Search - Djivan Gasparyan :: I Will Not Be Sad in the World

But For The Lack of Courage

Antti Keisala | Jyväskylä, Finland | 02/04/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Gosh, how there are few albums that take you by surprise, when you know in some peculiar detail the things you are looking for, and find them in strange places and then some more.



I know that I was looking for some honesty, which is a strange occurence in art. By honesty we often mean the lack of irony or ambiguity, any ambivalence or friction. By honesty we often mean soulfulness that is naked and pale, approaching you directly without any preconceptions, without trying to reach your soul too abruptly; it isn't trying, and it lets us make the first steps.



In some ways this is a description of my definition of honesty. To me, honesty is at its purest the sublime form of expression, an integral part of what we find in ourselves. The defining discrepacy here is that I don't need honesty in the performer, I want to find that certain honesty in myself. Following this definition, what I need in the performance is certain space, certain vision, certain ambition. I need my music to reach into all dimensions at once, for it to be so strong I can start seeing myself morphing into the songs themselves.



Now, I was coming for some early Gasparyan hoping I would find something similar to what I feel "I Took Up The Runes" is for Jan Garbarek; an accomplished musician at his best, reaching beyond himself, extending the space around him in ways that must have been unconscious. Must've been, for so remarkable are they. That Garbarek album is amongst my all-time favourites, right there with Peter Gabriel's "Passion" and The Beatles' "Revolver", not to mention the classical sublimes, Rubinstein's "The Chopin Nocturnes", "Preludes" and "Mazurkas", as well as Gould's "Bach: The Art of Fugue", or Pärt's "Alina". These are albums that "contain multitudes"; they are larger than what we can think of them, because whole lives, whole musical strands have been built upon them. They have influenced, just as they have created the whole concept of what it means to be influential by not being overtly self-conscious. Expression because of the need to express, because you cannot no longer contain the feeling in your soul, thus you have to let it out to the world, joining the greater soul.



And of course, then there is the duduk itself. It is a remarkable instrument in my mind, and Gasparyan is a remarkable player. Its sound has all the mournfulness you might expect and wish for, the longing that goes deeper than even the most mournful tenor saxophone could ever go. The depth is amazing, as is the breadth of expression. As for the pieces themselves, these are songs are that have stayed in my ears and on my lips, and I can't think of any greater compliment to a recording artist than saying that listening to this album made me wish to learn to play the instrument myself.



Very, very highly recommended."

Shockingly, wonderfully human!!!

Sir Thomas | Morrisville, PA USA | 08/01/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I've hunted for quite some time for music that stir my imagination, my heart & my blood and I've found it in Djivan Gasparyan! I would go so far as to classify this as properly 'gothic' if for no other reason than the force at which it pulls on my heartstrings. It's wonderfully traditional (no cheezy synthesizers or new age pop fluff!) and rather than implying the cultural blend of 'world music' it remains incredibly loyal to the region from which it came and paints an amazing picture in one's head of that place. This was my 1st purchase of his work and now I'm going to purchase the rest of it because of this! If you want to really 'feel' then I'd strongly recommend this!"

I Will Not be Sad

stranger2himself | Down Here | 03/05/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I love music of many different styles, times and cultures. When I first heard Djivan Gasparyan a few years ago I was struck by the beauty and purity of his sound. Thankfully not mixed with or "updated" by elements of rock, jazz or "world-fusion". Sometimes I need music on an almost emergency basis, to ward off a nervous breakdown brought on by the insanity of modern life. In such times I know of nothing better than "I Will Not be Sad in this World". Achingly beautiful music."