Sunken Treasure: Awesome Music From The Achives. This Week, Djivan G

SUNKEN TREASURE: AWESOME MUSIC FROM THE ACHIVES. THIS WEEK, DJIVAN GASPARYAN

The Irish Times
Dec 12 2014

Donal Dineen digs through his music collection and explains why The
Moon Shines at Night deserves another listen

The duduk, a woodwind instrument indigenous to Armenia, is a small,
double reed flute carved from aged apricot wood. The rich tonal colour
and sweetness of the sound it makes is no coincidence.

The ancient duduk’s mournful, oboe-like sound is due to the width
of the reed, which require remarkable breathing techniques by the
player.It is most commonly played with another duduk, where the
soloist plays over the accompanying drone or foundation. This is
what gives the sound its uniquely touching sonic atmosphere, with
the scales changing harmoniously between both instruments.

It’s a captivating and free- flowing sound. There is an intimacy to
it that invites contemplation. In its gentleness it resides close to
silence and its whispering tones appear not to disturb quietness very
much at all.

>From the breath of the great Djivan Gasparyan, the duduk, once
regarded as a poor person’s instrument, has reached high places and
western ears. In 1989 Gasparyan released an album on his own Opal label
called I Will Not Be Sad in This World. A subsequent collaboration
with the producer Michael Brook resulted in Moon Shines at Night.

This is Gasparyan’s masterpiece. Brook works his magic in the most
subtle of ways, manufacturing a warm, acoustical setting in order to
bring the sound even closer to the listener.

Gasparyan’s playing is heartfelt and graceful. There’s a tenderness in
every note, phrase and song. The two tracks on which he sings, Mother
of Mine and 7th of December 1988, are powerful and highly evocative.

The similarity of his singing voice and his instrument is a mesmerising
combination.

It renders tangible the most elusive of things: A quiet, peaceful
dream.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress