ERIVAN. A government in the southern part of Transcaucasia. Russia, bordering on Persia and Asiatic Turkey on the south and covering an area of somewhat over 10,000 square miles (Map: Russia, F 6). It is a moun tainous country, traversed by chains belonging to the Little Caucasus system. There are also iso lated peaks, among which Alaghez and Ararat (on the border) are the highest. The government be longs chiefly to the basin of the Aras, which forms the boundary line between Russia and Persia. The largest lake of Caueasia, Goktelm, is situated in the Government of Erivan. The elintate varies with the elevation of the surface, but is on the whole unpleasant. The forest area is very lim ited, and salt is practically the only mineral exploited. The lower portions of the country and especially the river valleys are devoted to agri culture, while in the mountainous regions live stock breeding is the chief pursuit. Besides ce reals there are raised large quantities of southern fruit and some cotton. Lake Goktcha has ex tensive fisheries. The trade is important and carried on mostly by Armenians and Tatars. Population, in 1897, 804,S00, consisting princi pally of Armenians and Tatars. but including
also Kurds, Russians, Greeks, and Jews. Capital, Erivan (q.v.).
ERK, irk. LUDWIG CHRISTIAN (1807-83). A German musician. He was born at Wetzlar and was a pupil of A. Andre at Offenbach. He was appointed conductor of liturgical singing in the Domkirche at Berlin. and founded the Erk Miin nergesang,verein in 1843, and the Erk Gesang verein in 1852. As a teacher he trained many excellent singers, and as a conductor he greatly increased the appreciation of good music among the masses. llis popular song books for sehools include the following: Singeogelein (1896) ; Liederkrana. (I839 et seq.) ; Deutscher Lieder schatz (5th ed. 1893) and Turncrliederbuch. His valuable library and many of his unpub lished manuscripts were acquired by the Kiinig liche liochschule Hitt Musik at Berlin. A large number of these manuseripts, containing 'hun dreds of liturgical and folk-songs, consisting of original compositions and historical collections, were subsequently published by Magnus BiIhme.