottoman Armenian composer of Armenian church, inclined to composition of classical music and Ottoman classical music. He was a musical theorist who developed the “Hamparsum” notation system used as the main music notation for Western Armenian and Ottoman classical music until the 20th-century introduction of European notation systems, and is still in use by the Armenian Apostolic Church. Limondjian was referred to as Baba Hamparsum (Father Hampartsoum) in Ottoman imperial court music circles. The name Համբարձում, transliterated as Hampartsoum in Western Armenian or Hambardzum in Eastern Armenian, means “ascension”. Biography Early life Hampartsoum Limondjian was born in 1768 on Çukur Street in the Pera (Beyoğlu) district of Istanbul. His father Sarkis and his mother Gaderina, who had recently moved to Istanbul from Harput, were poor, and could only send their son to primary school. After primary school, Limondjian started working for a tailor. His love for music was eminent, and as a kid, Limondjian started attending Armenian churches where he received his music lessons for free. Marriage and children Hampartsoum Limondjian marr