Customer Reviews

Ask Me No Questions

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Jivan Gasparyan is the most famous duduk player in the world. His music has been much loved and adored for many years in Armenia and recognized throughout the world. Jivan Gasparyan's music travels deep into the roots of Ancient Armenian folklore music. The Genocide of the 1915 and the earthquake of 1988 had a big impact on his repertoire with the release of "I will not be sad in this world" album in 1989. At the same time Gasparyan collaborates with Peter Gabriel and the result was the award-winning music to the famous "Last Temptation of Christ" movie. He also collaborated with artists such as Lionel Richie, Michael Brooks, "Kronos Quartet" and recorded a number of soundtracks for different movies like Atom Egoyan's "Calendar", "Storm and Sorrow".

His "Ask Me No Questions" album once again travels into the deep historical heritage of Armenia. His sad melodies endowed with a beautiful sound of duduk (sometimes without any other accompaniment) are deep, melancholic and touching. Gasparyan includes more folklore in "Song of Gyumri" and "Maidens of karabagh", at the same time his Komitas Suite is a tribute to Vardapet Komitas, the famous Armenian composer who went insane after seeing the atrocities of 1915 genocide carried out by the Ottoman empire...END

This is a lovely, serene, contemplative album. If you're unfamiliar with the duduk, at least for me, I'd describe it as having a hint of the biting tone that so many of the oboe-family instruments from Asia have, but crossed with that soft serenity of the species of Native American flute that R. Carlos Nakai plays. I love those oboe-family instruments that are all over Asia, but I know some people seem to feel they are too abrasively reedy. You won't feel that way about the duduk.

You're not going to dance or even tap your toes to this album. This disc is for sitting back and oozing into a couch or a bed and zoning-out. Just let it unfold around you in the dark as you think about whatever you need to think about.

i really like this album a lot. i also have "moon shines at night" which is beautiful and a bit melancholy. as well as "apricots from eden", which is a little more up-beat with drumming. this is kind of somewhere in between. more of a solo album with some really soothing, sweet tunes. i like using it while working during my massage therapy sessions because it's very relaxing and uplifting. it always amazes me every time i hear the duduk how a unique and expressive instrument it really is. you can always benefit from adding another album to your collection regardless of the artist :)

In general, I never before liked flutes, but the duduk produces a warm tone that is soothing and inviting. I appreciate Mr. Gasparyan's virtuosity to deliver such exquisite music.

this album is pure magic. i have owned it but my CD through ill circumstance became lost with many others, though the loss of this one in particular has devestated me for a very long time. i finally remembered the name of the artist and album by random searches under the instrument duduk. There is no perfect words to describe the sound of traditional duduk music, though beautiful, haunting, exquisite, calming, medatative, old world, spiritual, embracing are a few that come to mind.
From what i remember of this album, this is mostly just pure duduk music -- gasparyan and another duduk player playing a tonic note, sustained through circular breathing. Even among oboe players, this instrument would take an incredible skill to attain mastery due to the fact that it is 2 (or 4) reeded [with the exception of some single reed versions, though these are usually relative instruments like the dudka from Russia). This instrument predates Christ, and the sounds of this album will port you back to earler civilization, lifting you out of modernity, letting your soul lose some baggage on the way.
If you are stressed out, get this album. If you love to meditate, get this album. If you love Beautiful music, regardless of genre, do yourself a favor and buy this spirit enriching music.