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Audiophile Audition
Nov 23 2012
`Armenian Spirit' - Georgi Minassyan, Haeg Sarikouyoumdjian, Gaguik
Mouradian, Armen Badalyan, Hesperion XXI/ Jordi Savall - AliaVox
A unique musical discovery, of the magical sounds of Armenian
instrumental music.
`Armenian Spirit' - Georgi Minassyan, Haeg Sarikouyoumdjian, Gaguik
Mouradian, Armen Badalyan, Hesperion XXI/ Jordi Savall - AliaVox
AVSA9892 multichannel SACD, 78 mins. [Distr. by Harmonia mundi] *****:
Aside from the woodwind instrument called the duduk, Armenian music in
the West has been more about spirit than repertoire. The deep tragedy
of their history which must be profoundly moving to the great Catalan
musician from a culture which has faced similar struggles. But, as
always, Savall and his musicians find in their magical musical
discoveries the unbroken soul of a people, the rhythms of their music
and the vivid, seductive sounds of their instruments.
The duduk is in itself a fascinating story, one of the most poignant
of Armenia's unique instrumental voices? already discovered by
Hollywood for a few decades or more? a flute in sheep's clothing whose
timbre and subtlety of breath suggests the perfumed nuances that
Debussy would later bring to it. The music includes much that is
contemplative and restful, and the sound throughout is of audiophile
quality, even more sumptuous and yet also more spatially clear on
SACD.
In the extraordinary book that accompanies the CD, Savall contributes
a moving tribute to his late wife Montserrat Figueras, explaining that
she felt `a deep affinity and enormous fascination for these Armenian
instruments, especially the duduk and the kamancha, as well as a great
admiration for the extraordinary musical qualities of our musician
friends from Armenia. After her death, I found great consolation in
listening to these wonderful Laments for two duduks and kamancha, and
that is why I asked our Armenian friends to take part in the farewell
ceremonies that we held for our beloved Montserrat.'
The recording, which was made in the 11th century Romanesque Church of
St. Vincent in Cardona, 90 miles northwest of Barcelona, is so softly
intense that at times you can hear yourself breathing. Of course, the
instrumental timbres cause never-ending delight, as do the unforced
silky ease with which the lovely duduks, often in pairs, intertwine in
silver and gold.
As always with AliaVox's limited editions, the recording is packaged
sumptuously with absorbing reading material including history and lots
of gorgeous color pictures.
- Laurence Vittes
http://audaud.com/2012/11/armenian-spirit-georgi-minassyan-haeg-sarikouyoumdjian-gaguik-mouradian-armen-badalyan-hesperion-xxi-jordi-savall-aliavox/
Nov 23 2012
`Armenian Spirit' - Georgi Minassyan, Haeg Sarikouyoumdjian, Gaguik
Mouradian, Armen Badalyan, Hesperion XXI/ Jordi Savall - AliaVox
A unique musical discovery, of the magical sounds of Armenian
instrumental music.
`Armenian Spirit' - Georgi Minassyan, Haeg Sarikouyoumdjian, Gaguik
Mouradian, Armen Badalyan, Hesperion XXI/ Jordi Savall - AliaVox
AVSA9892 multichannel SACD, 78 mins. [Distr. by Harmonia mundi] *****:
Aside from the woodwind instrument called the duduk, Armenian music in
the West has been more about spirit than repertoire. The deep tragedy
of their history which must be profoundly moving to the great Catalan
musician from a culture which has faced similar struggles. But, as
always, Savall and his musicians find in their magical musical
discoveries the unbroken soul of a people, the rhythms of their music
and the vivid, seductive sounds of their instruments.
The duduk is in itself a fascinating story, one of the most poignant
of Armenia's unique instrumental voices? already discovered by
Hollywood for a few decades or more? a flute in sheep's clothing whose
timbre and subtlety of breath suggests the perfumed nuances that
Debussy would later bring to it. The music includes much that is
contemplative and restful, and the sound throughout is of audiophile
quality, even more sumptuous and yet also more spatially clear on
SACD.
In the extraordinary book that accompanies the CD, Savall contributes
a moving tribute to his late wife Montserrat Figueras, explaining that
she felt `a deep affinity and enormous fascination for these Armenian
instruments, especially the duduk and the kamancha, as well as a great
admiration for the extraordinary musical qualities of our musician
friends from Armenia. After her death, I found great consolation in
listening to these wonderful Laments for two duduks and kamancha, and
that is why I asked our Armenian friends to take part in the farewell
ceremonies that we held for our beloved Montserrat.'
The recording, which was made in the 11th century Romanesque Church of
St. Vincent in Cardona, 90 miles northwest of Barcelona, is so softly
intense that at times you can hear yourself breathing. Of course, the
instrumental timbres cause never-ending delight, as do the unforced
silky ease with which the lovely duduks, often in pairs, intertwine in
silver and gold.
As always with AliaVox's limited editions, the recording is packaged
sumptuously with absorbing reading material including history and lots
of gorgeous color pictures.
- Laurence Vittes
http://audaud.com/2012/11/armenian-spirit-georgi-minassyan-haeg-sarikouyoumdjian-gaguik-mouradian-armen-badalyan-hesperion-xxi-jordi-savall-aliavox/