Naïve Asu: CD-levy Vuosi: 2024, 30.08.2024 Kieli: und
Last year, Tigran Hamasyan composed his greatest work, inspired by a traditional Armenian tale of the same name: The Bird of a Thousand Voices. He is rediscovering this story in a transmedia project, consisting of an innovative live-staged play (world premiere at the Holland Festival on June 8, 2024), two ambitious cinematic fiction music videos, a documentary music video, and an online game.
The original story of the firebird has been orally transmitted over the centuries and cultures. The folk tale requires a multi-layered, transdisciplinary approach to provide an artistic context for this fascinating story. The mystical bird of a thousand voices is a beautiful metaphor of our times: a world in search of connection and harmony, faced with ecological, psychological, and spiritual crises.
Any form of recognition and new means of transmitting this beautiful music of the ancient traditions of the Caucasus is therefore important and sets the tone for world curiosity and diversity.
The Bird of a Thousand Voices is part of this context.
Tigran is one of the most remarkable jazz pianists and composers of his generation. He combines improvisation with the rich traditional music of his native Armenia. Ten years ago, Tigran and award-winning filmmaker Ruben Van Leer met during a collaboration at the Cité de la Musique in Paris, creating Shadow Theater, a visual musical experience (see ARTE broadcast). They went on to create several music videos together (see Cave of Rebirth & Fides Tua).
Armenian culture, geopolitically situated between globalized powers such as Russia, Turkey, and Azerbaijan, has been under pressure for centuries. Most recently, in September 2023, Azerbaijan took over Armenian territory. Right after, almost the entire population was expelled from the mountainous region of Nagorno-Karabakh as part of an "ethnic cleansing," in the words of the European Parliament.
Azerbaijan is now expressly ordering the burning of ancient historical manuscripts in Armenian monasteries. D
eluxe 2CD box set with 2 superb illustrated booklets (60 pages in total).