David Dalle
Thursday December 9th, 2021 with David Dalle
A portrait of Djivan Gasparyan; Utsav Lal Raga Shorts; latest from Ustad Saami.
I found out this week that the great Armenian musician and composer Djivan Gasparyan died this past July. I have been listening to him for more than a quarter century. Born in 1928 he learned the double-reeded duduk as a child. By the 1950's he had became the most prominent Armenian duduk musician. By the 90's he had made the duduk well-known in the west, where among other things, it was popularly used in soundtracks to evoke ancient, Biblical times. The duduk, particularly in the hands of a master like Gasparyan, does evoke profound melancholy and deep time. We will hear Gasparyan solo, as well as with larger Armenian ensembles, the Kronos Quartet, and Iranian musicians.
| Before delving deeply into Gasparyan's music, we will start with another of Utsav Lal's Raga Shorts. Continuing the unique collision of two of my most important musical worlds, the piano and Indian music, these are releases of a single performance of a short raga or raga inspired performance. This performance of Raga Shuddha Sarang features Nitin Mitta on tabla.
https://utsavlal.bandcamp.com/ |
| Rag Shuddha Sarang Utsav Lal & Nitin Mitta - Raga Shuddha Sarang - Raga Shorts - Utsav Lal 
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| A Cool Wind Is Blowing Tigran Tahmizyan/Djivan Gasparyan, Kronos Quartet - Night Prayers - Nonesuch |
| We also hear from an original practitioner of Hindustani music from Pakistan, Ustad Saami, in an unedited new recording, recorded in his home in Karachi with his four sons accompanying on tabla, harmonium, and backing vocals.
https://ustadsaami.bandcamp.com/ |
| Night Falls (Desert Melody) Ustad Saami - East Pakistan Sky - Glitterbeat |
| I Will Not Be Sad In This World Djivan Gasparyan - I Will Not Be Sad In This World - Opal |
| Armenian music shares a lot with Iranian music, sharing a border with Iran, there is a sizeable Armenian community in Iran and millennia old history of commerce and cultural exchange. So in this Armenian ensemble it is not surprising to hear the kamancheh and tar as principal instruments. We also hear Djivan Gasparyan from a concert recorded live in Tehran in 2003 with the great Hossein Alizadeh and his ensemble Hamavayan. Gasparyan sings his own Armenian song "Mama"! |
| Armenian Suite Djivan Gasparyan & Ensemble - Armenian Fantasies - Network |
| Mama Hossein Alizadeh & Djivan Gasparyan - Endless Vision - World Village |
| Shurangiz improvisation Hossein Alizadeh & Djivan Gasparyan - Endless Vision - World Village |
| Tasnif Parvaneh Sho Hossein Alizadeh & Djivan Gasparyan - Endless Vision - World Village |
| Tariners Antsan Djivan Gasparyan - Apricots from Eden - Traditional Crossroads |
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Listening along.
2:16 PM, December 9th, 2021