Odes Arméniennes for English Horn, Mezzo-soprano and Viola

Thanks to Pierre Bédrossian, dudukist – musician who plays theduduk–, for associating me to that concert project organized by the Armenian General Benevolent Union, at the Carnegie Hall, New York.

Indeed, it is an opportunity to compose some music for that Armenian instrument, which is nowadays very much used in movies and video games scores; its sound takes us spontaneously in exotic Middle-East regions, in antique Perse,… Never ending sources of inspiration.

Some Armenian Odes bySayat-Novaare selected as themes, they are also sung, as well as the author did, accompanying himself with thekamancha(another caucasian instrument). Below is the beginning of the ode called ‘kamancha’ (1759) which is a kind of anthem to Music:

Parmi toutes ces lyres magnifiées,
Tu es l’excellence, Qamantcha !
Et tu n’es pas pour le perfide,
Inaccessible, Qamantcha !
Courage ! En avant ! Pour des jours
Encore bien meilleurs, Qamantcha !
Qui peut donc nous séparer : toi
L’œuvre du Troubadour, Qamantcha !
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